1 Jul 2012

Guangxi Zhuang (China)

According to a Chinese law in effect since 1997, subnational entities, like cities and provinces, can't have their own flags, with exception of SARs (special administrative regions), apparently. Some of main minorities in China, although, has historical or political flags to be identified with: Tibetans (Tibet), Mongols (Inner Mongolia), Manchus (Manchuria), and Uyghurs (Xinjiang, a.k.a. East Turkestan or Uyghuristan). It's not the case of Zhuang people, based in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Zhuang people is animist, and related with other people in Southern Asia. I pre-selected silk balls and copper drums to be used in my flag, as typical elements, and the last was the winner, for being used in cooking, music, war and rituals. A typical Zhuang copper drum is presented below:

I so worked to colors that could look good and symbolizes copper at same time, and result was this:

















The sixteen-pointed (?) star seems to be a repeated theme in this copper drums, so it was used. Dark green and orange was the chose colors, because they look like the one of copper, and because green, in Chinese culture, represents harmony and prosperity. I'd like to use red, that means south, but I hadn't the opportunity.

I'm sad Indian and Chinese governments aren't friendly to regional flags, because I can see a great vexillological horizon to these parts of world.
What's your opinion about the flag? Comments are greatly welcome!

7 comments:

  1. I think that is very strong-busy but not complicated.

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    1. Maybe. To recreate it digitally, it's easy: some drawing tools have sixteen-pointed stars are a standard form, you have just to find them. I used there the Power Point (though it's a very strange tool to create a flag). To create it physically, it's not that hard, in my opinion, if you notice the radial symmetry. It's almost like create paper snowflakes.

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  2. i've designed flags for China's autonomous regions, if you're interested:
    varpho.da:China
    :)
    it's different than your design because i had different aims [i tried to make the flags neutral, i mean not nationalistic].

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    Replies
    1. I'd like to comment on your page, but I haven't a DeviantArt account. The flags look good, but too similar to PRC government flags, for me. Probably it's because the "different aims", as you said. But, aesthetically, they're very interesting.

      I know at least another Guangxi Zhuang flag, but it has a mysterious origin. You can see a poor resolution (20x12) representation here. Because of its small size, I can't distinguish the details, but looks pretty exotic.

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    2. yeah, my aim was to design a flag which would be acceptable for the communist governement. just like flags for Soviet republics.


      thanks for this link - it looks interesting. as far as i can see it it is blue with a red [?] circle and three [?] horizontal white lines...

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  3. I found this flag really perfect. By now I'm busy modding my favourite game - Europa Universalis 3, I add some new countries & I have really hard times with flags of Asian territories. When I googled 'Zhuang flag' your blog was the only site I found. I really wish Chinese & Indian governments let their minorities make their own flags. But maybe Asia just don't have such a strong heraldic tradision & that's the case. Anyway, I'm going to use your flag in my mod if you don't mind. I'm not going to share it, the mod is just for my own pleasure. Good luck with your blog, mine has already bored me, Hope you will be more patient cause it's a really nice blog ;)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked my Zhuang flag, and, if you want, I put myself on your disposition to help designing or finding flags to these Asian territories.

      Ah! And I didn't matter with you share it. Flags aren't copyright-licensed!

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Every comment is greatly welcome!