National Emblem
The national emblem of China comprises of Tiananmen Gatetower which is under five stars, encircled by ears of grain and with a gear wheel below.
The combination of red and gold demonstrates the richness and grandeur of the People's Republic of China.
The contents of the national emblem involves national flag, Tiananmen Square, a gear wheel, and ears of grain. In fact it has deep and rich connotations. The New Democratic Revolution began in 1919 and achieved great success in 1949 when the People's Republic of China was founded. Tiananmen Square was the place of the May Fourth Movement, and the venue of grand ceremony celebrating the founding of P.R.C. It is appropriate to make the image of Tiananmen Square the symbol of the new Chinese nation. The gear wheel and ears of grain on the emblem signify respectively the class of workers and farmers. The five stars on the national flag are again put on the emblem because they represent the unity of the Chinese nation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and demonstrate that the People's Republic of China is a socialist state led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants.
National Flower
Tree Peony is regarded as the national flower of China. The elegance and fragrance of the tree peony has been a favorite in Chinese culture throughout history. Early in Southern and Northern Dynasties there were records of tree peony planting. The technology of planting was largely developed later in Tang Dynasty when tree peony was reputed as "the king of flowers". It is said once in Qing Dynasty, a brother of the then emperor went to Jile Temple to appreciate tree peony, and then wrote inscriptions "National Flower Temple" on the plague of the temple. Therefore it was from early Qing Dynasty that tree peony won the title "National Flower". Tree peony of China is famous at home and abroad. In Origin of the Species by Darwin, the planting of tree peony in China was quoted as an example to prove the "Theory of Natural Selection and Artificial Selection". Tree peony is widely favored by people all over the world. In the eighth century, tree peony of China was introduced to Japan, in 1330 to France, in 1656 to Holland, and in 1820 to the United States. By now tree peony is planted and cultivated in more than 20 countries world wide. It is said that in Tang Dynasty, the then Emperor Wu Zetian once got drunk in a winter day and ordered all flowers in the palace to bloom at once. Tree peony refused and was soon driven out of the imperial palace to Luoyang in today's Henan Province. From then on tree peony was reputed as the "Best Flower under Heaven" Tree peonies are upright, tall and handsome, with bright and showy flowers. The characters of tree peonies are quite similar to that of the Chinese people. In Ming Dynasty, Caozhou County in Shandong Province once won the title "Hometown of Tree peony" when tree peony was in fashion for a period.
Treasure of China—Giant Panda
Giant Panda is one of the most precious animals in the world. In China they live in areas of rolling hills or mountain ranges in Sichuan, Gansu, and Shanxi Province. They are small in number and therefore designated as an endangered species and under first-level protection. Giant Panda in China is considered a National Treasure.