Flag to redesign: Nanjing, China
The flag isn’t ugly per se, in reality, I’d say by placing its emblem in the center of the red section, it’s displayed the majesty of the medieval capital of the Chinese empire quite well. The problem, however, is the colour.
Not only the red-and-green combination unpopular in Chinese aesthetics, it also had little relevance to the local culture. The combination of “Red = blood of the martyrs who died for the freedom, Green = New life, vegetation, ecology” could be used for every city around the world. Only the white line for Yantze River is relevant.
In addition, its complex emblem of
Bìxié, while beautiful, is hard to draw. In the light of the central government’s hostility to cities having their own flags, we need the flags to be easily memorable in order for it to survive as a part of local identity.
So I decided to give it an easy-to-draw floral emblem, topped on an easy-to-remember colour combination. In search for an example, I found the flag of Ehime, Japan.
Example flag: Ehime, Japan
Wiki:“Yellow stands for happiness, green for peace and white for simplicity and purity. The mon represents
orange blossom, the prefectural flower.”
It’s colors are very are well-coordinated and pleasing to the the eye, while it’s floral symbol could easily be drawn by a child. No wonder it’s re-adopted in 1999 after a 1989 abolition.
New flag of Nanjing
Purple and Gold alludes to the “
Purple-Gold Mountain” north of the city, while six plum blossoms (City flower of Nanjing) symbolizes the status of Nanjing as an imperial capital during the
Six Dynasties period.
If you wonder, red is chosen for the plum to commemorate the Ming Dynasty, while gold, associates with water in Fengshui, could also mean the Yangtze River.
New flag of Ehime
Red for the Japanese sun, green (peace) and yellow (happiness) from the original flag, while the central figures are the three famous castles of Ehime, a majestic emblem, but tedious to draw. ( but even this design is better than the
1989-1999 Ehime flag.)