PR China Unit 8706 Color Commemorative Color

China - Peoples Republic - Cultural Revolution - People's Liberation Army Cadre Commemorative Flag
This is a silk commemorative military flag which bears both a stylized portrait of Mao Zedong and a Chinese inscription." Commemorating our gloriously receiving the kind greetings of the great leader Chairman Mao on August 11, 1968

The great leader Chairman Mao's audience with military cadres is our unit's greatest honor and greatest joy. All comrades of unit 8706, took part in the Mao Zedong Thought Study Group arranged by the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee in Beijing."

The Red Guards were paramilitary units of radical students which were formed during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution or Cultural Revolution. The Cultural Revolution, 1966 to 1976 was the response to Mao Zedong's call to revitalize the revolutionary spirit of the Chinese Communist Party, and by extension China itself.

During this era the Red Guards made placards, banners and flags and began wearing red armbands, scarves and pins and carrying the infamous Little Red Book. As evidenced by the flag, the students also evolved a cult of Mao, and his image often graced these items.

Translation of the characters reads: "Memorial to honor having received a cordial meeting with the great leader Chairman Mao on August 11th 1968; The great leader Chairman Mao meeting with military cadres is the greatest glory and the great happiness of our army; All the comrades of 8706 units having participated in Mao Zedong Thought call held by Chinese Communist Party Central Committee in Beijing." This is a companion piece to ZFC3016, a Red Guards armband.

Exhibition History:

University of California - Santa Cruz
Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit
Santa Cruz, CA
7 June 2012

ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Provenance:
• Peoples Liberation Army Unit 8706, Beijing, China, 1968.
• Acquired by Xi Jim Wu, Artesia, CA.
• Purchased via Internet Auction by Carl Zaricor for Zaricor Flag Collection, 2004.


Sources:

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Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, Wikipedia, 16 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution

Red Guards, Wikipedia, 16 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Guards_%28China%29

Mao Zedong, Wikipedia, 16 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Zedong

Flag Translation by Prof. Benjamin L. Read, Politics Department, University of California, Santa Cruz letter of 17 February 2012, Zaricor Flag Collection Archives

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	53
Length of Fly	73.5

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	72.75
Frame Length	76.5

Stars
Are there stars on obverse?	no
Are there stars on reverse?	no

Stripes
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Crest/Emblem
Description of Crest/Emblem	Image of Mao with untranslated Chinese Inscription

Nationality
Nation Represented	China

Fabric
Fabric	Silk

Stitching
Stitching	Machine

Attachment
Method of Attachment	Sleeve

Applica
Applique Sides	Single Faced = Mirror Image Reverse

Documentation
Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Drawings	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Research Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Good
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1968

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

University of California - Santa Cruz Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit Santa Cruz, CA 7 June 2012 Santa Cruz, CA, June 7, 2012: The Zaricor Flag Collection exhibited 34 flags and artifacts at the University of California Santa Cruz Campus for the Board of Councilors Meeting. People's Liberation Army Flag, Unit 8706 with Red Guard Armband Date: 1968 Media: Printed silk & printed cotton. Comment: The Red Guards were paramilitary units of radical students and workers which were formed during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution or Chinese Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976. It was the response to Mao Zedong's call to revitalize the revolutionary spirit of the Chinese Communist Party, and by extension China itself. During this era the Red Guards made banners and flags and began wearing red armbands, scarves and pins and carrying the infamous Little Red Book. As evidenced by this flag, the students and workers evolved a cult of Mao, and his image often graced these items. Translation of the characters reads: "Memorial to honor, having received a cordial meeting with the great leader Chairman Mao on August 11th 1968; The great leader Chairman Mao meeting with military cadres is the greatest glory and the great happiness of our army; all the comrades of the 8706th unit having participated in Mao Zedong Thought call held by Chinese Communist Party Central Committee in Beijing." This is framed with a companion piece, ZFC3016, an armband inscribed, "Proletarian revolutionary rebels' great unified command center City of Tianjin, Copper Electrolysis Plant." Chinese Cultural Revolution items, while ubiquitous in China between 1966 and 1976, are quire scarce in the West. Provenance: Acquired by Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0753 & ZFC3016) by private purchase in 2004. www.FlagCollection.com