Flag of Hong Kong: Difference between revisions
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* [http://www.info.gov.hk/protocol/eng/frf.htm Official webpage of the HKSAR Regional Flag] |
* [http://www.info.gov.hk/protocol/eng/frf.htm Official webpage of the HKSAR Regional Flag] |
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* [http://www.fotw.net/flags/hk.html Flags of the World:Hong Kong] |
* [http://www.fotw.net/flags/hk.html Flags of the World:Hong Kong] |
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[[Category:Hong Kong]] |
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Revision as of 17:21, 8 July 2005
The FIAV Code shows flag usage. The top row of dots represent use on land for civil, state and military respectively, the bottom row represents use at sea. Flag ratio: 2:3
The flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia blakeana flower in the center. The red is the same as the flag of the People's Republic of China.
To choose the flag for the new Special Administrative Region, a contest was held among Hong Kongers and a panel of political figures were nominated as judges. However, the government of the People's Republic of China objected to the chosen design. Subsequently, the winning entry of a national design contest submitted by Xiao Hong, a professor of arts and crafts from the Henan University, PRC, was adopted with further minor modifications.
The Hong Kong SAR flag and emblem were adopted on 16 February 1990 and passed the preparatory committee of Hong Kong SAR on Aug 10th 1996. It was first officially hoisted on 1 July 1997 when Hong Kong was transfered from the United Kingdom to the PRC. The accurate use of the regional flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has been determined in regulations passed by the 58th executive meeting of the State Council held in Beijing.
The former colonial flag was used from 27 July 1959 to 30 June 1997. It was a blue Union Jack ensign with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag. The 1876 design featured a colonial badge, showing a "local scene" instead of the Hong Kong coat of arms.
The meaning of the flag
The background of the regional flag possesses the red colour identical to that of the National Flag. This means Hong Kong is an unexcludable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China. The colour red and the five stars symbolises the People's Republic and the "one country" while the two colors symbolises the so called "two system" part of One country two systems — the principle under which post-colonial Hong Kong is envisioned. The stylised bauhinia blakeana has been the floral emblem of Hong Kong since 1965, as the symbol of the Urban Council. The flower was named after the British Governor of Hong Kong from 1898 to 1903, Sir Henry Blake, an enthusiastic botanist who discovered it near Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Island, in 1880. The actual flowers are bright pinkish purple, not white as on the flag.
Design requirements
| Size | cm |
|---|---|
| 1 | 288 × 192 |
| 2 | 240 × 160 |
| 3 | 192 × 128 |
| 4 | 144 × 96 |
| 5 | 96 × 64 |
| Car flag | 30 × 20 |
| Flag for signing ceremony | 21 × 14 |
| Desk flag | 15 × 10 |
The shape and colour on both sides of the regional flag are the same. The bauhinia design on both sides are the same. For the sake of expediency, only the specifications for the regional flag with the pole standing on its left are listed below. As regards the side of the regional flag with the pole standing on its right, it must be produced in that order.
The regional flag is in red, the chrominance value of which is identical with that of the national flag of the People's Republic of China. The regional flag is rectangular in shape with its length/height ratio being 3 to 2. At the centre of the regional flag is a white 5-petal bauhinia in swaying motion. The diameter of its outer circle is 3/5 of the regional flag's height. The petals are uniformly arranged round the central point of the regional flag in a clockwise direction. Each petal bears a red 5-pointed star and a red style. The centre of the bauhinia lies on the central point of the regional flag. The case of the pole is white in colour.
Colour specifications
The following are the approximate colours of the Indian flag in different color models. It is sorted into the HTML RGB web colours (hexadecimal notation); the CMYK equivalent; dye colours and the Pantone equivalent number.
| Colour | HTML | CMYK | Textile colour | Pantone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | #FF0000 | 0-87-99-0 | Chinese red | 186 |
| White | #FFFFFF | 0-0-0-0 | White |
History
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In 1843, Seal of Colony instituted. Local scene is of the water-front where three local merchants and a pile of merchandise are left fore-ground, and a square-rigged ship and a junk occupy the middle-ground. The background has minute conical hills with a larger one to the left above the merchants. In, 1868 Flag produced with badge based on "local scene" of Seal, but not liked by Governor. In 1870, "White crown over HK" proposed by Colonial Secretary. Letters "HK" omitted and crown in full colour three years later. It is not clear what the badge was during this period except that it was not the "local scene", but was a crown of some sort, which may, or may not, have had the letters "HK" below it. In 1879, Seal badge was re-adopted with the Admiralty’s approval.
On 17 November 1923, In reply to a question about white circles on colonial Blue Ensigns, the Governor wrote that, "the dark green of the Peak would be against the blue of the Ensign". The Colonial Office queried the "dark green" writing that the border of the badge should vary from light blue to light brown and white. On 12 May 1924, the Governor penned that the badge in the Flag Book, "has for some years past differed from the flag." "Flag, that was even less attractive than that in the Flag Book, would be changed to correspond to it."
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the Japanese were very harsh on the locals. They abolished all the Chinese and British culture implemented in Hong Kong, forcing them to adopt the Japanese lifestyle. One aspect of culture-fortifying act was that all students had to learn Japanese and students who get bad results in Japanese exams will risk physical punishment. To remove the longing for British culture from the Hong Kong people, all the British and Chinese flags were abolished. What came in instead was the Japanese propaganda posters, in which the Japanese flag was canonized as the national flag.
In 1955, the Seal badge was revised. It was rather similar to the 1876 badge ,but with a slightly lower eye-line, and more realistic left-hand mountain, which, together with the ship and junk, was made more prominent. Arms granted on 21st January 1959.
From 1959 onwards, Arms on white circular ground were implemented on Union Jack and Blue Ensign, likewise on unauthorised Red Ensigns.
Manufacturing process
If a person manufactures a regional flag other than in accordance with the official requirements, the Secretary of Justice may apply to the District Court for an injunction to prohibit the manufacture of the flag that does not meet the specifications; and for an order of forfeiture of the flag and other materials used in the manufacture of the flag. If the District Court is satisfied that the application is well founded, it may grant the injunction and order that the flag and other materials used in the manufacture of the flag be forfeited to the Government.
Proper display of the flag
At present, the national and regional flags are displayed every day at the official residence of the Chief Executive, Government House, the Hong Kong International Airport and all border control or check points of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The flags are also displayed on every working day at major government offices and buildings, such as the Office of the Chief Executive, the Executive Council, the Court of Final Appeal, the Legislative Council and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices overseas. There are specified days on which the flags will be displayed at other government offices and buildings such as hospitals, schools, departmental headquarters, sports and cultural venues, etc. They are the National Day (1 October), the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day (1 July), and the New Year's Day (1 January). Traditionally the flags are raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset. In following this tradition, national and regional flags should be raised at 8:00 a.m. and lowered at 6:00 p.m.
Respect for the flag
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's regional flag, as stated in the Basic Law, is the symbol and ensign of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Each and every Hong Kong resident and organization should respect and cherish the regional flag. The "Regional Flag and Regional Emblem Ordinance" governs the display and usage of the flag. Official regulation states that the flag must never touch the ground or water, be used as a tablecloth or draped in front of a platform, cover a statue, plaque, cornerstone, etc., be manufactured or used as clothing, uniform or costume, or be used for any form of commercial advertising.
The flag may not be intentionally placed upside down, dipped in anything, or hold any objects other than flower petals before unfurling. No sort of lettering may be inscribed on the flag.
Handling of the flag
There are a number of traditional rules of respect that should be observed when handling or displaying the flag. When out in the open, the flag should always be hoisted at sunrise, and lowered at sunset, irrespective of the weather conditions. The flag may be also flown on a public building at night under special circumstances.
The flag should never be depicted, displayed or flown upside down. Tradition also states that when draped vertically, the flag should not merely be rotated through 90 degrees, but also reversed. One "reads" a flag like the pages of a book, from top to bottom and from left to right, and after rotation the results should be the same. It is also insulting to display the flag in a frayed or dirty state. The same rule applies to the flagpoles and halyards used to hoist the flag, which should always be in a proper state of maintenance.
Correct display
The rules regarding the correct methods to display the flag state, that when two flags are fully spread out horizontally on a wall behind a podium, their hoists should be towards each other with the saffron stripes uppermost. If the flag is displayed on a short flagpole, this should be mounted at an angle to the wall with the flag draped tastefully from it. If a national flag and a regional flag are displayed on crossed staffs, the hoists must be towards each other and the flags must be fully spread out. The flag should never be used as a cloth to cover tables, lecterns, podiums or buildings, or be draped from railings.
With National Flag
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Whenever the national flag (Flag of the PRC) is flown together with the regional flag, the national flag shall be either at the centre, above the regional flag, or in a position of prominence. When the national flag and the regional flag are displayed at the same time or displayed side by side, the regional flag shall be smaller than the national flag. When both the national flag and the regional flag are raised in procession, the national flag is to precede the regional flag. When the national flag is flown alongside the regional flag, the national flag is to be on the right and the regional flag on the left.
For the display of the national flag and regional flag inside a building, "left" and "right" sides of the backing wall are ascertained by reference to a person standing with his back to the wall and looking forward. For the display of the national flag and regional flag outside a building, "left" and "right" sides of the building are ascertained by reference to a person standing in front of the building and looking towards the front entrance of the building.
With other countries
When the regional flag is brandished outdoors in company with the national flags of other countries, there are several rules that govern the ways in which the flag must be flown, specifically that it must always occupy the position of honour. This means it must be the flag furthest to the right (observers' left) of all the flags on display, with the flags of other countries being arranged alphabetically according to the English alphabet. All the flags should be approximately the same size, with no flags being larger than the Hong Kong flag. Each country's flag should be on a separate pole, with no national flag being flown on top of another from the same pole.
It would be permissible in such a case to begin and also to end the row of flags with the Hong Kong flag and also include it in the normal country wise alphabetical order. In case flags are to be flown in a closed circle, the regional flag shall mark the beginning of the circle and the flags of other countries should proceed in a clockwise manner until the last flag is placed next to the regional flag. The Hong Kong flag must always be hoisted first and lowered last.
When the flag is displayed on crossed poles, the Hong Kong flag's pole should be in front and the flag to the right (observers' left) of the other flag. When the United Nation’s flag is flown along with the Hong Kong flag, it can be displayed on either side of it. The general practice is to fly the flag on the extreme right with reference to the direction which it is facing (ie. extreme left of an observer facing the masts flying the flags).
With non-national flags
When the flag is displayed with other flags that are not national flags, such as corporate flags and advertising banners, the rules state that if the flags are on separate staffs, the regional flag of Hong Kong should be in the middle, or the furthest left from the viewpoint of the onlookers, or at least one flag's breadth higher than the other flags in the group. Its flagpole must be in front of the other poles in the group, but if they are on the same staff, it must be the uppermost flag. If the flag is carried in procession with other flags, it must be at the head of the marching procession, or if carried with a row of flags in line abreast, it must be carried to the marching right of the procession.
Showing the flag indoors
Whenever the flag is displayed indoors in the halls at public meetings or gatherings of any kind, it should always be on the right (observers' left), as this is the position of authority. So when the flag is displayed next to a speaker in the hall or other meeting place, it must be placed on the speaker's right hand. When it is displayed elsewhere in the hall, it should be to the right of the audience.
The flag should be displayed completely spread out with the saffron stripe on top. If hung vertically on the wall behind the podium, the saffron stripe should be to the left of the onlookers facing the flag with the hoist cord at the top.
Parades and ceremonies
The flag, when carried in a procession or parade (e.g. the Handover Celebrations Parade on 1 July) or with another flag or flags, should be on the marching right or alone in the centre at the front. The flag may form a distinctive feature of the unveiling of a statue, monument, or plaque, but should never be used as the covering for the object. As a mark of respect to the flag, it should never be dipped to a person or thing. Regimental colours, organisational or institutional flags may be dipped as a mark of honour.
During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag, or when the flag is passing in a parade or in a review, all persons present should face the flag and stand at attention. Those present in uniform should render the appropriate salute. When the flag is in a moving column, persons present will stand at attention or salute as the flag passes them. A dignitary may take the salute without a head dress. The flag salutation should be followed by the playing of National anthem.
Half mast
The regional flag must be lowered to half staff (i.e. half mast) as a token of mourning when the following persons pass away:
- President of the People's Republic of China, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Premier of the State Council and Chairman of the Central Military Commission.
- Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
- Persons who have made outstanding contributions to the People's Republic of China as the Central People's Government advises the Chief Executive.
- Persons who have made outstanding contributions to world peace or the cause of human progress as the Central People's Government advises the Chief Executive.
- Persons whom the Chief Executive considers have made outstanding contributions to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or for whom he considers it appropriate to do so.
The regional flag may be flown at half staff as a token of mourning when the Central People's Government advises the Chief Executive that unfortunate events causing especially serious casualties occur or serious natural calamities have caused heavy casualties. The regional flag may be flown at half staff as a token of mourning if the Chief Executive considers it is appropriate when unfortunate events causing especially serious casualties occur or serious natural calamities have caused heavy casualties.
Damaged flag
A regional flag which is damaged, defiled, faded or substandard must not be displayed or used.
Disposal
When no longer in a fit condition to be used, a flag should be disposed of in a dignified manner, preferably by burning.
Desecration
A person who desecrates the regional flag by publicly and wilfully burning, mutilating, scrawling on, defiling or trampling on it commits an offence and is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine at level 5 and to imprisonment for 3 years; and on summary conviction to a fine at level 3 and to imprisonment for 1 year.
See also
- Hong Kong Coat of Arms
- Flag of Macau
- Flag of the People's Republic of China
- Nation anthem of the People's Republic of China