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The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has not always used ranks or insignia. In common with the practice of the Red Army at the time of its founding in 1927, neither were used until 1955 when a system of ranks was established. As a result of the Cultural Revolution, ranks were abolished in May 1965 (this led to a similar reform in Albania in the midst of the Albanian Cultural and Ideological Revolution). After the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979, reforms in the PLA began to be made to professionalize the armed forces once more. The 1984 Military Service Law provided for the resumption of rank, but disagreements on what ranks were to be used and who would receive them caused the revival of rank to be delayed until 1988. The following ranks and their respective insignia shown are those used by the People's Liberation Army Ground Force.
The current system of officer ranks and insignia, a revision of the ranks and insignia established in 1955, began usage in 1988. The 1955 to 1965 marshal officer ranks of yuánshuài (5-star Marshal) and dà yuánshuài (6-star grand marshal) were not revived. The general officer ranks (jiang) were revised by the addition of semi-circular wreath at the bottom of the insignia and by a change in the name of the highest general officer rank from da jiang (4-star General) to yi ji shang jiang (4-star first class colonel general). This highest rank in the new system was never held and was abolished in 1994. The field officer (Xiao) and company officer (Wei) ranks were the same in title and insignia except that highest company-level officer rank of Da Wei in the 1955 to 1965 system was not included in the revived ranks. The final difference between the two systems is that in 1955 to 1965 there existed a warrant officer rank, Zhun Wei, which was not incorporated in the revived rank system, while new system had a rank for officer cadets, Xue Yuan. Despite being the rank below Shao Wei in both systems, the insignia have no similarities.
Officer rank names are usually not translated literally, but rather to a corresponding rank system. This can lead to different translations being used depending on the system chosen for the correspondences. The 1955–1965 system, with its greater number of officer ranks, is usually translated using the Soviet rank system of that era, while the modern officer ranks are usually given a NATO rank correspondence. For example, the non-literal translation used for the rank of Shang Jiang (literally "senior general") depends on whether one is comparing it to Soviet or Russian ranks (colonel general) or to British or U.S. ranks (general).
Title | 上将 Shang jiang | 中将 Zhong jiang | 少将 Shao jiang | 大校 Da xiao | 上校 Shang xiao | 中校 Zhong xiao | 少校 Shao xiao | 上尉 Shang wei | 中尉 Zhong wei | 少尉 Shao wei | 学员 Xue yuan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Equivalent translation | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Senior colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Officer cadet |
Shoulder insignia | |||||||||||
Collar insignia |
The current system of other ranks and insignia dates from 2009. [1]
Unlike NATO countries, new recruits of the People's Liberation Army have no military ranks before the boot camp is completed, and they will be awarded the rank of Private/Seaman Apprentice/Airman (All collectively called "Private" or "Lie Bing" in the Chinese Language) after they have graduated from the boot camp. [2] According to Article 16 of Chapter 3 of the "Regulations on the Service of Active Soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army" (Chinese :中国人民解放军现役士兵服役条例), "The lowest enlisted rank is Private". [2]
Title | 一级军士长 Yi ji jun shi zhang | 二级军士长 Er ji jun shi zhang | 三级军士长 San ji jun shi zhang | 四级军士长 Si ji jun shi zhang | 上士 Shang shi | 中士 Zhong shi | 下士 Xia shi | 上等兵 Shang deng bing | 列兵 Lie bing |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Equivalent translation | Master sergeant first class | Master sergeant second class | Master sergeant third class | Master sergeant fourth class | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance Corporal | Private |
Shoulder insignia | |||||||||
Collar insignia |
The ranks of the People's Liberation Army Air Force generally has the same names, position and ranks as the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, and their insignia correspond except Air Force ranks are on a light blue background instead of green.
Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Navy also have corresponding insignia with a black background, but are only worn with the dress white uniforms, as only sleeve insignia are used in the dress blue uniform for officers, with other ranks retaining the shoulder board insignia.
The PLA adopted ranks in 1955. [3] The insignia used by officers from 1955 to 1965 by the PLA Ground Force were modelled on those used by the Soviet Army at the time and similar to the earlier Imperial Japanese Army on collar insignia, with the primary differences being the existence of an additional field officer rank, and the insignia of the highest general officer rank being four stars unlike the one large star used by the Soviet Armed Forces starting in 1963. The NCO insignia of that period showed Japanese influence with the use of stars on the collars with the specialty badge on the side. While general duties officers wore the shoulder board pattern shown below (gold and red), technical service officers sported white and red shoulder boards with their rank insignia. Ranks were abolished during the Cultural Revolution. [3]
Rank group | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLA Ground Force [4] (1955–1965) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
大元帥 Da yuan shuai | 元帥 Yuan shuai | 大将 Dà jiàng | 上将 Shàngjiàng | 中将 Zhōngjiàng | 少将 Shàojiàng | 大校 Dàxiào | 上校 Shàngxiào | 中校 Zhōngxiào | 少校 Shàoxiào | 大尉 Dàwèi | 上尉 Shàngwèi | 中尉 Zhōngwèi | 少尉 Shàowèi | 准尉 Zhǔnwèi | ||||||||||||||||||||||
No ranks (1965–1985) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No ranks (1985–1988) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PLA Ground Force [5] (1988–1994) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
一级上将 Yī jí shàng jiàng | 上将 Shàngjiàng | 中将 Zhōngjiàng | 少将 Shàojiàng | 大校 Dàxiào | 上校 Shàngxiào | 中校 Zhōngxiào | 少校 Shàoxiào | 上尉 Shàngwèi | 中尉 Zhōngwèi | 少尉 Shàowèi | 准尉 Zhǔnwèi |
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLA Ground Force (1955–1965) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
上士 Shàng shì | 中士 Zhōng shì | 下士 Xià shì | 上等兵 Shàngděngbīng | 列兵 Lièbīng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No ranks (1965–1985) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No ranks (1985–1988) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PLA Ground Force (1988–1994) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jūn shì zhǎng | Zhuān yè jūn shì | 上士 Shàng shì | 中士 Zhōng shì | 下士 Xià shì | 上等兵 Shàngděngbīng | 列兵 Lièbīng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PLA Ground Force (1995–1999) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
四级军士长 Sì jí jūn shì zhǎng | Sì jí zhuān yè jūn shì | 三级军士长 Sān jí jūn shì zhǎng | Sān jí zhuān yè jūn shì | 二级军士长 Èr jí jūn shì zhǎng | Èr jí zhuān yè jūn shì | 一级军士长 Yī jí jūn shì zhǎng | Yī jí zhuān yè jūn shì | 上士 Shàng shì | 中士 Zhōng shì | 下士 Xià shì | 上等兵 Shàngděngbīng | 列兵 Lièbīng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
PLA Ground Force (2000–2007) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Liu ji shi guan | Wu ji shi guan | Si ji shi guan | San ji shi guan | Er ji shi guan | Yi ji shi guan | 上等兵 Shàngděngbīng | 列兵 Lièbīng |
The People's Liberation Army Ground Force is the land-based service branch of the People's Liberation Army and the largest and oldest branch of the entire Chinese armed forces. The PLAGF can trace its lineage from 1927 as the Chinese Red Army; however, it was not officially established until 1948.
The ranks in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy are similar to those of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, except that those of the PLA Navy are prefixed by 海军 meaning Naval Force or Navy. See Ranks of the People's Liberation Army or the article on an individual rank for details on the evolution of rank and insignia in the PLAN. This article primarily covers the existing ranks and insignia.
The ranks in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force are similar to those of the Chinese Army, formally known as the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, except that those of the PLA Air Force are prefixed by 空军 meaning Air Force. See Ranks of the People's Liberation Army or the article on an individual rank for details on the evolution of rank and insignia in the PLAAF. This article primarily covers the existing ranks and insignia.
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Wei is the rank held by company-grade officers in some East Asian militaries. The ranks are used in both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan, and both North and South Korea.
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Jiang, formerly romanized chiang and usually translated general, is a rank held by general officers in the armed forces of both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan. The People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police use three levels at present while the Republic of China Armed Forces use four.
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