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| Proportion | 2:3 |
|---|---|
| Adopted | 2019 |
| Designed by | Netizens of Hong Kong |
| 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests |
|---|
 |
Fatalities |
TheBlack Bauhinia flag (Chinese:黑洋紫荊旗;Jyutping:hak1 joeng4 zi2 ging1 kei4;Cantonese Yale:hāk yèuhng jí gīng kèih) is a variant of theflag of Hong Kong with a black background and (in most versions) a modifiedbauhinia flower. The flag gained popularity during the2019–2020 Hong Kong protests and is often displayed bypro-democracy protesters.[1]
There are five variants of the design: the basic design, which simply swaps out the red background for black; a variant of the black flag that omits the stars in the petals that symbolize thePeople's Republic of China; two variants where a few petals are withered; and a fifth variant of the withered flag where the petals are also bloodstained.
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The flag was displayed during thestorming and occupation of the Legislative Council chamber by protesters on 1 July 2019. The People's Republic of China flags outside the building and atGolden Bauhinia Square were lowered, and the bloodstained variants of the Black Bauhinia were raised in their place. The Hong Kong flags were also lowered tohalf-mast as a sign of mourning. Five days later on 6 July, the Black Bauhinia was raised atthe Cenotaph.[2]
Hong Kong customs andpolice consider the flag to be a violation of theRegional Flag Act and a potential trademark violation. Some lawyers, including the barristerAlbert Luk, argue that the flag does not meet the specifications of the Regional Flag Act and contravenes the People's Republic of China Flag Law. However, Luk was also of the opinion that the source of the flag cannot be reliably traced without sufficient evidence, and as such, legal action cannot be taken.[3]
In 2020, the political documentaryBlack Bauhinia, directed by Malte Philipp Kaeding, was released.[4] The film chronicles the evolution of theHong Kong localist movement through the lives of two young activists,Edward Leung andRaymond Wong. It follows their reflections on political resistance against the Chinese government, as they confront decisions between imprisonment and exile under increasing authoritarian pressure. Set against the backdrop of escalating tensions, their personal journeys unfold asmass protests erupt in the city.[5]
The documentary explores themes of identity, political resistance, exile, and the ideological divide between localism and broaderdemocratic movements in post-Umbrella Movement Hong Kong.[6] The documentary has been screened at various international film festivals and has several awards.[7]
The Chinese and Hong Kong governments criticised theUkrainian Ministry of Defence for including the Black Bauhinia flag in a video it posted on Twitter on 18 December 2022. In the video, the Ukrainian government thanked the foreign volunteers in theinternational legion for fighting againstinvading Russian forces.[8]
The video featured a collage of flags corresponding to the volunteers' nationalities, including the Black Bauhinia flag. (The variant with five stars was used.) The Chinese foreign ministry responded by asking Ukraine to refrain from showing support to "anti-China forces in Hong Kong". The collage also included theflag of Taiwan.[9]
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