Insignia of five National Flowers and National Emblem on peaked cap
Insignia of five National Flowers and National Emblem on peaked cap
The National Flower of the Republic of China is the Prunus. The difference between National Emblem and National Flower is the former symbolizes the country, the latter symbolizes the race.
On 15 March in the 18th year of the Republic (1929), during the Third National Congress of the Chinese Kuomintang, the Central Publicity Department submitted a petition:
“After the 18th meeting, it has been resolved that Prunus is to be the National Flower. Its form consists of five petals attached to a stem, symbolizing the five ethnic groups of China (Han 漢, Manchus 滿, Mongols 蒙, Muslims 回, Tibetans 藏), and the Five-Power Constitution (Executive Yuan 行政院, Legislative Yuan 立法院, Judicial Yuan 司法院, Examination Yuan 考試院, Control Yuan 監察院). Furthermore, the Prunus can endure winter frost, and stands out from all other flowers. As for the comportment of the Prunus, its integrity is unyielding, its purity is incorruptible. To benefit the spirit of freedom and independence in Chinese, it is worthwile to emulate the Prunus. It appears much more pertinent to designate Prunus as the National Flower.”
Although a resolution was passed, it was not formalized by statute. Nevertheless Prunus was nominated the National Flower, and was widely accepted and implemented.
On 21 July in the 53rd year of the Republic (1964), the Executive Yuan officially designated Prunus as the National Flower of the Republic of China.
Military collar insignia of Major with one National Flower
Military collar insignia of Lieutenant Colonel with two National Flowers
Military collar insignia of Colonel with three National Flowers
Prunus has three buds and five petals, representing The Three Principles of the People: Nationalism (民族主義), Democracy (民權主義), Livelihood (民生主義); and The Five-Power Constitution: Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Examination, Control. Prunus blossoms with five petals, symbolizing simultaneously the solidarity of the five ethnic groups of Han, Manchu, Mongol, Muslim and Tibetan to live in harmony together; the rapport of the five cardinal relationships of government and citizen, father and son, elder sibling and younger sibling, husband and wife, friend and friend; the reverence for the five Confucian virtues of Benevolence (仁), Righteousness (義), Propriety (禮), Wisdom (智), Truthfulness (信); as well as the dissemination of the five religions or philosophies of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam. Since ancient times, scholars have compared the endurance of the Prunus in winter frost to the moral integrity of humans.
China has been inundated with adversities. When Chinese think of the Prunus, its disposition can be embraced to inspire and motivate moral integrity, its spirit can be summoned to safeguard the destiny of the country.
Military shoulder insignia of Major with one National Flower
Military shoulder insignia of Lieutenant Colonel with two National Flowers
Military shoulder insignia of Colonel with three National Flowers
