Wednesday, August 24, 2022

China's National Anthem: (中国国歌) Edwin Goh Remembers!

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I have asked this friend, a Historian and also a former director at RELC Singapore, to tell me why he loves the national anthem of China. He explains that it is only the music, lyrics and vitality of the song that he appreciates.


As a child, he used to live in the central area of Singapore and would be listening to it every day, five days a week. You know how a melody affects the listener when it is played repeatedly. It just sticks in the mind. He knows it as Qilai (起来) or 'rise up'. This story goes back to 1945 and he was about 7 years young.

              Anthem of China - 中国国歌 - Video: balancedaustralia

"Here's my story of my first encounter with what became China's National Anthem. It was the end of the Japanese Occupation in Singapore. I was barely five when the Chinese school on a hill above my attap and timber house would end the day with the Qi Lai song blaring from a loudspeaker. 

Not long after, the song was no more: it was banned by the British colonial government. But it lingered on in my memory over many years. 

Today thanks to the internet I can sing the whole song as a tribute to a people who have risen to great heights of achievement from the depths of imperialism, disunity and poverty."

An Original Post: Edwin Goh.


Pinyin:
Qilai! Buyuan zuo nuli de ren men, 
Ba women de xuerou zhucheng women xin de chang cheng. 

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! 


English:
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 with one mind, 
Brave the enemy's gunfire, 
March on! 
Brave the enemy's gun must roar his defiance. 

Arise! Arise! Arise! Millions of hearts ire, 
March on! 
March on! 
March on, on! 


Copyright: 
Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher.

Disclaimer:
The writer recalls a song he appreciates. There is no political agenda to this posting; peace is the key to a better world.

Source: 

https://www.lyricsondemand.com/n/nationalanthemlyrics/chinanationalanthemlyrics.html

Images: Google.
YouTube Video from balancedaustralia.

11 comments:

JC said...

I like the anthem too. The music expresses the emotions whipped up by the words of a people who had been bullied for too long and it's time to wake up and drive these bullies away.

Like George Yeo's father I too am drawn towards my ancestral homeland in my old age. The irony is I can't read and write Chinese.

JIMMY CHNG [DRUMMER - THE DECIBELS] said...

I don't remember listening to this anthem during my early childhood days. Very likely it was no longer played over the airwaves then?

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

No they don't, Jimmy.

The song wafted through the air from a Chinese school and since Edwin Goh used to live nearby, listens to it daily, as explained on the post.

Possibly a free 'broadcast'. Like YouTube without its moving images.

Thanks for the visit.

Cedric Collars said...

Guess music like anything else can be addictive and if heard long enough can blend with the mind. Glad it has no side effects like narcotics but therapeutic. Enjoy the feeling

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Cedric,

Thanks for the very learned comment. It is addictive but without the side effects of narcotics.

GS THE UNFORGETTABLE [YOU TUBE] said...

I lived in China, and I love China.... Love from a Sikh.

EDDY ENG said...

A well written piece by Edwin Goh. The Chinese anthem is an impassioned plea, a clarion call to rise up and defend the nation.

Our generation has sung 3 anthems: 1] God Save The Queen 2] Negara-ku. 3] Majulah Singapore.

[This comment has been edited.]

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks Eddy for your comment that meaningfully explains the lyrics.

Danielle said...

Wow! I didn't know China's national anthem was once sung in Singapore, it's truly a song of courage, empowerment and unity. Really love what Eddy shared above as well about how so many different anthems have been sung in Singapore, our history is so diverse!

Anonymous said...

According to author Chan Kwee Sung, senior citizens, who have lived through the days of the British, "the fearful Japanese" and the Malay peninsula, "can modestly claim to vocalise five, or maybe six anthems (page 130)."

These songs would include:

1. God Save The King,
2. Kimigayo,
3. God Save The Queen, and
4. Negara Ku.
5. San Min Zhu Yi, Nationalist China's anthem was sung during colonial days by Chinese students.

The Indians had their own anthem in Hindi spurred on by their "patriotic fervour" of Indian nationalism. (As a child I learnt the two British National Anthem, the Malayan one and remember a little of San Min Zhu Yi.)

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-many-national-anthems-did-singapore.html
[copy link and paste.]

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

The above was taken from this blog post.