The Eight Banners; a system of administrative and military organization used by the Manchu people during the 后金 hòu​jīn and 清 qīng dynasties. Each banner was identified by a distinct colored flag: yellow, white, red, and blue, each either plain or bordered. The system eventually expanded to include Mongol and Han Chinese banners.

A large-scale political, economic, or social structure formed under specific historical conditions