The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), known in Chinese as 中国工商银行, uses a red emblem that has served as its official bank mark since January 1, 1989. The bank’s own website identifies the mark simply as its “工” (gong) shaped logo, a protected commercial identifier for the institution. [1]
Design and History
The ICBC emblem was designed by Chen Hanmin (陈汉民), a professor in the Decorative Design Department at the Central Academy of Arts and Design (now the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University). [2] The China Artists Association lists the ICBC mark among Chen’s major works, alongside the People’s Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China emblems. [2] A 2022 report from Southern Metropolis Daily confirms that Chen designed the ICBC “行徽” (bank emblem) in 1988, using a red square-holed round coin as the design element. [3]
The emblem’s adoption followed a bank-wide design competition. According to a historical account published by Sina Finance, ICBC’s head office issued a call for emblem submissions in January 1986, receiving 2,691 entries from staff within two months. After a review committee selected ten finalists, the bank invited the Central Academy of Arts and Design to participate in the design process. Following more than two years of refinement, the bank formally adopted the emblem effective January 1, 1989, marking the bank’s fifth anniversary. [4]
The official description of the emblem, as recorded in the bank’s adoption notice, states that the design forms an implicit square-holed coin shape symbolizing a bank. The central element is a modified “工” character, split in the middle to make it more prominent. The “工” character and the outer circle together signify the circulation of goods, reflecting the bank’s role as China’s specialized bank for industrial and commercial credit. [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The bank’s official description explains several layers of meaning in the emblem. The two corresponding geometric shapes formed by the split “工” character embody a dialectical relationship: using “disconnection” to strengthen “continuity” and “division” to form “unity,” illustrating the equal, trusting, and mutually dependent relationship between the bank and its clients. The design also forms four faces and eight right angles around the “工” character, symbolizing the breadth of the bank’s business development and its connections in economic construction. [4]
The emblem’s colors are specified as red for the main lines and white for the background. [4] A university-published historical document from Shandong University’s School of Economics confirms the same color specification: red main lines on a white background. [5]
Chen Hanmin’s own design notes, published in his book Chen Hanmin Logo Design (陈汉民标志设计) by Tsinghua University Press, describe the design intent: “Taking the square and circle forms, emphasizing rules and standards, with the ‘工’ character centered, split into two halves, metaphorically representing the mutual trust, respect, and coexistence between the bank and its clients.” [6] The same publication records that in 2011, the ICBC emblem received the “Classic Design Award” at the Beijing International Design Triennial. [7]
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