The Young Pioneers of China, often shortened to Young Pioneers or Red Pioneers, is a mass youth organization of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for youth between the ages of 6 and 14, run by the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC).
After its foundation in 1921, the CCP ran various other youth movements in communist-held areas. In October 1949, after the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, the CCP established the Youth and Children of China Movement. The organization assumed its current name in June 1953. During the Cultural Revolution, the Young Pioneers was dismantled and replaced with the Little Red Guards. It was re-established in October 1978, following the end of the Cultural Revolution.
The league is organized on the party pattern. Its highest body is the National Congress held every five years, and when the National Congress is not in session, the National Working Committee serves as the core power body. The Young Pioneer's leader is the First Secretary of the Communist Youth League of China, who is an alternate member of the Central Committee of the CCP. The incumbent First Secretary is A Dong, appointed in May 2023.
As of the end of December 2024, there were 113 million Young Pioneers members. Most schools in China require students of the right age to become Young Pioneers. The Young Pioneers of China is similar to Pioneer Movements that exist or existed in many Communist countries around the world.
Between its own founding in 1921 and the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, the CCP ran various other youth movements in communist-held areas. The Youth and Children of China Movement () was created on October 13, 1949, by the CCP, and given its present name in June 1953.
During the Cultural Revolution (1966âÂÂ1978), the Young Pioneers Movement was temporarily dismantled. It was replaced by the Little Red Guards, who were the younger counterparts of the Red Guards, the implementers of the Cultural Revolution. The Young Pioneers Movement was restarted in October 1978.
During the Chinese Civil War, the Young Pioneers in various warzones were developed on the basis of the anti-Japanese children's leagues. In areas governed by the Kuomintang, the underground Young Pioneers organization made positive contributions to the victory of the War of Liberation.
The transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong and Macau in 1997 and 1999 respectively has not seen the expansion of CCP organizations (except two small working committees in Liaison Office of HK & Macau) to those areas, including the Young Pioneers.
During the Cultural Revolution, and especially during the Mao Zedong era, joining the Young Pioneers was practically mandatory; although not mandatory today, it is still required in primary and secondary schools. However, the subjects taught are more about how Mao Zedong founded the country or how China rose.
Young Pioneers consist of children between the ages of six and fourteen; upon reaching the age of fourteen, members automatically exit the Young Pioneers and may optionally go on to join the Communist Youth League.
Most elementary school students are Young Pioneers by the time they graduate from grade school. Most of the schools require students of the right age to become Young Pioneers. As of the end of 2024, the number of registered Young Pioneers in China was 113 million. Young Pioneers are immersed in CCP ideology and wear red scarves as a symbol of their commitment. Joining the Young Pioneers is seen as a normal part of growing up, a rite of passage, or a social expectation in China.
According to the Young Pioneers constitution, each school or village organizes a Pioneer Battalion (), which is divided into Pioneer Companies () each corresponding to a class, which is then further divided into Pioneer Squads/Teams () each with a handful of members. Each team has a leader () and an assistant leader (); each of the school Companies is led by a committee of between three and seven members; and a Young Pioneers Committee () of between seven and fifteen members serve as the battalion leadership staff. Adult leaders are chosen from either the Communist Youth League or from local teaching staff (called counselor, ).
Young Pioneers are also directed by a number of Working Committees ( or in short) at different levels over the battalion level up to the National Permanent Standing Commission ( or in short), Working Committees of different levels are responsible to the Congresses of Young Pioneers ( or in short) at the same level. The current chairperson of the NPSC-YPC is A Dong.
The Constitution was officially passed on June 1, 1954, on international Children's Day. It has since been amended many times. The is available on Wikisource.
According to the Young Pioneers Constitution, the flag is red, symbolizing the victory of the Revolution; the five-pointed star in the middle symbolizes the leadership of the CCP, while the torch symbolizes brightness down the path of communism.
The Pioneer Battalion flag is 90 x 120 cm, while the guidon of each Company is 60 x 80 cm, with an isosceles triangle (60 x 20 cm) removed from the right side. The removed triangle on the guidon corresponds to the red scarf worn by Young Pioneers. The Battalion flag and company guidon are both gold fringed and the company guidon has the company title on the right hand side on the canton in a white background.
The emblem consists of the gold star, the torch in traditional Chinese design with the flame alight, and a red and gold scroll reading "The Young Pioneers of China" in Mandarin Chinese.
The red scarf () is the only uniform item. Young Pioneers are often referred to simply as "Red Scarves"; the investiture ceremony often consists of new members having their scarves tied for them by existing members. Children wearing red scarves are a ubiquitous sight in China.
The red scarf is generally worn around the neck and tied, with no woggle. Some local groups also come up with other uniform items.
The Young Pioneers Constitution explains that the scarf corresponds to the missing triangle on the Pioneer Company guidions. The Constitution also explains that the red of the scarf comes from the blood sacrificed by martyrs who perished for the Party and the nation from 1927 to 1949, and that all members should therefore wear the scarf with reverence for them and those who died after the foundation of the PRC.
The Young Pioneers Salute consists of bending the right arm and raising the right hand directly above the head, symbolizing people's interests are above all else. the palm flat and facing downwards, and the fingers together. It symbolizes that the interests of the People supersede all.
Young Pioneers must salute when raising and lowering the national flag, when the Young Pioneers' school colors (battalion colour and company guidons) are present in formal ceremony especially when they are marched on and off the field, in front of the cemeteries of revolutionary matyrs (such as Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery) and when participating in team activities and ceremonies. On other occasions in daily life, such as meeting division and brigade commanders and teachers, they also perform the salute.
During the ceremony, the call leader faces their teammates. After the "call sign" command, the call leader and his companions raise their right hand and clench their fist, level with their right ear, with their fist facing forward, to pledge. After the call is completed, the leader lowers their right fist, and the Young Pioneers follow suit.
The Motto (and Summons) is:
To which the response is:
The stipulated conduct of Young Pioneers, according to the constitution, is:
The Young Pioneers pledge is:
At the end of the ceremony, the counselor, all Young Pioneer members and flag bearers salute. The colours party and escorts exits the venue, accompanied by music.
The Young Pioneers song is We are the heirs of communism (). It was originally the theme song of Heroic Little Eighth-Routers (), a 1961 film about the 1958 Second Taiwan Strait Crisis and a real-life group of children who stayed on the frontlines of coastal Fujian in order to help the war effort against Kuomintang forces.
Verse 1 (English Translation)
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Inherited the glorious traditions of revolutionary precursors.
Loving homeland, loving people,
Bright red scarves fluttering in our chests.
Dauntless of distress, fearless of enemy,
Studying hard and struggling firmly.
Towards victory we march with gallantry,
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Verse 2 (English Translation)
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Young pioneer is the name whereof we are proud.
Always ready to render meritorious service,
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We are the successors of communism.<blockquote>
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Similar to other members of the Pioneer movement worldwide, the full dress uniform is white or blue shirt or polo with undershirt (or skirts for girls) and pants with the red scarf and badges attached to the shirt, with an optional headdress such as a beret. Sometimes even school uniforms are used, the addition being the red scarf, the optional headdress cap and the organizational and rank badges. During sports events YPs wear athletic uniforms.