CHINA'S FLAGS SINCE 1912

Until the revolution in 1911 most of China had been governed by the Manchu (Qing) Dynasty since approximately 1644. There were numerous individual flags and banners relating to position and rank in use but no National Flag as such until 1872 when the triangular Qing banner was adopted. It consisted of a blue five-toed dragon facing the hoist on a solid yellow field. There was no standard representation of the dragon or other features of the flag.

Following the revolution a flag with five horizontal stripes was adopted in 1912. During and after the revolution Tibet, Mongolia, and Tannu Tuva took advantage of the central government's weakness and became independent nations.

In 1926-28 the Kuomingtang Party (Nationalist) took control of the government with its seat in Nanking and adopted a modified party flag as the new National Flag. This flag remains the flag used by the Republic of China on Taiwan (Formosa) with its capital at Taipei. For a number of years between 1911 and the end of the civil war period in 1949 semi-independent warlords controlled much of China and used a variety of personal, local and regional flags.

Following the conclusion of the civil war the People's Republic of China was established in October, 1949. It uses a red flag with five gold/yellow stars. Tibet was forcefully reincorporated into China between 1950 and 1959.

	Republic of China 1912-1928
	Republic of China 1928 - Present (Taiwan)
	People's Republic of China 1949 - Present

The above flag is that used by the Tibetan government-in-exile and Tibetan organizations around the world. Its use in Tibet is forbidden by the Chinese authorities. Tibet enjoyed some level of independence between 1911 and 1950 when it was invaded.

Current Flag of Mongolia. Mongolia became independent in 1911 and maintained a nominal independence although accupied by the Soviet Union c.1922 until c.1990. China recognized Mongolia's independence following World War II.

Tannu Tuva was nominally independent under Russian protection 1911-17 and again under Soviet protection 1922-1944 when it was forceably incorporated into the Soviet Union.