China's National Anthem "March of the Volunteers" and Its International Appeal

    A brief background story  of the Chinese National Anthem - "March of the Volunteers"  and its significance and ramifications internationally. 

Background story: Resistance against Japan invasion in the late 1920s  and 1930s and up to mid 1945.

Since the Opium Wars in the 1830s to 1860s China had been reduced to a semi-colonial status under the European powers, America and Japan. After the untimely death of President Sun Yat Sen in 1925, China was plunged into a chaotic state of warlordism where the generals of the last Ching Dynasty took power as warlords in control of many Chinese provinces. During this chaotic period as there was no Central Government Japanese militarists took advantage of the situation to occupy Manchuria in the late 1920s . And on September 18, 1931 Japan engineered the Mukden incident to provide as an excuse for it to take official full control of Manchuria. It  contrived the fake state of Manchukuo with Pu Yi as the nominal emperor but with Japan in full control of the government. Local patriotic Chinese went underground to organize resistance against the Japanese occupation of Manchuria. The Mukden Incident of September 18, 1931 is generally viewed as the date in which Japan sowed the seeds of World War II.

Having taken full control of Manchuria illegally the Japanese now planned a full scale invasion of China. In July 1937, Japan engineered the Marco Polo Bridge incident to provide an excuse for it to invade China. China had to face the Japanese invasion alone as all the Western powers including America had no desire to let China to consolidate as a strong united country which they viewed in long term as contrary and anathema to their interests. 

During this Japanese invasion of China from the late 1920s to 1945 China had to face the mighty Japanese military machine alone. Chiang Kai Shek of the Kuomintang Party put up only minimal resistance as he was more intent to fight and crush the communist armies of Mao Tse-Tung. The Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Tse-Tung started guerrilla warfare against the mighty Japanese armies. Local patriotic Chinese citizens spontaneously organized resistance brigades to fight the Japanese. They fought together with the communist armies of Mao Tse-Tung. They gave hell to the Japanese armies. 

These local militias or volunteers fought bravely, gallantly and stoically against the mighty Japanese army. Two of the patriotic volunteers were Tian Han and Nieh Er. It was Tian Han who wrote the lyrics of the Chinese National Anthem "March of the Volunteers" and Nieh Er who  composed the music score..Both Tian Han and Nieh Er came from a line of great family music scholars. Beside the National Anthem they had also written and composed quite a lot of other patriotic songs and music to encourage and spur the spirit of the great anti-Japanese resistance fighters.

As the first line of the "March of the Volunteers" indicate that all who refuse to be born slaves must rise up to fight and overthrow all imperialists both Western and Japanese imperialists. The March of the Volunteers and the 'Red Star' over China was a beacon or symbol for the liberalisation of the countries all over the world in Asia, Africa and Latin America from the enslavement by brutal unconscionable Western imperialists which is now championed and led by the evil United States.

The CPC or Communist Party of China is not only the saving star of China. It was and will be the saving star of all countries under the yoke of Western imperialism and colonialism in the last 500 years. The free world especially the countries of the south must be wary of the diabolical United States which has never care to hide its sinister intention to enslave all countries in the world under white and Anglo-Saxons people's toxic total control and hegemony. It is good that countries of the south have taken a leaf from China and learn how to boot out the Western imperialists especially the United States from their countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

The lyrics of the Chinese national anthem in English

Arise! Ye who refuse to be born slave!
With our very flesh and blood, let us build our new Great Wall.
China's masses have met, the day of danger                                                                                                  Indignation fills the heart of all our countrymen                                                                                            Arise! Arise! Arise!                                                                                                                                        Many hearts and one mind, brave the enemies' gunfire!                                                                               March on! Brave the enemies' gunfire!                                                                                                           March on! March on! on!

The lyrics of the Chinese national anthem in Hanyu Pinyin and Mandarin or Putong Hua

Qilai! Buyuan zuo nuli de renmen,
Ba women de xuerou zhucheng women xin de changcheng.
Zhonghua Minzu dao liao zui weixian de shihou,
Meigeren beipo zhe fachu zuihou de housheng.
Qilai! Qilai! Qilai!
Women wanzhong yixin,
Mao zhe diren de paohuo,
Qianjin!
Mao zhe diren de paohuo,
Qianjin! Qianjin! Qianjin! Jin!

起来！不愿做奴隶的人们！
把我们的血肉，筑成我们新的长城!
中华民族到了最危险的时候，
每个人被迫着发出最后的吼声。
起来！起来！起来！
我们万众一心，
冒着敌人的炮火，前进
冒着敌人的炮火，前进!
前进！前进！进!

The lyrics was written by Tian Han and the Music was composed by Nieh Er.  

The patriot song "March of the Volunteers" evolve from fierce stoic resistance against Japanese aggression and invasion. Out of the hundreds of patriotic songs the March of the Volunteers was chosen as the National Anthem because it encapsulates the great fighting spirit of the Chinese people and their determination and sacrifice  for national liberation and its emphasis on values such as courage, resolution and unity in the face of foreign aggression.   Also the song with its martial military music fits in naturally with the resolve and great fervour of the people's revolutionary spirit and therefore  has great patriotic appeal. 

                                   The symbolism of the Chinese national flag :-                                                            It has five stars. The large star stands for the Chinese Communist Party and its leading role in guidinng the nation. The four smaller stars represent the four social classes united in the coalition supporting the party - the peoletariat, the peasants, the petty bourgeoisie and the patriotic capitalists.

Also the large star can similarly stand for  China and the four smaller stars stand for the country's many national minorities. 

Another very famous and popular patriotic song is "Ode to the Motherland"  -  Ge Chang Zu Guo .           Ode to the Motherland is sung in praise of the Motherland. The words and story in the song depicts the beauty of the vast expanse of the Motherland and the undaunting spirit of the people in striving for a better and a more prosperous people  and country under the great guidance of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. The lyrics and music of the song was composed by Wang Shen 1918 - 2007,   a native of Jiangsu province.

The Ode to the Motherland was officially published on September 15, 1951. The song is very popular and has been honoured as the Second National Anthem of the country.

Though both The March of the Volunteers and The Ode to the Motherland are great patriotic songs with strong appeal there is still a contrast in mood and feeling. The March of the Volunteers is more solemn and martial in spirit and tone as it was written in war time in the struggle for survival whereas the Ode to the Motherland has a more melodious tone and a lighter spirit as it was written after the war with the victory of the country against foreign aggression. However, both songs have great patriotic appeal and are great treasures of the Chinese people and nation.

Southernglory1

Wednesday, 4th October,2023