Qing Dynasty Culture: Classification and Meaning of the Eight Banners
The military organization and household registration system of the Manchu in the Qing Dynasty was based on the banner, divided into the Plain Yellow Banner, Plain White Banner, Plain Red Banner, Plain Blue Banner, Border Yellow Banner, Border White Banner, Border Red Banner, and Border Blue Banner. Later, Mongolian Eight Banners and Han Army Eight Banners were added. The descendants of the people of the Eight Banners became known as the "Eight Banners' Sons", who later often referred to those who relied on their ancestors' contributions to the country but themselves were idle ruffians.
Differences among the Eight Banners:
At that time, the Jurchens were divided into five colors: red, yellow, blue, white, and black. The Jurchens at the time considered: red represents the sun, yellow represents the land, white represents water, blue represents the sky, and black represents iron. Iron precedes earth; with earth, there is no need for five colors, leaving only four colors: red, yellow, white, and blue. Therefore, it was said that the Jurchens relied on the sky for food and farming, needing water and the sun to survive and develop. Hence, they used yellow to represent the earth, white to represent water, red to represent the sun, and blue to represent the sky. Thus, the sky, earth, sun, and water corresponded to blue, yellow, white, and red respectively.
(1) Pronunciation of the plain and border banners in the Eight Banners: There are distinctions between the plain and border banners in the Eight Banners, also called "zheng" (whole) and "xiang" (bordered) banners. It is not difficult to understand the meaning from the characters. Zheng refers to whole or entire, while xiang refers to an edge added to the original pure color, which can also be written as "xiang".
(2) Differences: In the four plain banners, the dragon's head faces right, and there are five auspicious clouds inside the dragon's belly; in the four bordered banners, the dragon's head faces left, and there are three auspicious clouds inside the dragon's belly.
(3) Banner styles:
1) The four plain banners are 7 feet 5 inches wide and 6 feet high, rectangular in shape; the four bordered banners have the top and bottom corners cut off from the four plain banners.
2) The eight-colored dragon banners all feature a dragon design. The bordered banners, after adding the border, have a smaller central area and thus a smaller dragon shape.
3) Dragon and banner color coordination: Yellow banners have blue dragons, white banners have blue dragons, red banners have yellow dragons, and blue banners have red dragons.
4) Flagpole: 15 feet long, vermilion red, with a dragon head facing the flagpole, and an iron spearhead at the top.
Upper Three Banners and Lower Five Banners after entering Beijing:
The Upper Three Banners were directly led by the emperor, had the highest status, and were the core force. They were: Plain Yellow, Border Yellow, and Plain White, guarding the imperial city and selecting guards. They served as the emperor's personal guard when he traveled outside.
The Lower Five Banners guarded outside the capital and were dispatched in large numbers to various places for protection. They were: Border White, Plain Red, Border Red, Plain Blue, and Border Blue.
(2) The banner leaders of the four banners established in 1601 were:
Plain Yellow Banner, led by Nurhaci;
Plain White Banner, led by Nurhaci's eldest son Chu Ying;
Plain Red Banner, led by Nurhaci's second son Dai Shan;
Plain Blue Banner, led by Nurhaci's younger brother Su尔哈齐.
In 1615, the banner leaders expanded to eight banners:
Plain Yellow Banner, led by Nurhaci;
Border Yellow Banner, led by Nurhaci;
Plain White Banner, led by Nurhaci's eighth son Hong Taiji;
Border White Banner, led by Nurhaci's twelfth son Ajige.
Plain and Border Red Banners, led by Nurhaci's second son Dai Shan.
Plain Blue Banner, led by Nurhaci's nephew A Min.
Border Blue Banner, led by Nurhaci's fifth son Manggultai.
(3) Left and Right Wings Setup:
Left Wing: Border Yellow, Plain White, Border White, Plain Blue
Right Wing: Plain Yellow, Plain Red, Border Red, Border Blue