The HKSAR and Its Emblems

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1Summary 重點摘要

The five-star red flag is the national flag; the bauhinia flag stands for Hong Kong. National Day is 1 October; HKSAR establishment day 1 July; stand in respect at flag-raising.

2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary

3Step by step Steps

1. Step 1: Know the day of the returnOver a hundred and fifty years ago Hong Kong came under British rule. In 1984 China and Britain signed the Joint Declaration, fixing Hong Kong's return in 1997. At midnight on 1 July 1997, the five-star red flag and the HKSAR regional flag rose slowly, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was formally established, ending more than a century of colonial history as Hong Kong returned to the motherland. Each 1 July, the HKSAR establishment day, also called the return anniversary, we commemorate this important date.
2. Step 2: Know the symbols of the nationEvery country has its symbols. Our national flag is the five-star red flag: red stands for revolution, and in the upper left of the field fly five yellow stars — one large star with four small ones — signifying the close unity of the whole people. The national emblem bears five stars, Tiananmen, a gear and ears of grain, for the workers, farmers and the state. The national anthem is the March of the Volunteers, strong and stirring. National Day is 1 October, a holiday across the country, and Hong Kong also holds a flag-raising ceremony and celebrations each year.
3. Step 3: Know the regional flag and emblemThe HKSAR has its own flag and emblem. The regional flag is red with a white bauhinia at the centre, a red star on each of the five petals: red stands for the motherland and the white flower for Hong Kong, meaning Hong Kong blooms in prosperity in the motherland's embrace. The bauhinia is Hong Kong's representative flower. The regional emblem is round, with the same bauhinia and stars at its centre and a ring bearing Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Chinese and English. Wherever you see them, you know this is the Hong Kong SAR.
4. Step 4: Tell the national flag from the regional flagThe two flags often appear together, so tell them apart clearly: the five-star red flag is the nation's flag, standing for the People's Republic of China; the bauhinia regional flag is the HKSAR's flag, standing for Hong Kong. At ceremonies the national flag usually flies in the centre or at the higher position. Remember the key dates too: 1 October is National Day; 1 July is the HKSAR establishment day, also the return anniversary — both days hold grand flag-raising ceremonies. Telling them apart and remembering them is respect for both the country and Hong Kong.
5. Step 5: Learn the flag-raising etiquetteA flag-raising ceremony is solemn, and its etiquette must be learned: as the March of the Volunteers sounds, all stand at attention, bodies straight, facing the flag in silent salute; no talking, no laughing, no looking around; sing the anthem earnestly and loudly; as the flag rises, follow it with your eyes to the top of the pole. In daily life respect the national flag and anthem and the regional flag and emblem too: never scribble on, defile or trample them, and dispose of old flags properly. Solemn respect is how we love the country and Hong Kong.
6. Step 6: A little about One Country, Two SystemsSince the return, Hong Kong practises One Country, Two Systems: Hong Kong is an inseparable part of the country, while keeping its original capitalist system and way of life, run by Hong Kong people with a high degree of autonomy, unchanged for fifty years. We have our own laws, currency and border controls, and we share the nation's development — the high-speed rail and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge now link Hong Kong closely with the mainland. As Chinese people in Hong Kong, we love Hong Kong and care for the motherland — the beginning of national identity.

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8Recap Recap

• Hong Kong returned and the SAR was founded on 1 July 1997.
• The national flag is the five-star red flag; the anthem is the March of the Volunteers.
• The regional flag, red with a white bauhinia, stands for the HKSAR.
• National Day is 1 October; the return anniversary is 1 July.
• Stand at attention at the ceremony; respect the national and regional flags.