Historical Chinese anthems
Encyclopedia
Historical Chinese anthems comprise a number of Chinese
official and unofficial national anthem
s composed during the early 20th century. Today, there are only two remaining:
"Tune of Li Zhongtang
Quasi-official
For purposes of diplomatic missions to Western Europe
and Russia
, Li Hongzhang
(Zhongtang being a term of respect for a vizier
or prime minister
) employed in 1896 political lyrics combined with classical Chinese music—later known as "The Tune of Li Zhongtang" (李中堂樂).
"Praise the Dragon Flag
Quasi-official
After the Department of Army was established in 1906, it became the army song, and had been played at formal occasions overseas.
¹兆 usually means one trillion (1012), but it could mean one million (106), and should have that value here in the song for factual accuracy. See Chinese numerals
for details.
occurred in 1911. It is in Classical Chinese
. However, the Republic of China
denies that "The Cup of Solid Gold" was ever a national anthem.
After the establishment of the provisional government in Nanjing
, the Ministry of Education under Cai Yuanpei
asked the public for possible anthem (as well as coat of arm), and the one whose lyrics was written by Shen Enyun (沈恩孕) and music by Shen Pengnian (沈彭年) was released as a draft in the newspaper.
"How Great is Our China
Unofficial
Also called "Patriotic Song" (愛國歌), "How Great is Our China!" (泱泱哉，我中華！) has lyrics written by Liang Qichao
and music by overseas Chinese
in Datong School (大同學校), Yokohama
. Released in 1912, it was widespread especially among students.
"China Heroically Stands in the Universe
Official
After Yuan Shikai
took over China, his Ritual Regulations Office (禮制館) issued the new official anthem "China heroically stands in the Universe
" (中國雄立宇宙間) on June 1915. Its lyrics were written by Yin Chang (廕昌) and music by Wang Lu (王露).
"The Song to the Auspicious Cloud
Official
This song has two versions, one is used in 1913 while another in 1920
, and set to music by Jeans Hautstont.
warlord
) established the National Anthem Research Committee (國歌研究會), which adopted:
The anthem was released in July 1921 by the Department of National Affairs (國務院).
¹糺 (jiū "collaborate") is sometimes written as 糾 (jiū "investigate") or 織 (zhī "to web")
The "Revolution of the Citizens
Provisional
Written by officers of the Whampoa Military Academy
, The "Revolution of the Citizens" Song (國民革命歌 Guomin Geming Ge), sung to the tune of "Frère Jacques
(commonly known as "Two Tigers" in China
)," was released on July 1, 1926.
The Internationale
When the Chinese Soviet Republic was established in 1931, The Internationale
was decided to be its national anthem, since it followed the ideals of Communism
, especially the Soviet Union
.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
official and unofficial national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
s composed during the early 20th century. Today, there are only two remaining:
- Republic of ChinaRepublic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
- "Three Principles of the PeopleNational Anthem of the Republic of China"National Anthem of the Republic of China" is the current national anthem of the Republic of China .The Republic of China was recognized as the government of mainland China prior to 1949. Since then the Republic of China has controlled Taiwan and some other nearby islands...
" - People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
- "March of the VolunteersMarch of the VolunteersMarch of the Volunteers is the national anthem of the People's Republic of China , written by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. This composition is a musical march...
"
"Tune of Li ZhongtangTune of Li ZhongtangThe Tune of Li Zhongtang is the first semi-official national song of China, written by Li Hongzhang in 1896 during the Qing Dynasty. It also served as the Royal anthem for the dynasty.-History:...
"
Quasi-officialFor purposes of diplomatic missions to Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
(Zhongtang being a term of respect for a vizier
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
or prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
) employed in 1896 political lyrics combined with classical Chinese music—later known as "The Tune of Li Zhongtang" (李中堂樂).
金殿當頭紫閣重， 仙人掌上玉芙蓉， 太平天子朝天日， 五色雲車駕六龍。 |
With a golden palace above his head, and fold upon fold of purple pavilions, Like a jade Jade Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:... hibiscus Hibiscus Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world... on the palm of an immortal Immortality Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering... , The Son of Heaven of Perfect Peace pays homage to the sun in the sky, Riding on a five-coloured car of cloud pulled by six dragons Chinese dragon Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs... . |
"Praise the Dragon FlagPraise the Dragon FlagThe Praise the Dragon Flag is a semi-official national anthem of China, also is a military anthem, and a Royal anthem.-History:In 1906, , the Department of the Army of the Qing Dynasty was established, and wrote this song as an anthem, Qing Dynasty used this song as temporary national anthem...
"
Quasi-officialAfter the Department of Army was established in 1906, it became the army song, and had been played at formal occasions overseas.
於斯萬年， 亞東大帝國！ 山嶽縱橫獨立幟， 江河漫延文明波； 四百兆¹民神明冑， 地大物產博。 揚我黃龍帝國徽， 唱我帝國歌！ |
Here for ten thousand years, Great Empire of East Asia East Asia East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms... ! The criss-crossing mountains stand alone, The wide-spreading rivers are the waves of the civilization; Four hundred million¹ people under the auspice of the gods, The land is large and the produce great. Wave my yellow dragon Chinese dragon Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs... emblem of the Empire, Sing the song of our Empire! |
¹兆 usually means one trillion (1012), but it could mean one million (106), and should have that value here in the song for factual accuracy. See Chinese numerals
Chinese numerals
Chinese numerals are characters for writing numbers in Chinese. Today speakers of Chinese use three numeral systems:the ubiquitous Arabic numerals and two indigenous systems....
for details.
"Solidify the goldenempire"
The only official national anthem of the Qing Empire lived less than a month when the Wuchang UprisingWuchang Uprising
The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city...
occurred in 1911. It is in Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
. However, the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
denies that "The Cup of Solid Gold" was ever a national anthem.
1912 Draft
ProvisionalAfter the establishment of the provisional government in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, the Ministry of Education under Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei was a Chinese educator and the president of Peking University. He was known for his critical evaluation of the Chinese culture that led to the influential May Fourth Movement...
asked the public for possible anthem (as well as coat of arm), and the one whose lyrics was written by Shen Enyun (沈恩孕) and music by Shen Pengnian (沈彭年) was released as a draft in the newspaper.
亞東開化中國早， 揖美追歐， 舊邦新造。 飄揚五色旗， 民國榮光， 錦繡山河普照。 我同胞， 鼓舞文明， 世界和平永保。 |
China, earliest civilization of East Asia East Asia East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms... , Admiring America United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... and chasing Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... , The old nation is under new construction. The five-coloured flag Flag of the Republic of China The Flag of the Republic of China is red with a navy blue canton bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays. In Chinese, the flag is commonly described as Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth to reflect its attributes.... flutters, The glory of the Republic shines over our beautiful mountain and rivers. My compatriots, let us sing for civilization Civilization Civilization is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally... . The universal peace Peace Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the... will forever be protected. |
"How Great is Our ChinaHow Great is Our China"How Great is Our China!" was an unofficial anthem of the Republic of China.Also called "Patriotic Song" , "How Great is Our China!" has lyrics written by Liang Qichao and music by overseas Chinese in Datong School , Yokohama...
!"
UnofficialAlso called "Patriotic Song" (愛國歌), "How Great is Our China!" (泱泱哉，我中華！) has lyrics written by Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao |Styled]] Zhuoru, ; Pseudonym: Rengong) was a Chinese scholar, journalist, philosopher and reformist during the Qing Dynasty , who inspired Chinese scholars with his writings and reform movements...
and music by overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
in Datong School (大同學校), Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
. Released in 1912, it was widespread especially among students.
泱泱哉，我中華！ 最大洲中最大國， 廿二行省為一家， 物產腴沃甲天地， 天府雄國言非誇。 君不見英日區區三島尚崛起， 況乃堂堂我中華！ 結成團體， 振我精神， 二十世紀新世界， 雄飛宇內疇與倫？ 可愛哉，我國民！ 可愛哉，我國民！ |
How great is our China! The largest nation of the largest continent Continent A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is... . Twenty-two administered provinces are one family. Rich products and fertile land are the first in the world. Calling this strong nation heaven on earth is not boasting. Don't you see: Britain United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... and Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... , only three islands, still prosper. How much more our great China? Join as one body. Excite our spirit. In this new world of the twentieth century, Strongly soar among fellow mankind of the universe. How lovely is our people! How lovely is our people! |
"China Heroically Stands in the UniverseChina Heroically Stands in the Universe"China Heroically Stands in the Universe" was the imperial anthem of the Empire of China . It was issued by the Ritual Regulations Office in June 1915 after Yuan Shikai was declared Emperor of China...
"
OfficialAfter Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
took over China, his Ritual Regulations Office (禮制館) issued the new official anthem "China heroically stands in the Universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
" (中國雄立宇宙間) on June 1915. Its lyrics were written by Yin Chang (廕昌) and music by Wang Lu (王露).
中國雄立宇宙間﹐ 廓八埏﹐ 華冑來從崑崙巔﹐ 江河浩盪山綿連﹐ 共和五族開堯天﹐ 億萬年。 |
China heroically stands in Universe Universe The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature... , Extends to the Eight Corners, The famous descendant from Kunlun Kunlun Kunlun may refer to:*Kunlun fault, a geological fault on the northern side of the Tibetan Plateau*Kunlun Mountains, a long mountain chain in Asia*Kunlun Nu, a wuxia romance written by Pei Xing*Kunlun Pass, in Guangxi, China... Peak. The rivers turn greatly, the mountains continuous. Five nationalities open up the sky of Yao, For millions of myriads of years. |
"The Song to the Auspicious CloudThe Song to the Auspicious CloudThe Song to the Auspicious Cloud was one of the anthems of the Republic of China. In 1921, the National Anthem Research Committee set up by Duan Qirui revealed the new anthem...
"
OfficialThis song has two versions, one is used in 1913 while another in 1920
First version of The Song to the Auspicious Cloud
In Apr.8th, 1913, the national anthem used in opening ceremony of the 1st regular council, the last line is added by Wang Baorong (汪宝荣), others lines are from Shang ShuClassic of History
The Classic of History is a compilation of documentary records related to events in ancient history of China. It is also commonly known as the Shàngshū , or simply Shū...
, and set to music by Jeans Hautstont.
卿雲爛兮﹑ 糺¹縵縵兮﹐ 日月光華﹐ 旦復旦兮。 時哉夫，天下非一人之天下也。 |
How bright is the Auspicious Cloud! How broad is the brilliancy! The light is spectacular with sun or moon. How it revives dawn after dawn! Now, the country isn't one man's country. |
Second Version of The Song to the Auspicious Cloud
In November 1919, Tuan Chi-jui (later a BeiyangBeiyang
The term Beiyang originated toward the end of the Qing Dynasty, and it referred to the coastal areas of Zhili , Liaoning, and Shandong in northeast China....
warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
) established the National Anthem Research Committee (國歌研究會), which adopted:
- The lyrics (1920) by Zhang Taiyan (章太炎) from the classicClassical ChineseClassical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
"The Song to the Auspicious Cloud" (卿雲歌) from Shang ShuClassic of HistoryThe Classic of History is a compilation of documentary records related to events in ancient history of China. It is also commonly known as the Shàngshū , or simply Shū... - The music (1921) by a BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
er professor, Xiao Youmei (蕭友梅).
The anthem was released in July 1921 by the Department of National Affairs (國務院).
卿雲爛兮﹑ 糺¹縵縵兮﹐ 日月光華﹐ 旦復旦兮。 |
How bright is the Auspicious Cloud! How broad is the brilliancy! The light is spectacular with sun or moon. How it revives dawn after dawn! |
¹糺 (jiū "collaborate") is sometimes written as 糾 (jiū "investigate") or 織 (zhī "to web")
The "Revolution of the CitizensRevolution of the CitizensThe "Revolution of the Citizens" was a provisional anthem of the Republic of China. It was written by Liao Qianwu , an officer at Whampoa Military Academy.The anthem is sung to the tune of "Frère Jacques"...
" Song
ProvisionalWritten by officers of the Whampoa Military Academy
Whampoa Military Academy
The Nationalist Party of China Army Officer Academy , commonly known as the Whampoa Military Academy , was a military academy in the Republic of China that produced many prestigious commanders who fought in many of China's conflicts in the 20th century, notably the Northern Expedition, the Second...
, The "Revolution of the Citizens" Song (國民革命歌 Guomin Geming Ge), sung to the tune of "Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
"Frère Jacques" , in English sometimes called "Brother John" or "Brother Peter", is a French nursery melody. The song is traditionally sung in a round. When the first singer reaches the end of the first line the next person starts at the beginning...
(commonly known as "Two Tigers" in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
)," was released on July 1, 1926.
打倒列強，打倒列強， 除軍閥，除軍閥； 努力國民革命，努力國民革命， 齊奮鬥，齊奮鬥。 工農學兵，工農學兵， 大聯合！大聯合！ 打倒帝國主義，打倒帝國主義， 齊奮鬥，齊奮鬥。 打倒列強， 打倒列強， 除軍閥 ， 除軍閥； 國民革命成功，國民革命成功， 齊歡唱，齊歡唱。 |
Overthrow the foreign Powers, × 2 Eliminate the warlord Warlord A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war... s; × 2 The citizens strive hard for the Revolution Xinhai Revolution The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China... , × 2 Joint affair to fight. × 2 Laborers, farmers, students, and soldiers, × 2 Make a great union! × 2 Overthrow the imperialism Imperialism Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,... , × 2 Joint affair to fight. × 2 Overthrow the foreign Powers, × 2 Eliminate the warlord Warlord A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war... s; × 2 The Revolution Xinhai Revolution The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China... is successful; ×2 Joyfully sing in unison. ×2 |
The InternationaleThe InternationaleThe Internationale is a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem.The Internationale became the anthem of international socialism, and gained particular fame under the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1944, when it was that communist state's de facto central anthem...
When the Chinese Soviet Republic was established in 1931, The InternationaleThe Internationale in Chinese
The Internationale in Chinese is literally the International Song. It has several different sets of lyrics.-Qu Qiubai's version:The most common and official Chinese version is the de facto anthem of the Communist Party of China. It was translated on 15 June 1923 from the Russian version by Qu...
was decided to be its national anthem, since it followed the ideals of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, especially the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.