Flags on the hairpins
Flag were an very important symbol used on hairpins during former times. The two hairpins below have
decoration containing flags. On the left is the "Five-coloured flag". On the right flag is the "18-stars flag".
The Five-coloured* flag was created after the beginning of the Republic of China on 1st January 1912. The flag has five horizontal stripes representing the five major nationalities of China: the Han (red), the Manchu (yellow), the Mongol (blue), the Hui (white), and the Tibetans (black). The Five-coloured flag persisted in use until 1928, when the current ROC flag, designed by Lu Hao-tung (a martyr of the Republican revolution) was adopted.
The 18-stars flag was the Chinese-army "Wuhan" flag that was used between 1911 and 1928 and featured during the revolution to overthrow the Ching Dynasty. The 18 yellow stars were used to represent the 18 administrative divisions of China at that time.
We can guess that the two hairpins below were made before 1928 in Hunan and Hubei. This special symbolism on the hairpins shows the important meaning of the flags at that time.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China
以下兩支髮簪，皆有相同的國旗圖樣，左邊的旗幟為五條橫線，右邊的旗幟則為放射狀之星號。
五色旗為中華民國創建之初執政之南京臨時政府和北洋政府所採用的國旗，由上至下為紅、黃、藍、白、黑等五個顏色，象徵漢、滿、蒙、回、藏五族共和。五色旗最早於1906年於同盟會中被提出，直至1928年北伐與東北易幟後，才全面使用青天白日滿地紅國旗取代五色旗。
十八星期則是1911年武昌起義時所使用的旗幟，亦至1928年，同時被青天白日滿地紅國旗所取代。
由國旗圖案之歷史脈絡，可推測此兩支髮簪應為民初1928年之前於湖南湖北地區所使用之物件，故將當時的旗幟圖案設計於髮簪上。此遺留在髮簪上的圖像，也算是當代才會有的特殊物件，供後人去追溯。
decoration containing flags. On the left is the "Five-coloured flag". On the right flag is the "18-stars flag".
The Five-coloured* flag was created after the beginning of the Republic of China on 1st January 1912. The flag has five horizontal stripes representing the five major nationalities of China: the Han (red), the Manchu (yellow), the Mongol (blue), the Hui (white), and the Tibetans (black). The Five-coloured flag persisted in use until 1928, when the current ROC flag, designed by Lu Hao-tung (a martyr of the Republican revolution) was adopted.
The 18-stars flag was the Chinese-army "Wuhan" flag that was used between 1911 and 1928 and featured during the revolution to overthrow the Ching Dynasty. The 18 yellow stars were used to represent the 18 administrative divisions of China at that time.
We can guess that the two hairpins below were made before 1928 in Hunan and Hubei. This special symbolism on the hairpins shows the important meaning of the flags at that time.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China
以下兩支髮簪，皆有相同的國旗圖樣，左邊的旗幟為五條橫線，右邊的旗幟則為放射狀之星號。
五色旗為中華民國創建之初執政之南京臨時政府和北洋政府所採用的國旗，由上至下為紅、黃、藍、白、黑等五個顏色，象徵漢、滿、蒙、回、藏五族共和。五色旗最早於1906年於同盟會中被提出，直至1928年北伐與東北易幟後，才全面使用青天白日滿地紅國旗取代五色旗。
十八星期則是1911年武昌起義時所使用的旗幟，亦至1928年，同時被青天白日滿地紅國旗所取代。
由國旗圖案之歷史脈絡，可推測此兩支髮簪應為民初1928年之前於湖南湖北地區所使用之物件，故將當時的旗幟圖案設計於髮簪上。此遺留在髮簪上的圖像，也算是當代才會有的特殊物件，供後人去追溯。
下圖之單尖髮簪，背後有落款「長沙慶雲」，可知其銀號「慶雲」是位在湖南省的長沙，更可與其上國旗圖像之發源地相關。
The hairpin below is marked “長沙慶雲” which identifies a silver shop “慶雲” located in “長沙” in Hunan, so this further supports our interpretation of why this hairpin has a flag on it and confirms the probable date of this hairpin.
The hairpin below is marked “長沙慶雲” which identifies a silver shop “慶雲” located in “長沙” in Hunan, so this further supports our interpretation of why this hairpin has a flag on it and confirms the probable date of this hairpin.
