The ''Red Flag'' () was a journal on political theory, published by the

Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...

. It was one of the Two Newspapers and One Journal during the 1960s and 1970s. The newspapers were ''

People's Daily The ''People's Daily'' ( zh, s=人民日报, p=Rénmín Rìbào) is the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It provides direct information on the policies and viewpoints of the CCP in multiple lan ...

'' and '' Guangming Daily''. '' People's Liberation Army Daily'' is also regarded as one of them.

History

''Red Flag'' was started during the

Great Leap Forward The Great Leap Forward was an industrialization campaign within China from 1958 to 1962, led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Party Chairman Mao Zedong launched the campaign to transform the country from an agrarian society into an indu ...

era in 1958. The journal was the successor to another journal, ''Study'' (Chinese: ''Xuexi''). The title of ''Red Flag'' was given by

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...

. Chen Boda was the editor of the journal, which served as a crucial media outlet during the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...

. ''Red Flag'' was freely distributed in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia until 1958 when the "undesired" foreign publications were banned through the Undesirable Publications Ordinance. As a result, its circulation became 3,000 copies in contrast to 5,000 copies before the implementation of the law. During the 1960s, ''Red Flag'' temporarily ended publication, but was restarted in 1968. Its frequency was redesigned as biweekly. Then it came out monthly until 1979. It was published bi-monthly from 1980 to 1988. ''Red Flag'' covered theoretical arguments supported by the party. It also published articles on the views of the party about the Communist parties in other countries. For instance, in March 1963 the speech of Palmiro Togliatti, leader of the Italian Communist Party, at the 10th Congress was discussed and evaluated in detail. In March 1966, the journal established an Academic Criticism Group, comprising , Wang Li, , Qi Benyu, , and (Fan Ruoyu and Du Jing were subsequently suspended), resulting in the de facto dissolution of the editorial committee. On June 18, 1966, Chen Boda arrived to Red Flag to "expose" the publication and suspended Fan Ruoyu and from their positions. On June 20, 1966, the Cultural Revolution Group of Red Flag Magazine, led by Guan Feng, was formed to oversee the editorial operations of ''Red Flag'' and the publicity of Cultural Revolution. In August 1967, Guan Feng and Wang Li were removed from their positions, and Chen Boda declared that Yao Wenyuan and Qi Benyu would participate in the editorial activities of Red Flag, while the Cultural Revolutionary Group of Red Flag Magazine was restructured as the Provisional Leadership Group of Red Flag Magazine. Red Flag Magazine ceased publication in the first half of 1968, resuming in July of that year. In August 1968, Yao Wenyuan and Chen Boda jointly oversaw Red Flag Magazine, with Yao responsible for the editorial tasks. In August 1968, the provisional leadership of Red Flag Magazine was dissolved, and the Red Flag Magazine Service Group was established. In October 1968, the Workers' Propaganda Team and the Military Propaganda Team were assigned to Red Flag Magazine. In June 1969, the majority of Red Flag Magazine's staff had been transferred to the May 7th Cadre School, retaining only 12 personnel responsible for editorial duties. In September 1970, Chen Boda was removed from his position, and Yao Wenyuan assumed control of Red Flag, subsequently forming an editorial team to oversee the publication's editorial tasks. In 1976, the Gang of Four, including Yao Wenyuan, was apprehended, marking the conclusion of the Cultural Revolution, and the magazine was restructured, with appointed as chief editor and Liu Zongzhuo as vice-chief editor. Chinese officials announced in May 1988 that the journal would be closed. Finally, it ceased publication in June 1988, and was succeeded by '' Qiushi'' ( zh, Seeking Truth).

Other

In 1966,

Pol Pot Pol Pot (born Saloth Sâr; 19 May 1925 – 15 April 1998) was a Cambodian politician, revolutionary, and dictator who ruled the communist state of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976 until Cambodian–Vietnamese War, his overthrow in 1979. During ...

formed a similar magazine with the same name in Cambodia in Khmer, '' Tung Krahom'', modelled on ''Red Flag''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Flag 1958 establishments in China 1988 disestablishments in China Bi-monthly magazines published in China Biweekly magazines published in China Chinese-language magazines Cultural Revolution Defunct communist magazines Defunct magazines published in China Defunct political magazines Magazines established in 1958 Magazines disestablished in 1988 Magazines published in Beijing Monthly magazines published in China Political magazines published in China State media