80th Anniversary of the 93 Military Parade: From 'Red Five Stars' to' Multi Terrain Camouflage ', How can military uniforms reshape their appearance and combat effectiveness?
On September 3, 2025, the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti Fascist War celebrated their solemn 80th anniversary of victory. At this special moment, we look back at the years of war, following the historical context, and observe the 80 year evolution of Chinese military uniforms from the Anti Japanese War to today - it is not only the replacement of fibers and fabrics, but also a microcosm of national memory, national spirit, and progress of the times.
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Red Army made its own military uniforms and embarked on a journey
In August 1927, the Nanchang Uprising troops wore National Revolutionary Army uniforms and red scarves. In 1929, the Red Army produced standardized clothing, with gray coarse cloth used for military uniforms, hats, and leggings. The top was a Zhongshan suit, and the bottom was a suit pants. The collar is adorned with a red cloth parallelogram collar badge, with a black cloth border at the back. The octagonal hat is adorned with a red cloth five pointed star hat emblem, and the style of cadre and soldier clothing is the same.
This is the first time that the Red Army has unified and self-made military uniforms within the scope of a single army. The "Red Five Star" emblem has become a distinctive symbol of the Red Army, showcasing the style of the People's Army in its early days. Although the equipment is rudimentary, it embodies revolutionary forces and lays the foundation for future development.
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China: Military uniform reform conforms to the development of the times
After the establishment of the People's Liberation Army in New China, the military uniforms of the Chinese People's Liberation Army underwent multiple major reforms, including the Type 50, Type 55, Type 65, Type 85, Type 87, and Type 07 uniforms. Each change was closely related to national development and military construction, constantly reshaping military appearance and enhancing combat effectiveness.
Type 50 military uniform: the first military equipment by level
In 1950, the Type 50 military uniform became the first officially equipped military uniform of our army after the establishment of the People's Republic of China. The military uniforms of the army, navy, and air force cadres are made of cotton plain cloth, and are distinguished by clothing colors, large brimmed hats, and emblem decorations. This is an important step towards the standardization of our military uniforms, marking the beginning of the People's Army's adaptation to national construction in terms of clothing and equipment, and the preliminary construction of a military uniform system that meets the requirements of modern armies, showcasing a new image of the People's Army under the new regime.
Type 55 military uniform: showcasing a new look in conjunction with the rank system
In 1955, in order to comply with the implementation of the military rank system, the Type 55 military uniform was born. This series of military uniforms is divided into regular uniforms, formal uniforms, and work uniforms according to the land, sea, and air forces, ending the history of our military's single standard military uniform. The military rank symbol is reflected on the military uniform, making the military dress more standardized and orderly, highlighting the achievements of the military's regularization construction, enhancing the sense of honor and mission of soldiers, and is an important symbol of the Chinese military's modernization.
Type 65 Military Uniform: The Era Mark of Red Five Stars and Full Red Collar Badge
In 1965, the Type 65 military uniform abolished the rank system and the entire army wore a five pointed star hat emblem and a full red collar badge. The clothing styles and fabrics of the army, navy, and air force are basically the same, with only color differences. The army is green, the navy is dark gray, and the air force is green above and blue below. The Type 65 military uniform has strong Chinese characteristics, simple and elegant, reflecting the characteristics of the times and the military style at that time. It is the longest wearing standard clothing in the history of our army, carrying the memory of a generation and showcasing the simplicity and loyalty of the people's army in a special historical period.
85 style military uniform: initiating the process of military uniform adaptation
In 1985, the Type 85 military uniform basically adopted the style of the Type 55 military uniform, abolished the red collar badge and red five cornered hat badge, and wore the "August 1st" military emblem hat badge and branch shoulder and collar badges. At the same time, the concept of "type" was first proposed to improve the fit rate of military uniforms. This improvement reflects the focus on the wearing experience of soldiers, making military uniforms more fitted and comfortable, helping to enhance the image of soldiers and the overall style of the military, and adapting to the new needs of military construction in the new era of reform and opening up.
87 style military uniform: suit collar highlights openness
In 1987, the Type 87 military uniform made its debut, characterized by a suit collar, which was seen as a manifestation of the open mindedness of the Chinese military. In addition to formal, regular, and training uniforms, nearly 10 types of special clothing have been added, ending the history of active duty soldiers wearing the same military uniform to perform different tasks. The diverse types of clothing meet the diverse mission needs of the military, marking the development of our military uniform system towards a more scientific and practical direction, and demonstrating the military's synchronous and global posture.
07 style military uniform: comprehensive upgrade of color, style, and materials
In 2007, the Type 07 military uniform was equipped throughout the entire army on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its founding. It is an improvement and perfection of the Type 97 military uniform, with significant improvements in color, style, and material. The army has changed from brown green to pine green, and the colors of the navy and air force uniforms have also been adjusted appropriately to make the colors of the three armies' uniforms more coordinated and in line with the international military uniform trend, with more obvious differences from domestic industry uniforms. At the same time, the material selection is more sophisticated, such as the use of high weave yarn, wool, polyester, and cotton for officer dresses, which enhances the texture and performance of military uniforms, comprehensively reshapes the image of modern military personnel in our army, and highlights the style of a great country's military.
New era: Type 21 training uniforms focus on preparing for war
In 2022, all military units will be equipped with Type 21 training uniforms and work uniforms. The Type 21 training uniform abandons the design concept of distinguishing between military branches and introduces multiple types based on the combat area and season, which is more in line with practical needs. The design of multi terrain camouflage enables soldiers to have better concealment in different environments, enhances combat effectiveness, and also reflects the transformation of our military uniform design concept towards practicality and specialization. It is an important component of building a new era military uniform system with our military characteristics, providing strong clothing and equipment support for the cause of building a strong military in the new era.
From the rudimentary Red Army uniforms during the Anti Japanese War to modern multi terrain camouflage training uniforms, Chinese military uniforms have undergone changes over time and have always resonated with the fate of the country and the development of the military. It is not only a reflection of the external appearance of soldiers, but also a symbol of national power. Through continuous changes, it reshapes military appearance, enhances combat effectiveness, and witnesses the glorious journey of the people's army from victory to victory.