The flag was designed by Zeng Liansong, a citizen of the city of Rui’an, Zhejiang province. Zeng draws it in response to a circular distributed by the Preparatory Committee of the New Political Consultative Conference in the month of July 1949
Its design has a large star surrounded by four smaller stars arranged in an arc and oriented more. The red represents revolution, the five stars and their relationship represent the unity of the Chinese people under the leadership of Chinese Communist Party. In Standard Mandarin, the flag is called « Wǔxīng Hongqi », that is to say « the red flag with five stars ».