National Anthem of the Republic of China

The "National Anthem of the Republic of China" is the national anthem of the Republic of China (ROC), commonly known as Taiwan. It was originally adopted in 1928 by the ROC as its national anthem and was used as such in mainland China until 1949, after which the central government of the Republic of China relocated to Taiwan. It replaced the "Song to the Auspicious Cloud", which had been used as the Chinese national anthem before. In mainland China, this national anthem serves a historical role, as the current national anthem of the People's Republic of China is the "March of the Volunteers". The national anthem was also adopted in Taiwan on 25 October 1945 after the surrender of Japan.

Not to be confused with National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China or March of the Volunteers.
中華民國國歌
Zhōnghuá Mínguó guógē
National Anthem of the Republic of China
Sheet music
National anthem of the  Republic of China
LyricsSun Yat-sen, 1924[note 1]
MusicCheng Maoyun, 1928
Adopted1928
Audio sample
Instrumental version of the National Anthem of the Republic of China
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Historical Chinese anthems
 "Cup of Solid Gold"1911–1912
 "Song of Five Races Under One Union"1912–1913
 "Song to the Auspicious Cloud"1913–1915
 "China Heroically Stands in the Universe"1915–1921
 "Song to the Auspicious Cloud"1921–1928
 "Three Principles of the People"1928–present
 "March of the Volunteers" 1949–present

The national anthem's words are adapted from a 1924 speech by Sun Yat-sen, via the partisan anthem of the Kuomintang (KMT) in 1937. The lyrics relate to how the vision and hopes of a new nation and its people can be achieved and maintained.[1] Informally, the song is sometimes known as San Min Chu-i from its opening line which references the Three Principles of the People (Sanmin Zhuyi), but this name is never used in formal or official occasions.

History

The text of was the collaboration between several Kuomintang (KMT) party members: Hu Hanmin, Tai Chi-tao, Liao Zhongkai, and Shao Yuanchong. The text debuted on 16 July 1924, as the opening of a speech by Sun Yat-sen at the opening ceremony of the Whampoa Military Academy. After the success of the Northern Expedition, the Kuomintang party chose the text to be its party anthem and publicly solicited for accompanying music. Cheng Maoyun won in a contest of 139 participants.[2]

On 24 March 1930, numerous Kuomintang party members proposed to use the speech by Sun as the lyrics to the national anthem. At the time, the national anthem of the republic was the "Song to the Auspicious Cloud". Due to opposition over using a symbol of a political party to represent the entire nation, the National Anthem Editing and Research Committee (國歌編製研究委員會) was set up, which endorsed the KMT party song. On 3 June 1937, the Central Standing Committee (中央常務委員會) approved the proposal, and in the 1940s, the song formally became the official national anthem of the Republic of China. For many Taiwanese the anthem carries a number of meanings, often conflicting. Some Taiwanese reject the anthem outright as an anachronistic symbol of the vanquished KMT dictatorship.[2]

Tune

Lyrics
National Anthem of the Republic of China
The original Whampoa Military Academy speech in Sun's handwriting.
Traditional Chinese中華民國國歌
Simplified Chinese中华民国国歌
Hanyu PinyinZhōnghuá Mínguó guógē
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese三民主義
Simplified Chinese三民主义
Hanyu PinyinSānmín Zhǔyì
Literal meaningThree Principles of the People
Traditional Chinese
(with Bopomofo)		Simplified Chinese
(with Hanyu Pinyin)

三（ㄙㄢ）民（ㄇㄧㄣˊ）主（ㄓㄨˇ）義（ㄧˋ），吾（ㄨˊ）黨（ㄉㄤˇ）所（ㄙㄨㄛˇ）宗（ㄗㄨㄥ）；
以（ㄧˇ）建（ㄐㄧㄢˋ）民（ㄇㄧㄣˊ）國（ㄍㄨㄛˊ），以（ㄧˇ）進（ㄐㄧㄣˋ）大（ㄉㄚˋ）同（ㄊㄨㄥˊ）。
咨（ㄗ）爾（ㄦˇ）多（ㄉㄨㄛ）士（ㄕˋ），為（ㄨㄟˋ）民（ㄇㄧㄣˊ）前（ㄑㄧㄢˊ）鋒（ㄈㄥ）；
夙（ㄙㄨˋ）夜（ㄧㄝˋ）匪（ㄈㄟˇ）懈（ㄒㄧㄝˋ），主（ㄓㄨˇ）義（ㄧˋ）是（ㄕˋ）從（ㄘㄨㄥˊ）。
矢（ㄕˇ）勤（ㄑㄧㄣˊ）矢（ㄕˇ）勇（ㄩㄥˇ），必（ㄅㄧˋ）信（ㄒㄧㄣˋ）必（ㄅㄧˋ）忠（ㄓㄨㄥ）；
一（ㄧˋ）心（ㄒㄧㄣ）一（ㄧˋ）德（ㄉㄜˊ），貫（ㄍㄨㄢˋ）徹（ㄔㄜˋ）始（ㄕˇ）終（ㄓㄨㄥ）。

三民(Sānmín)主义(zhǔyì)，吾(wú)党(dǎng)所(suǒ)宗(zōng)；
以(Yǐ)建(jiàn)民国(Mínguó)，以(yǐ)进(jìn)大同(dàtóng)。
咨(Zī)尔(ěr)多士(duōshì)，为(wèi)民(mín)前锋(qiánfēng)；
夙夜(Sùyè)匪(fěi)懈(xiè)，主义(zhǔyì)是(shì)从(cóng)。
矢(Shǐ)勤(qín)矢(shǐ)勇(yǒng)，必(bì)信(xìn)必(bì)忠(zhōng)；
一(Yì)心(xīn)一(yì)德(dé)，贯彻(guànchè)始(shǐ)终(zhōng)。

The lyrics are in classical literary Chinese. For example:

  • ěr (爾) is a literary equivalent of both singular and plural "you" (which are differentiated in modern Chinese) depending on the context. In this case, it is plural "you".
  • fěi (匪) is a classical synonym of "not" (非 fēi).
  • zī (咨) is a classical, archaic interjection, and is not used in this sense in the modern vernacular language.

In this respect, the national anthem of the Republic of China stands in contrast to the People's Republic of China's "March of the Volunteers", which was written a few years later entirely in modern vernacular Chinese.

As well as being written in classical Chinese, the national anthem follows classical poetic conventions. The ancient Fu style follows that of a four-character poem, where the last character of each line rhymes in -ong or -eng, which are equivalent.

Phonetic transcription (IPA)
[sán.mǐn t͡ʂù.î ǔ tàŋ swɔ̀ t͡sʊ́ŋ]
[ì t͡ɕjɛ̂n mǐn.kwɔ̌ ì t͡ɕîn tâ.tʰʊ̌ŋ]
[t͡sɹ̩́ àɚ twɔ́.ʂɻ̩̂ wɛ̂i mǐn t͡ɕʰjɛ̌n.fɤ́ŋ]
[sû.jɛ̂ fɛ̀i ɕjɛ̂ t͡ʂù.î ʂɻ̩̂ t͡sʰʊ̌ŋ]
[ʂɻ̩̀ t͡ɕʰǐn ʂɻ̩̀ jʊ̀ŋ pî ɕîn pî t͡ʂʊ́ŋ]
[î ɕín î tɤ̌ kwân.t͡ʂʰɤ̂ ʂɻ̩̀ t͡ʂʊ́ŋ]

English translations

The official translation by Du Tingxiu (Theodore B. Tu)[3] appears in English-language guides to the ROC published by the government.

OfficialLiteral
San Min Chu-i,

Our aim shall be:
To found a free land,
World peace, be our stand.
Lead on, comrades,
Vanguards ye are.
Hold fast your aim,
By sun and star.
Be earnest and brave,
Your country to save,
One heart, one soul,
One mind, one goal...

 Three Principles of the People,

The foundation of our party.
Using [this], [we] establish the Republic;
Using [this], [we] advance into a state of total peace.
Oh, you, righteous men,
For the people, [be] the vanguard.
Without resting day or night,
Follow the Principles.
Swear [to be] diligent; swear [to be] courageous.
Obliged to be trustworthy; obliged to be loyal.
[With] one heart and one virtue,
[We] carry through until the very end...

Transcription in other Chinese languages
Cantonese YalePe̍h-ōe-jī

Sāam màhn jyú yih, ngh dóng só jūng,
Yíh gin màhn gwok, yíh jeun daaih duhng,
Jī yíh dō sih, wàih màhn chìhn fūng,
Sūk yeh féi gaai, jyú yih haih chùhng,
Chí kàhn chí yúhng, bīt seun bīt jūng,
Yāt sām yāt dāk, gun chit chí jūng!

Sam bîn chú gī, ngô͘ tóng só͘ chong,
Í kiàn Bîn-kok, í chìn tāi tông,
Chu ní to sū, ûi bîn chiân hong,
Siok iā húi hāi, chú gī sī chiông,
Sí khîn sí ióng, pit sìn pit tiong,
i̍t sim i̍t tek, koàn thiat sí tiong!

Notes
  1. Adapted from a speech.
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References
  1. "National anthem". english.president.gov.tw. Office of the President. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  2. Guy, Nancy (Winter 2002). ""Republic of China National Anthem" on Taiwan: One Anthem, One Performance, Multiple Realities". Ethnomusicology. 6 (1): 96-119. JSTOR 852809.
  3. Cassel, Susie Lan (2002). The Chinese in America: A History from Gold Mountain to the New Millennium. Rowman Altamira. p. 279. ISBN 9780759100015. Retrieved 30 August 2016.

Further reading
  • Reed W. L. and Bristow M. J. (eds.) (2002) "National Anthems of the World", 10 ed., London
  • Cassell, p. 526. ISBN 0-304-36382-0
Preceded by
Song to the Auspicious Cloud
(1913–1928)		 Three Principles of the People
1943–present
(1943–1949 in the Mainland)		 Succeeded by
March of the Volunteers
(1949–1966 and 1976–today), in the Mainland
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