Borders

Many circular Maozhang had an uncoloured outer border that contrasted with the bright red surrounding the Chairman's image. On some badges this border carried an inscription. Where there was no inscription, or it was very short, the border was often embellished with decorative elements such as rays, beads, stars and sunflowers, used singly or in combination.

Decorative borders were frequently employed in printed material before and during the Cultural Revolution, and examples such as those below were a common feature in masthead books.