The national flag of the People's Republic of China was first introduced in September 1949 when Mao Zedong proclaimed in Beijing the founding of the country.

The flag's design features a single large golden five-pointed star at the center. The four smaller surrounding yellow five-pointed stars are positioned within four of the corners formed by the big star at its corners.

Each small star represents one of the nation's social classes that, together, would establish the government, and would rule with the leadership of the CCP:

- Workers

- Peasants

- Urban petty bourgeoise

- National capitalists

- Socialist transformationists;