Weekly Flag Challenge: Discussion & Entries

Province of Quebec
During New France's colonial time, the colony faced a constant shortage of currency. Chests of coins would be brought in from france by merchant ships licenced by the government only to leave a few months later on the exact same ships as locals bought desperatly needed goods.Eventually the local authorities introduced an emergency currency, the Monnaie de Cartes or Playing Card Money.

Card Money proved so popular that it came to be associated with economical success amongst the french-canadian population. For this reason, when it came time to chose a provincial flag for the province of Quebec, the symbols used to represent the 4 suits were incorporated into it to signify its hope of future prosperity.

quebec-cards.png
 
Sorry I wasn't able to enter this time. RL took priority, as my father-in-law was taken into hospital (he's back out now). The vague idea I had was nowhere near as good as the two entries anyway...:rolleyes:
I see the poll is now up (here) so I'll go and vote...
 
Sorry I wasn't able to enter this time. RL took priority, as my father-in-law was taken into hospital (he's back out now). The vague idea I had was nowhere near as good as the two entries anyway...:rolleyes:
I see the poll is now up (here) so I'll go and vote...

don't think about it as missing a challenge, think of it as a longer warm up up for the next one.
 
Sorry I wasn't able to enter this time. RL took priority, as my father-in-law was taken into hospital (he's back out now). The vague idea I had was nowhere near as good as the two entries anyway...:rolleyes:
I see the poll is now up (here) so I'll go and vote...
No worries. Hope he's ok.
don't think about it as missing a challenge, think of it as a longer warm up up for the next one.
Hmm, we do need more volunteers...

And both of you have reminded me to vote on the poll too :happyblush
 
Flag Challenge 217: Hip to be Square

Re-imagine a real life flag as containing a square and explain why it does,

The square can be an independent element, a field division, an outline, etc.....

Challenge opens: now
Challenge closes: 3 February 2020 23:59
Australian Eastern Daylight Time
So, this is an OTL flag but we're interpreting it differently?
Or are we adding a square (etc) to an OTL flag?
 
Okay here is my attempt.

Japanese Army War Flag

Universe 29-TL-SUN-1097 has an interesting POD in that the divergence starts with a fire and the small supply of red paint, resulting in a bit of an optical illusion.

The flag of Japan, the rising sun, had symbolic meaning since the early 600s starting in the Asuka period. As the Japanese islands are east of the Asian mainland, the sun "rises" from the east. In 607 CE, an official correspondence that began with "from the Emperor of the rising sun" was sent to Chinese Emperor Yang of Sui. Japan is often referred to as "the land of the rising sun".

A well-known variant of the flag of Japan sun disc design is the sun disc with 16 red rays in a Siemens star formation. The Rising Sun Flag has been used as a traditional national symbol of Japan since the early 1600 Edo period. The Army war flag was adopted in 1870 and the naval flag a few years later. While the Army’s flag had the sun in the center with the rays emanating out, the Navy’s flag would place the sun closer to the lanyard or flag pole.

Just prior to the Satsuma Rebellion a fire had erupt in one of the supply depots that the army had set up. In order to not lose honor men were ordered to quickly find any available white fabric and red paint in order to recreate the Army war flags that had been lost in the fire. While several flags were painted to standard, about a quarter of the way through the available cloth, the men realized there was not enough red paint. It was decided to just place the sixteen red rays of the sun on the flag in order to create as many flags as needed. It was during the Battle of Tabaruzaka that the flags were first used in large numbers. The optical blur of the Seimen’s rays on the flag caused many to see a square in the center of the flag when at a distance from the flag. After the Imperial army was victorious in the battle, the “square sun” began to be painted onto several of the flags, lacking the circle, as a good sign of victory and good luck.

Flag: The Japanese Army War flag with the square sun would be official adopted in 1910. The square was associated with the Earth and the physical world in many cultures and also represented a sense of stability. As a square is made up of straight lines it is seen as rigid and unbreakable, leading to stability and a strong foundation. The connection of the square with the four cardinal points of the compass enhanced the connection of the “square sun” to the “circular sun” of the Imperial flag.

warflagArmyJapan.png
 
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Flag of the Federated Arab Republic of Libya, from 2014
During the uprisings against Ghaddafi in 2011, various flags were used by the opposition groups. In many areas the flag of the Kingdom of Libya[1], originally used from 1951 to 1969, was used. This was the flag adopted in 2011 by the National Transitional Council. Other groups preferred the Arab Liberation Flag[2], which appeared on its own and with various different symbols on the central stripe, including the Shahada, the Rub el Hizb, an eagle, different numbers of stars, and a crescent and star.
Despite many nations and international organisations recognising the National Transitional Council as the legitimate government of Libya, with this handing over power to the General National Congress in 2012, the civil war continued. In early 2013, a cease-fire was brokered by the African Union between the three largest armed groups. This led to peace talks and eventually, in early 2014, to the election of a new Unified Parliament of Deputies. The same talks dealt with the matter of the flag, finally deciding on one which incorporated all four of the Pan-Arab colours: red, black, white and green.
The flag breaks with the tradition of the coloured stripes being horizontal. Instead both ends of the black central stripe are extended to the top and bottom of the flag, reducing the area of the red and green stripes. The centre square thus created is white, with a black crescent and star. The prominence of black symbolises the importance of Muhammed, with whom the colour is associated. This geometric layout gives the appearance of a corridor with black walls, a red ceiling and a green floor, all leading towards the white square in the centre, which symbolises God, the creator of the universe (symbolised by the crescent and star).
The Religious Advisory Council of the Parliament (one of the three mandated advisory councils) uses a variation on the flag with the Shahada in place of the crescent and star, symbolising adherence to Islam. The Judicial Advisory Council uses one without any symbol in the centre square, symbolising non-discrimination. The Military Advisory Council uses the flag with one single red star in the centre square, symbolising the blood of the fighters.
[1] Horizontal stripes of red, black and green with a white crescent and star in the centre of the middle, black, stripe.
[2] Horizontal stripes of red, white and black.

WFC217_Libya_FG.png
 
you guys can always post your ideas in the flag thread. Would be curious to see them.
Posted if you're interested.
An idea I had too late for the Challenge:
View attachment 521166
Essentially the American rebels use a slightly different standard which on conferederation then union has the "Liberty Star" remodelled slightly. It's said to be 3 overlapping stars that represent the division of powers and serves as a "beacon of liberty".
 
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