March of the Volunteers Adopted as National Anthem
On 27 September 1949, the CPPCC adopted "March of the Volunteers" — composed by Nie Er with lyrics by Tian Han — as the provisional national anthem of the PRC. Originally written for a 1935 anti-Japanese resistance film, the anthem became a symbol of national sacrifice and struggle.
Origins
"March of the Volunteers" was composed in 1935 by Nie Er, with lyrics written by playwright Tian Han, for the patriotic film "Children of Troubled Times" (风云儿女). The song was written against the backdrop of Japanese aggression in Manchuria and called upon the Chinese people to resist invasion.
Nie Er died by drowning in Japan in July 1935, just months after completing the composition, at the age of 23. The song spread rapidly throughout China during the Second Sino-Japanese War and became one of the most widely sung patriotic songs of the era.
Adoption and Controversy
When the CPPCC debated a national anthem in September 1949, some delegates proposed writing a new song more explicitly celebrating Communist victory. The music critic and CPPCC delegate Ma Sicong argued successfully for retaining "March of the Volunteers", contending that a nation should not forget the struggle that brought it into being.
The anthem was adopted provisionally. Ironically, its lyricist Tian Han was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, and the anthem was effectively banned — replaced by quotations from Mao. It was restored in 1978 after Mao's death and formally enshrined in the constitution in 1982.
Narrative Comparison
| Source | Narrative |
|---|---|
| PRC Official Narrative | The March of the Volunteers is the spiritual crystallisation of the Chinese nation's heroic resistance at its most perilous hour, embodying the blood and sacrifice of countless patriots. The lyrics — 'The Chinese nation has reached its most dangerous moment' — were forged in the fires of the War of Resistance against Japan, yet they continue today to remind all Chinese people to remember history and remain vigilant. This song has endured for nearly a century because it gives voice to the indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation and its firm defence of national sovereignty. Choosing it as the national anthem is the finest tribute to the revolutionary martyrs and a spiritual banner inspiring the Chinese people to strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. |
| Republic of China / Taiwan Historical Assessment | The Republic of China has its own solemn and lawful national anthem; the March of the Volunteers is no more than a political symbol of the CPC party-state, and it in no way represents the will of all Chinese people. The deeper historical irony is that Tian Han, the song's lyricist, was persecuted to death in prison during the Cultural Revolution — a movement launched by the very regime that uses his song as its national anthem. A government that martyrs the artist who served it, while enshrining his work as a national symbol, has committed the most profound act of desecration against its own anthem. The government of the Republic of China has never recognised the March of the Volunteers as having any legal force in Taiwan. |
| Western Academic Assessment | Western scholars cite the persecution and death of Tian Han during the Cultural Revolution — while his anthem remained in use — as a paradigmatic case of the internal contradictions of PRC political campaigns. Scholars also note that the CPPCC's decision in 1949 to retain an anti-Japanese resistance song rather than commission a new Communist victory anthem reflects the continuation of the united-front strategy into the founding period: national identity was deliberately constructed around the shared memory of national resistance rather than party ideology. This choice mirrors the removal of the hammer and sickle from the Five-Star Red Flag design, and together both decisions reflect the new regime's strategic effort to distance its national symbols from a purely Soviet-style image. (Westad, 2003; Fairbank, 1992) |
Key Milestones
- March of the Volunteers Premieres with Film
The March of the Volunteers, composed by Nie Er with lyrics by Tian Han for the patriotic anti-Japanese film Children of Troubled Times (风云儿女), premiered in Shanghai. Written against the backdrop of the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, the song spread rapidly across China with its stirring melody and defiant lyrics. Nie Er died by drowning in Japan in July 1935, just months after completing the composition, aged 23.
- Adopted as Provisional National Anthem by the CPPCC
The CPPCC First Plenary Session adopted the March of the Volunteers as the provisional national anthem of the People's Republic of China. During debate, some delegates argued for a newly composed song celebrating Communist victory; musician Ma Sicong and others successfully contended that the nation should not forget the struggle that brought it into being. The designation "provisional" reflected the expectation that a permanent anthem would eventually be formally composed.
- Formally Enshrined in the Constitution as National Anthem
The Fifth Session of the Fifth National People's Congress formally adopted the March of the Volunteers as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, removing the "provisional" designation and enshrining it in the constitution. This came 33 years after its temporary adoption in 1949, a period that included its effective prohibition during the Cultural Revolution — when its lyricist Tian Han was persecuted — and its restoration in 1978. In 2017, the NPC Standing Committee enacted the National Anthem Law, providing specific legal protection for the anthem's use and performance.
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