Young Pioneers of China
The Young Pioneers of China (Chinese: 中国少年先锋队; pinyin: Zhōngguó Shàonián Xiānfēngduì), often shortened to the Young Pioneers (Chinese: 少先队; pinyin: Shàoxiānduì) and sometimes translated into English as Red Pioneers,[2]: 60 is a mass youth organization for children aged six to fourteen in the People's Republic of China. The Young Pioneers of China is run by the Communist Youth League, an organization of older youth that comes under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Young Pioneers of China is similar to Pioneer Movements that exist or existed in many Communist countries around the world.
Young Pioneers of China
中国少年先锋队
1924
13 October 1949 (official)
130,000,000 (2007)[1]
China Children's News
China Teenagers' News
Membership[edit]
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.[3]
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.[4] There were an estimated 130 million Young Pioneers in China, as of 2002.[5]
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.
Organization[edit]
According to the Young Pioneers constitution,[3] each school or village organizes a Pioneer Battalion (大队; Dàduì), which is divided into Pioneer Companies (中队; Zhōngduì) each corresponding to a class, which is then further divided into Pioneer Squads/Teams (小队; Xiǎoduì) each with a handful of members. Each team has a leader (队长; Duìzhǎng) and an assistant leader (副队长; Fùduìzhǎng), ; each of the school Companies is led by a committee of between three and seven members; and a Young Pioneers Committee (队委会; Duìwěihuì) 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, 辅导员; Fǔdǎoyuán).
Young Pioneers are also directed by a number of Working Committees (少先队工作委员会; Shǎoxiānduìgōngzuòwěiyuánhuì or 少工委; Shǎogōngwěi in short) at different levels over the battalion level up to the National Permanent Standing Commission (中国少年先锋队全国工作委员会; Zhōngguó Shǎonián Xiānfēngduì Quánguó Gōngzuò Wěiyuánhuì or 全国少工委; Quánguó Shǎogōngwěi in short), Working Committees of different levels are responsible to the Congresses of Young Pioneers (少先队代表大会; Shǎoxiānduì Dàibiǎodàhuì or 少代会; Shǎodàihuì in short) at the same level. The current chairperson of the NPSC-YPC is He Junke.