Ranks of Officers
The insignia used by officers in the period 1955-1965 were similar in style to those used by the military of the Soviet Union at the time, 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 instead of one larger star.
The current system of officer ranks and insignia is a revision of the ranks and insignia established in 1955. The 1955-1965 marshal officer ranks of Yuánshuài (Marshal) and Dà Yuánshuài (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 Dàjiàng (General of the Army) to Yī Jí Shàngjiàng (literally: First Class Senior 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 Dàwèi in the 1955-1965 system was not included in the revived ranks. The final difference between the two systems is that in 1955-1965 there existed a warrant officer rank, Zhǔnwèi, which was not incorporated in the revived rank system, while new system had a rank for officer cadets, Xuéyuán. Despite being the rank below Shaowei 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 Shàngjiàng (literally: Senior General) depends on whether one is comparing it to Soviet or Russian ranks (Colonel General) or to British or American ranks (General).
| Name | Usual translation (Alternate translation) |
U.S. Army equivalent (NATO rank code) |
|---|---|---|
| 一级上将 Yī Jí Shàngjiàng (abolished 1994; rank never held) |
First Class General (General of the Army) |
General of the Army (Honorary) |
| 上将 Shàngjiàng |
General, Colonel General |
General (OF-9) |
| 中将 Zhōngjiàng |
Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General (OF-8) |
| 少将 Shàojiàng |
Major General | Major General (OF-7) |
| 大校 Dàxiào |
Senior Colonel (Brigadier) |
Brigadier General (OF-6) |
| 上校 Shàngxiào |
Colonel | Colonel (OF-5) |
| 中校 Zhōngxiào |
Lieutenant Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel (OF-4) |
| 少校 Shàoxiào |
Major | Major (OF-3) |
| 大尉 Dàwèi (1955-1965) |
Senior Captain | Captain (OF-2) |
| 上尉 Shàngwèi |
Captain | Captain (OF-2) |
| 中尉 Zhōngwèi |
First Lieutenant, Lieutenant |
First Lieutenant (OF-1) |
| 少尉 Shàowèi |
Second Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant (OF-1) |
| 学员 Xuéyuán |
Officer Cadet | Officer Cadet (OF-D) |
Read more about this topic: Ranks Of The People's Liberation Army
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