The East Is Red
Encyclopedia
"The East Is Red" is a song
that was the de facto
anthem
of the People's Republic of China
during the Cultural Revolution
in the 1960s. The lyrics of the song were attributed to Li Youyuan, a farmer from northern Shaanxi
, and the melody was derived from a local folk song. He allegedly got his inspiration upon seeing the rising sun in the morning of a sunny day.
The song was played through PA systems in every city and village at dawn and at dusk. A broadcast show usually began with the song "The East Is Red", and ended with the song "The Internationale
". Students were obliged to sing the song in unison every morning at the very beginning of the first class of the day. During this period, Tian Han
, the author of the official anthem The March of the Volunteers, was imprisoned, and so that song was not used.
The tune was later merged into the famous Yellow River Piano Concerto in 1969 by Yin Chengzong
, and the concerto was based on the Yellow River Cantata
by Xian Xinghai
.
Because of its associations with the Cultural Revolution
, the song was rarely heard after the rise of Deng Xiaoping
in the late 1970s. Today in China the song is considered a somewhat unseemly reminder of the cult of personality
associated with Mao
and has largely been replaced by the "March of the Volunteers
", whose lyrics mention neither the Communist Party nor Mao. "The East is Red" is still commonly heard in recordings played by electronic cigarette lighters bearing Mao's face that are popular with tourists.
The tune of The East Is Red is played in chimes every daylight hour from the Customs House
clock tower on the Bund
in Shanghai
and from the Drum Tower
in Xi'an
. It is also heard at the top of every hour at the Beijing Railway Station
.
The original lyrics are from an old folk song from Shanxi about farming:
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
that was the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , 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...
during the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
in the 1960s. The lyrics of the song were attributed to Li Youyuan, a farmer from northern Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
, and the melody was derived from a local folk song. He allegedly got his inspiration upon seeing the rising sun in the morning of a sunny day.
The song was played through PA systems in every city and village at dawn and at dusk. A broadcast show usually began with the song "The East Is Red", and ended with the song "The Internationale
The Internationale
The 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...
". Students were obliged to sing the song in unison every morning at the very beginning of the first class of the day. During this period, Tian Han
Tian Han
Tian Han , born in Changsha, Hunan, was a Chinese drama activist, playwright, a leader of revolutionary music and films, as well as a translator and poet. Tian contributed a great deal to the development of Chinese modern drama as well as Chinese opera...
, the author of the official anthem The March of the Volunteers, was imprisoned, and so that song was not used.
The tune was later merged into the famous Yellow River Piano Concerto in 1969 by Yin Chengzong
Yin Chengzong
Yin Chengzong is a Chinese pianist and composer.-Biography:Born on the "Piano Island" of Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Fujian, in the People's Republic of China...
, and the concerto was based on the Yellow River Cantata
Yellow River Cantata
The Yellow River Cantata is a cantata by Chinese composer Xian Xinghai . Composed in Yan'an in early 1939 during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the work was inspired by a patriotic poem by Guang Weiran, which was also adapted as the lyrics...
by Xian Xinghai
Xian Xinghai
Xian Xinghai was one of the earliest generation of Chinese composers influenced by western classical music and has influenced generations of Chinese musicians...
.
Because of its associations with the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, the song was rarely heard after the rise of Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
in the late 1970s. Today in China the song is considered a somewhat unseemly reminder of the cult of personality
Cult of personality
A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are usually associated with dictatorships...
associated with Mao
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
and has largely been replaced by the "March of the Volunteers
March of the Volunteers
March 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...
", whose lyrics mention neither the Communist Party nor Mao. "The East is Red" is still commonly heard in recordings played by electronic cigarette lighters bearing Mao's face that are popular with tourists.
The tune of The East Is Red is played in chimes every daylight hour from the Customs House
Customs House, Shanghai
The Customs House is an eight storey building on the Bund, Shanghai. Built in 1927, the building remains a customs house today. Together with the neighbouring HSBC Building, the Customs House is seen as one of the symbols of the Bund and Shanghai.-History:The Shanghai Customs House was first set...
clock tower on the Bund
The Bund
The Bund is a waterfront area in central Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The area centres on a section of Zhongshan Road within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing Pudong, in the eastern part of Huangpu District...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and from the Drum Tower
Drum Tower of Xi'an
The Drum Tower of Xi'an , located in the heart of Xi'an in Shaanxi province of China, along with the Bell Tower it is a symbol of the city. Erected in 1380 during the early Ming Dynasty, it stands towering above the city center and offers incredible view of Xi'an.The Drum Tower got its name from...
in Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
. It is also heard at the top of every hour at the Beijing Railway Station
Beijing railway station
Beijing Railway Station is one of Beijing's railway stations, opened in the 1950s, as can be seen from its architecture . It is located in the city's central location, just next to Jianguomen, and is within the confines of the city's 2nd Ring Road...
.
Lyrics
| Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | English translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
东方红，太阳升， 中国出了个毛泽东。 他为人民谋幸福， 呼尔嗨哟，他是人民大救星！ 毛主席，爱人民， 他是我们的带路人， 为了建设新中国， 呼尔嗨哟，领导我们向前进！ 共产党，像太阳， 照到哪里哪里亮。 哪里有了共产党， 呼尔嗨哟，哪里人民得解放！ |
東方紅，太陽升。 中國出了個毛澤東。 他為人民謀幸福， 呼爾嗨喲，他是人民大救星！ 毛主席，愛人民， 他是我們的帶路人， 為了建設新中國， 呼爾嗨喲，領導我們向前進！ 共產黨，像太陽， 照到哪裡哪裡亮， 哪裡有了共產黨， 呼爾嗨喲，哪裡人民得解放！ |
Dōngfāng hóng, tàiyáng shēng, Zhōngguó chū liǎo ge Máo Zédōng, Tā wèi rénmín móu xìngfú, Hū'ěr-hei-yo, tā shì rénmín dà jiùxīng! (Repeat last two lines) Máo zhǔxí, ài rénmín, Tā shì wǒmén de dàilùrén Wèile jiànshè xīn Zhōngguó, Hū’ěr-hei-yo, lǐngdǎo wǒmén xiàng qiánjìn! (Repeat last two lines) Gòngchǎndǎng, xiàng tàiyáng, Zhàodào nǎlǐ nǎlǐ liàng, Nǎlǐ yǒu liǎo Gòngchǎndǎng, Hū‘ěr-hei-yo, nǎlǐ rénmín dé jiěfàng! (Repeat last two lines) |
The east is red, the sun rises. China has produced a Mao Zedong. He is a happiness for the people, Hurrah, He is the people's great savior! (Repeat last two lines) Chairman Mao loves the people. He is our guide In order to build a new China Hu'er Haiyo, led us to move forward! (Repeat last two lines) Communist Party, like the sun, Wherever it shines, it is bright. Where it shines bright, Where has the Communist Party, Hu'er Haiyo, where the people were liberated! (Repeat last two lines) |
The original lyrics are from an old folk song from Shanxi about farming:
Sesame oil, cabbage hearts,
Wanna eat string beans, break off the tips,
Get really lovesick if I don't see you for three days,
Hu-er-hai-yo,
Oh dear, Third Brother mine.