ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Identity in the Eight Banners

Okay kiddo, let me explain to you what identity in the eight banners means.

Back in ancient China, people were divided into different social classes based on their family background. In the Qing Dynasty, the ruling class was broken up into eight banners and each banner represented a different group of people.

So, if your family belonged to one of the eight banners, that would be a big part of your identity. It would determine your social status, your job, and even the clothes you wore.

For example, let's say your family belonged to the Blue Banner, which was made up of the Manchu people. That means you would have a very different identity than someone from the Red Banner, which was made up of Mongolian people.

The eight banners were also divided into different ranks within each banner, which further determined your social status. The higher your rank, the more privileges you had.

Overall, identity in the eight banners was a way for people to understand their place in society based on their family background and social status.