When we talk about the camouflage patterns used by the Chinese military in the 1980s, many people can name the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage. However, what experimental camouflage patterns did the Chinese military have before the Big Five-Leaf? What is the relational connection between the various camouflage patterns of the 1980s? How many types of Gravel Camouflage are there? And what exactly is the relationship between Gravel Camouflage and Duck Hunting Camouflage?

This article attempts to sort out these less-known camouflage types.

This article does not cover various camouflage patterns used by the Marine Corps, nor does it include categories such as the 1989 Four-Color Woodland Camouflage. It only focuses on the various camouflage patterns used on the southern border frontline and their direct "relatives" (i.e., directly related variants).

Much of the content here is speculative and may deviate significantly from the facts. The color descriptions are definitely not accurate, as colors displayed on different screens will vary greatly.

The Early "Little Yellow Flower" Camouflage

The history of the "Little Yellow Flower" camouflage dates back to the 1960s, when a type of camouflage fabric was developed for aid to Vietnam, with its design based on the pattern of U.S. military parachutes. Later, China's first camouflage uniform was created using this camouflage fabric. As early as the 1960s, this camouflage uniform was already distributed, mainly used by military units assigned with special operations tasks. In the early 1980s, some military units on the southern border frontline also adopted this camouflage.

A variant of this camouflage – the Vietnamese "Little Yellow Flower" camouflage – is still in use by some special operations units in Vietnam to this day. (Vietnam's use of the "Little Yellow Flower" camouflage originated in the 1970s, and some of its special operations units continued to use it during the subsequent K94, K07, and K17 periods.)

The Chinese military's version of the "Little Yellow Flower" camouflage

The Vietnamese version of the "Little Yellow Flower" camouflage has slight differences from the Chinese military's version.

For the Vietnamese submarine camouflage: After Vietnam acquired its first submarine in 2012, Vietnamese submarine crews began to be equipped with a type of camouflage that adopts the pattern of the Vietnamese version of the "Little Yellow Flower" camouflage and features a blue color scheme.

Early Experimental Camouflage (North 1, North 2, South 1, South 2)

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, four types of experimental double-sided camouflage uniforms-dubbed North 1, North 2, South 1, and South 2-were developed.

Note: Hereinafter, the "button-side" of the camouflage uniform will be referred to as "Side 2", and the "non-button-side" as "Side 1".

These four types of camouflage uniforms utilized a total of 8 camouflage patterns, which can be categorized into four groups.

Category 1: North 1 Pattern – Side 2 Snow Camouflage

Category 2: North 2 Pattern – Side 1
(Note: The actual base color of the background may originally be white, but it turns light brown after long-term storage.)

Category 2: South 2 Pattern – Side 1
(It uses the same pattern as North 2 Pattern – Side 1, but with a different color scheme.)

Category 2: South 2 Pattern – Side 1
(It uses the same pattern as North 2 Pattern – Side 1, but with a different color scheme.)

Category 3: South 2 Pattern – Side 2
(Compared with North 2 Pattern – Side 2, the reddish-brown color is replaced with green, and the original green is replaced with grass green.) Additionally, the actual base color of the background may originally be white, but it turns light brown after long-term storage.

Category 3: South 1 Pattern – Side 2
(Compared with North 2 Pattern – Side 2, the base color is changed to grass green; the reddish-brown color is replaced with green; and the original green is replaced with the light brown/white that previously served as the base color.)

Category 4: South 1 Pattern – Side 1, i.e., the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage.
The actual base color of the background may originally be white, but it turns light brown after long-term storage.

Category 4: North 1 Pattern – Side 1
(Compared with the classic "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage on South 1 Pattern – Side 1, the dark forest green is replaced with black; the grass green is replaced with light brown (which may originally be white); the green is replaced with light brown; and the light brown is replaced with grass green/yellow-green.)

Various Versions of the "Big Five-Leaf" Camouflage

Among the 7 camouflage patterns used on the 4 types of camouflage uniforms, two were selected as the camouflage patterns for the "Type 81 Camouflage Uniform" worn by reconnaissance troops on the southern border frontline: namely, "South 1 Pattern – Side 1" (the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage) and "North 2 Pattern – Side 2" (the typical five-color leopard-spot gravel camouflage).

The "Type 81 Camouflage Uniform" was mainly produced by Wuxi Printing and Dyeing Factory and Shijiao Garment Factory in Dantu County. In addition, there were also versions produced by various small factories and self-dyed by military units themselves.

Regarding the versions of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage, there is a claim that the "dim, grayish" one is the Dantu version. However, this claim is not necessarily accurate. Due to the backward printing and dyeing technology at that time and long-term storage, the colors of many camouflage uniforms had deviated from their original shades. There were also dim versions of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage produced by Wuxi, so it is inaccurate to distinguish between Dantu-produced and Wuxi-produced versions based on "dimness" or "brightness".

Below are some variants of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage. It should be noted that some color changes are likely caused by storage conditions. In fact, most of the "light brown" areas may have originally been white, but turned light brown after long-term storage; the "yellow" areas may have originally been light grass green, but also changed color due to prolonged storage.

There were also slight differences in the details of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage pattern among different factories. However, since their basic shapes are similar, I did not make distinctions when drawing them.

The version commonly perceived as the Dantu type. Note that some "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage products from Wuxi factories also exhibit this color tone, so it can be referred to as the "dim type".

The version commonly perceived as the Wuxi type. Note that some "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage products from Dantu factories also exhibit this color tone, and I consider this variant of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage to be the "standard type".

The yellow variant of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage. It seems that there are more yellow "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage products from Dantu factories. However, this yellow color may not be its original shade. On the same garment, the same type of color block might appear yellow or grass green in different parts. This discrepancy is likely related to storage conditions. 

A variant of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage with an overall color tone leaning toward grayish black.

Another variant of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage, characterized by bright grass green and green color blocks that lean slightly toward brown.

The Wuxi Red Type (of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage): Its overall color tone is noticeably reddish, the green color is also somewhat brighter, and the base color is slightly tinged with red as well.

A self-printed variant of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage used by the Chengdu Military Region, whose color tone is distinctly different from that of other versions.

Dantu Factory also produced yellowish versions (likely due to color fading). However, most color blocks on the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage from Wuxi and Dantu factories have distinct "edges". In contrast, the color blocks on the self-printed version from the Chengdu Military Region have no edges.

A "brown version" of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage. Compared with the standard version of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage, it replaces green with brown. Additionally, the original dark green and dark brown color blocks in this version have become similar in color-so much so that they are indistinguishable from a distance.

I originally thought this type of "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage was a result of "color fading during storage". However, I accidentally came across a light weapons export catalog from Norinco (China North Industries Corporation) dating back to the 1990s. In the catalog, the soldier featured in the illustration of the imitation AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher was clearly wearing this "brown version" of the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage.

The "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage may have been modeled after the British Army's DPM (Disruptive Pattern Material) camouflage. However, unlike DPM, the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage is more "representational": its interwoven color blocks and the mixed-color edges at the overlapping parts of the blocks closely resemble the intertwined branches and leaves in a jungle.

Additionally, the main brands currently reproducing the "Big Five-Leaf" camouflage are "Dragon Tooth" and "BG". The former primarily reproduces the "dim type" (commonly perceived as the Dantu version), while the latter tends toward the "bright type" (or the commonly perceived Wuxi version).

In terms of pattern details, the camouflage pattern of the former is relatively close to the original. In contrast, the latter arbitrarily removed the border lines along the edges of the color blocks from the original design.

Regarding color tone, the latter has an excessively bright and high-saturation color scheme. Personally, I believe that such a bright tone could only be found in some historical products from Wuxi factories, and it was not a common occurrence.

In fact, the latter is slightly more aesthetically pleasing than the former, but the former is more accurate in terms of restoring the original.

Various Types of Five-Color Gravel Camouflage (CISO Leopard-Spot Duck Hunter and Traditional Duck Hunter Patterns)

The gravel camouflage used by the Chinese military can be divided into two categories: the "CISO Duck Hunter" pattern and the "Traditional Duck Hunter" pattern. Hereinafter, the gravel camouflage used by the Chinese military that imitates the CISO Duck Hunter pattern will be referred to as "Leopard-Spot Gravel Camouflage", while the gravel camouflage of the Traditional Duck Hunter style used by the Chinese military will be called "Traditional Duck Hunter Gravel Camouflage".

The "CISO Duck Hunter" pattern originated from a variant of the Duck Hunter camouflage designed by CISO for the CIDG (Civilian Irregular Defense Group) during the Vietnam War. It was also equipped by special units such as SOG. A distinctive feature of this variant is its non-overlapping color blocks, which set it apart significantly from other types of Duck Hunter camouflage used prior to that. This specific Duck Hunter pattern is referred to by Vietnam War camouflage researchers as either "Leopard-Spot" or "CISO Duck Hunter". The name "Leopard-Spot" likely derives from the Vietnamese term "(Beo-Gam)", and it is probable that the Chinese military independently adopted the same "Leopard-Spot" designation (by coincidence).

 A typical "Type J" pattern, which looks very much like the gaping mouth of a fierce beast. Originating from the CISO Duck Hunter pattern, it can be seen on all CISO Duck Hunter-style gravel camouflage used by the Chinese military.

The original design of the CISO-style Duck Hunter Leopard-Spot camouflage. Note that the Leopard-Spot camouflage used by the Chinese military differs significantly from the CISO Duck Hunter pattern in overall design. However, some classic pattern elements-such as the "beast-mouth-shaped Type J" pattern shown in the image above-are directly derived from the CISO Duck Hunter pattern.

 North 2 Pattern – Side 2, i.e., the classic form of the Five-Color Leopard-Spot Gravel Camouflage. The actual base color of the background may originally be white, but it turns (light brown) after long-term storage.

The Wuxi Red Version of the Five-Color Leopard-Spot Gravel Camouflage, which leans toward red in color tone.

Some versions of the Five-Color Leopard-Spot Gravel Camouflage have a relatively light base color, leaning toward off-white/gray. Additionally, their reddish-brown color is less intense (i.e., not as red), and the actual base color of the background may originally be white-turning light brown after long-term storage.

A variant of the Five-Color Gravel Camouflage. Compared with North 2 Pattern – Side 2, the dark green is replaced with green; the reddish-brown is replaced with dark green; the green is replaced with brown; and the olive green leans toward gray.

Two color tone variations of this camouflage have been observed so far: one "leaning toward gray" and the other "leaning toward normal". The actual base color of the background may originally be white, but it turns light brown after long-term storage.

This type of Five-Color Gravel Camouflage has only been seen on some "single-sided Type 84 Camouflage Uniforms" and may date back to the same period as the Four-Color Gravel Camouflage.

In addition to the above, the Chinese military also used variants of the "Traditional Duck Hunter" camouflage.

A variant of the Traditional Duck Hunter camouflage used by the Chinese military. Note the spacing between the color blocks: the color blocks on the Chinese military's version generally have larger spacing and no overlap, which is slightly different from the commercial version of the Duck Hunter camouflage used by the U.S. during the Vietnam War (see the image below for reference).

The actual base color of the background may originally be white, but it turns light brown after long-term storage.

 The commercial version of the U.S. Duck Hunter camouflage commonly seen during the Vietnam War had a light brown base color originally.