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China's Anthem
You'd think if a country were going to choose a song for itself, the song would reflect its best traits. Venezuela's would be about beautiful women and pristine beaches, Switzerland's about its chocolate and cuckoo clocks. If a nation wishes to advertise its fighting prowess, decorum would dictate following America and England's lead, with allusions to flags still waving and making mightier yet.
In the East, countries display a lyrical schizophrenia, giving voice to a side otherwise seldom advertised. The trend seems to be historical. The Qing Dynasty, for example, was founded by a semi-nomadic race of mounted toughs who rode roughshod over the remains of the Ming Empire. To judge by their anthem, though, their reason for doing so was to establish a loafer's paradise, a realm of gold and giggles threatened only by the ocean.
Cup of Solid Gold
Solidify our golden empire,
Underneath the aegis of heaven,
All of civilization will cease to toil,
United in happiness and mirth,
As long as the Qing rules.
Our empire is emblazoned by light,
And our boundaries are vast and preserved.
The expanse stretches infinitely,
The sea brims with turbulence.
The party had to end sometime. The last years of the Qing, and the subsequent era of internal strife almost left China a giant roast duck, sliced up by Germany, England, and other colonial powers. Still, in these times of post-Panda diplomacy and much ado about global prosperity, the words to the PRC's anthem seem a tad inappropriate, outside of a Metallica reunion concert.
March of Volunteers
Arise,
Ye who refuse to be slaves!
With our very flesh and blood,
Let us build our new Great Wall!
The peoples of China are in the most critical time,
Everybody must roar his defiance.
Arise!
Arise!
Arise!
Millions of hearts with one mind,
Brave the enemy's gunfire, March on!
Brave the enemy's gunfire, March on!
March on!
March on!
"March on and on and awwwwwwn, YEAH!!" You can almost hear the screeching electric guitar and double bass drum. No better tune to hail the fierce victory of that fifty-kilo hero who wins China the gold medal for badminton. Foreigners attending the Olympic Games, or for that matter, any foreigners wishing to impress potential Chinese friends, would do well to memorize the song in Putonghua. [Those annoying ‘3's signify third tone.]
Qi3lái! Búyuàn zuò núlì de rénmen!
Ba3 wo3men de xuèròu zhùchéng wo3men xīn de chángchéng!
Zhōnghuá Mínzú dào liao3 zùi wēixiǎn de shíhòu,
Měigerén bèipò zhe fāchū zùihòu de hou3shēng.
Qi3lái! Qi3lái! Qi3lái!
Wǒmen wànzhòngyīxīn,
Mào zhe dírén de pàohuo3, Qiánjìn!
Mào zhe dírén de pàohuo3, Qiánjìn!
Qiánjìn! Qiánjìn! Jìn!
Here's a midi-file so you can sing in time.
Again, the point is that China's current political reality has little if nothing to do with rebuilding walls and marching into enemy gunfire. Now Japan's early 20th century foreign policy was a tad more, shall we say aggressive than China's, and its record since WWII one of enviable economic will to power. Yet their anthem, at first listen, suggests a people with a curious predilection for boulders and lichen.
Kimigayo
May thy peaceful reign last long!
May it last for thousands of years,
Until this tiny stone will grow into a massive rock
And the moss will cover it all deep and thick.
Kimigayo, although terse as a haiku, leaves the listener with a stony metaphor fit for a graduate course in comparative lit [ "I think, like, the moss symbolizes the Japanese nostalgia for an age of peace and tranquility, kinda like Tom Jones' Green Green Grass of Home?"] There is nothing in it to stir up a Divine Wind, or enslaving the minds of two generations with a gaming console.
Nowadays, though, Vietnam is rapidly trending up as the go-to country for expats seeking high profit margins and grateful employees. A pervasive grumble among Sino-pundits warns that China waxes nationalistic, biting the Western hand that trades at a deficit. Those hauling stakes for Ho Chi Minh would do well to heed the anthem of their greener, rainier pasture.
Soldiers of Vietnam, we go forward,
With the one will to save our Fatherland,
Our hurried steps are sounding on the long and arduous road.
Our flag, red with the blood of victory, bears the spirit of our country.
The distant rumbling of the guns passes over the bodies of our foes.
Overcoming all hardships, together we build our resistance bases.
Ceaselessly for the people's cause let us struggle,
Let us hasten to the battle-field!
Forward! All together advancing!
Our Vietnam is strong, eternal.
Soldiers of Vietnam, we go forward!
The gold star of our flag in the wind
Leading our people, our native land, out of misery and suffering.
Let us join our efforts in the fight for the building of a new life.
Let us stand up and break our chains
For too long have we swallowed our hatred.
Let us keep ready for all sacrifices and our life will be radiant.
Ceaselessly for the people's cause let us struggle,
Let us hasten to the battle-field!
Forward! All together advancing!
Our Vietnam is strong, eternal.
Chains, blood, hatred? Let us hope that Vietnam's anthem, like China's, is merely a remnant of ancient 20th century history, sung proudly but fancifully, like Virginians playing at Civil War re-enactment. With the Vietnamese now building casinos rather than resistance bases, the near future looks decidedly non-martial.
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Comments
I don't think that I will
I don't think that I will bother learning this one. I am still struggling with Iceland's anthem which I need to sing at concert on Tuesday.
The Fat Lady beat you to it.
I hear Russia's already bought Iceland and plans to turn it into a caviar-chilling facility. Good luck at the concert.
I hear Russia's already
I hear Russia's already bought Iceland and plans to turn it into a caviar-chilling facility. Good luck at the concert.
I don't think that I will
I don't think that I will bother learning this one. I am still struggling with Iceland's anthem which I need to sing at concert on Tuesday.
Well, china is really
Well, china is really emerging to be the next destination for expat. If Vietnam is starting to rebuild the country and build casino it is okay, because it will create job and tourism.
Regards, Jenny, golf camps
You have given short and
You have given short and sweet info here, however, I love Japanese one, because, there are just 4 lines, however, this posts help me to knw more about China, that is great,
That's what we're here for,
That's what we're here for, Samsung. Thanks for reading.
Hello, I can’t understand
Hello, I can’t understand how to add your blog in my rss reader.
sears parts
Hang on, Sears
Clicking the RSS feed on our home page should do it. We'll talk to tech just in case.
China's Anthem
You have give very good information about china and anthem. Nobody knows china's anthem, but the way you have describe is awesome and very well understand.china is really emerging to be the next destination for expat.
Florida Gulf Coast
Thanks a million, FGC.
Thanks a million, FGC.
Well, I guess all national
Well, I guess all national anthem are made to boost the pride of a people to their beloved country. People are willing to die and sacrifice to keep it safe. Cheers, Imesh, t-shirt printing
Nice post. I like your blog
Nice post. I like your blog very much.
Very good info!
This is a very good information on China and its culture and this post also give an in-depth meaning of the Chinese anthem which I was not aware of previously.
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I love China when I went
I love China when I went there, it had some really great virtues and nature was wonderful.
I loved it as well, my mom
I loved it as well, my mom went there, but when she came back, he had a lot of mosquito bites. How to Make Money Online
The March of the Volunteers
The March of the Volunteers was composed by Nie Er and Tian Han in 1932. On March 14th, 2004, March of the Volunteers was selected to be the National Anthem of China formally by the Second Plenary Session of 10th NPC.
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I have to remember the
I have to remember the phrase "lyrical schizophrenia". Is there anyway I could use it in real life xD?
Nonetheless, you are right. China's anthem is quite lyrically schizophrenic.
Glad you like the phrase. I
Glad you like the phrase. I believe you could use it in reference to most of Ozzy Osbourne's work.
I hear Vietnam is going to
I hear Vietnam is going to become the next Las Vegas. Is that true?
Actually, it's the other way
Actually, it's the other way around.
It is indeed a great
It is indeed a great resource to obtain information on this subject. Keep posting. Thanks.
Anthem with Staff note
There is a staff notation in the picture. I was surprised being the picture seems very old, how Chinese have already known about the note staff while other countries in Asian musician does not know how to read staff notation. Chinese anthem with staff notation is a big wonder for me.
history of national Anthem
This song was composed by Nieh Erh in 1932, one year after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and was dedicated to the volunteers who rose to defend the nation long before Japan formally declared war on China. TT0-201 braindumps In 1934 Nieh Erh went to continue his musical studies in Japan, where he was murdered. He was 24 years old at the time of his death. His song was later adopted as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China. The lyrics are by Tian Han.
Very good info!
This is a very good information on China and its culture and this post also give an in-depth meaning of the Chinese anthem which I was not aware of previously.
Venezuela
I kinda don't understand why Venezuela would be about beautiful women. Perhaps, they have many women who won Miss Universe.
You got it, Piggy, you got
You got it, Piggy, you got it.
I think one national anthem
I think one national anthem is just as bad as the other and something that more often than not needs to be modernised.
China's anthem is just as
China's anthem is just as beautiful as the country itself.No change or modernization is needed.It's perfectly alright and we love to hear the way it is.
Quite a few interesting
Quite a few interesting comments on China's national anthem. I am laughing at the Vietnam/Las Vegas reference!
The March of the Volunteers
The March of the Volunteers was composed by Nie Er and Tian Han in 1932. On March 14th, 2004, March of the Volunteers was selected to be the National Anthem of China formally by the Second Plenary Session of 10th NPC.
Do you love it?
Do you love it?
China's anthem is just as
China's anthem is just as beautiful as the country itself.No change or modernization is needed.It's perfectly alright and we love to hear the way it is.
I think one national anthem
I think one national anthem is just as bad as the other and something that more often than not needs to be modernised.
Well, I guess all national
Well, I guess all national anthem are made to boost the pride of a people to their beloved country.
I kinda don't understand why
I kinda don't understand why Venezuela would be about beautiful women. Perhaps, they have many women who won Miss Universe.
There is a staff notation in
There is a staff notation in the picture. I was surprised being the picture seems very old, how Chinese have already known about the note staff while other countries in Asian musician does not know how to read staff notation.
This is a very good
This is a very good information on China and its culture and this post also give an in-depth meaning of the Chinese anthem which I was not aware of previously.
Well, I guess all national
Well, I guess all national anthem are made to boost the pride of a people to their beloved country.
Freedom
For any country fight for freedom their historical fights, national anthem etc are the topics that are mostly noticed and loved by the people of that country.
I think one national anthem
I think one national anthem is just as bad as the other and something that more often than not needs to be modernised.
Nice post
very nice poem
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