Basically the flag of the Qing Dynasty was an emblem with a dragon on it.
The background was a yellow plain field and it featured Azure Dragon.
It referred to as a yellow dragon flag which becomes the first-ever Chines national flag.
Throughout the history of the dynasty imperial of China. The yellow color had been the royal color for the successive dynasty emperors. The first emperor of china also named the yellow emperor. royal family members used Yellow color and no one else allowed to use this color.
A chines five-clawed dragon be as a symbol of royal power and strength.
In Chines culture, mostly there is a pearl on the top of the head of the dragon. It is related to health, good luck, and prosperity.
There were a whole of eight banners in the Qing Dynasty governmental which was administrative/ war banners.
Those eight banners functioned as armies during the war and also functioned as an organizational framework in the Qing Dynasty’s society.
The triangular version (1862–1889)
In 1862 on the river of Yangtze River in Wuhan, sailors from China which their vessels were flying foreign flags, and British Navy clashed.
The incident “Narrow Incident”, “Narrow War” or “Second Anglo-Chines War” was the result. That the Qing Dynasty had no official flag at that time. British navy’s claimed they could not recognize whether it was civilian’s vessels or Chines governmental or navy ship.
As a result, Yixin (prince) told Zeng Guofan to create an official flag for Qing Dynasty. And suggested he use a dragon which was already used in the army’s flag and Qing Dynasty’s administrative eight banners.
It was the birth point of the Qing Dynasty’s triangular flag. Zeng Guofan though if the flag is in a square shape.
People would view that as an endorsement of hierarchy for the eight banners of the Qing Dynasty’s administrative banners.
He came then removed one corner and created a triangular flag.
The use of this flag was banned to be used by the army. It was restricted to be used by the navy and government only. No civilian ships were allowed to fly the yellow pennant.
Rectangular version (1889–1912)
When the two cruisers Chaoyang and Yangwei were sent to China from Birkenhead in England in 1881. Li Hongzhang thought that the triangular naval ensign was so unique among the naval flags of other countries.
Consequently, he appealed from the imperial court to allow him to change the flag. He finally changed it to a rectangular version.
Download images of Qing dynasty’s flag
Download free images of Qing dynasty’s flag in four formats(PNG, JPG, SVG, Icon)
Qing Dynasty
Ancient china’s ruling style from 2070 BC to 1912 AC which a revolution named Xinhai demolished this type of governmental regime, was based on dynasties dominancy.
It started by Yu the Great who established the Xia Dynasty. From the establishing point to the last dynasty with the Xuantong Emperor in power, many successive emperors have ruled china.
This was not only the governing type for ancient China. But also it is one of the ways scholars and historians use to study china’s periodical history.
Dynasty Cycle which is a term for study to rise and fall of dynasties in chines history. It is one way to study chines history in a more effective way.
Since the rise and fall of dynasties is one of the most prominent features of the history of China.
Some scholars attributing the rise and fall of dynasties to the moralities of the rulers. Some others attributed the success and failure to some tangible aspect of the monarchy.
The power transition from one dynasty to the next dynasty, would take place in two ways: military conquest and usurpation.
It happened a lot that still the predecessor dynasty was not overthrown while the successor started its ruling over the other part of China.
In the case of usurpation, the successors would portray the dynasty transition in the way that it looked the predecessors willingly relinquished the throne to the next one.
The Qing dynasty or the great Qing was the last imperial dynasty of China. the Ming Dynasty preceded it.
It established in 1644 by Manchu Aisin Gioro and lasted for three centuries, ended in 1912 after the establishment of the Republic of China.
In term of territorial size, was the fifth largest empire in world history, was a multi-cultural imperial realm and formed the territorial base for modern China.
Qing dynasty had a very organized and powerful government. With its realm stretching from, Korea to Taiwan to Mongolia, the multinational Qing Dynasty was a prominent Dynasty in the history of China.
As every kingdom in world history has gone through ups and downs, the Qing Dynasty’s peak power was appearing in the late 18th Century.
After this point, the Qing Dynasty faced so many internal and external challenges which also was the declination point for the Qing imperial dynasty.
Challenges such as internal revolt, disruption of the economy, corruption, population growth, and the reluctance of ruling elites that not only changed their mindset but also encountered change.
With population growth which almost reached 400 million, the governmental income from the tax remained low which finally led to fiscal crises in the country.
On the other side, after the opium war, the “unequal treaty” extraterritoriality, free trade and treaty ports under foreign control rose another huge problem.
Another of such disastrous occurrence was the Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864) and the Dungan Revolt (1862–1877) which cause the death of around 20 million people in the central Asia due to war, famine, and disease.
The mid-centaury uprising of the Taiping Rebellion, the unequal treaties and the opium war, were those harsh realities that made the Qing officials understand that the Qing Dynasty needs to bring amendment and strengthen itself.
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The reformation under the name of Tongzhi Restoration which was name after the name of the Tongzhi Emperor (1861–1875). It granted another sixty years of stability in the age of the Qing Dynasty.
The Tongzhi Restoration took place as a result of self-strengthening initiatives under the lead of Zeng Guofan to improve economic.
And cultural conditions and to reanimate the decaying government.
It was the result of the self-strengthening movement that a forging office established. Institutes opened For the study of policy, foreign language
And a machine factory was established, students were sent to the United State to learn modern education, and coal mining was started.
Historians say that not only the dynasty was on the verge of collapse.
But also the entire civilization while the extraordinary effort by extraordinary men took place. And revived it for another sixty years.
It was due to policy and leadership change that the Qing Dynasty managed to survive both internal and international attacks.
I really appreciate you sharing this historical information in English! I’ve never read it before!
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