View source for National Anthem of the Republic of China

{{Short description|none}}
{{Distinguish|National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China}}
{{For|the national anthem of People's Republic of China|March of the Volunteers}}
{{Expand Chinese|topic=gov|date=January 2022}}

{{Infobox anthem
| title         = {{lang|zh-tw|中華民國國歌}}
| transcription = 
| english_title = National Anthem of the Republic of China
| image         = National anthem of ROC score.gif{{!}}border
| caption       = Sheet music
| country       = the [[Republic of China]]<hr />Party anthem of the [[Kuomintang]]
| author        = [[Sun Yat-sen]]
| lyrics_date   = 1924{{NoteTag|Adapted from a speech.}}
| composer      = [[Cheng Maoyun]]
| music_date    = 1928
| adopted       = 1930 (in Mainland China)<br />1945 (in Taiwan)
| until         = 1949 (in Mainland China)
| sound         = National anthem of the Republic of China (Taiwan) 中華民國國歌(演奏版).ogg
| sound_title   = Instrumental version of the National Anthem of the Republic of China
}}

{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = ROCanthemBySunYatSen.jpg
| picsize = 180
| piccap = The original [[Whampoa Military Academy]] speech in Sun's handwriting.
| title = National Anthem of the Republic of China
| t = 中華民國國歌
| s = 中华民国国歌
| p = Zhōnghuá Mínguó guógē
| tp = Jhong-huá Mín-guó guó-ge
| w = {{tone superscript|Chung1-hua2 Min2-kuo2 kuo2-ko1}}
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|ong|1|.|h|ua|2|-|m|in|2|.|g|uo|2|-|g|uo|2|.|g|e|1}}
| y = Jūng'wà Màn'gwok Gwokgō
| j = zung1 waa4 man4 gwok3 gwok3 go1
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|z|ung|1|-|w|aa|4|-|m|an|4|-|gw|ok|3|-|gw|ok|3|-|g|o|1}}
| myr = Jūnghwá Mín'gwó gwógē
| poj = Tiong-hôa-bîn-kok Kok-koa
| bpmf = ㄓㄨㄥ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄏㄨㄚˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄇㄧㄣˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄍㄨㄛˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄍㄨㄛˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄍㄜ
| xej = ﺟْﻮ  ﺧُﻮَ  مٍ  ﻗُﻮَع  ﻗُﻮَع  قْ
| altname = Three Principles of the People
| t2 = 三民主義歌
| s2 = 三民主义歌
| p2 = Sānmín Zhǔyì Gē
| tp2 = San-mín Jhǔ-yì
| w2 = {{tone superscript|San1-min2 Chu3-i4 Ge1}}
| mi2 = {{IPAc-cmn|s|an|1|.|m|in|2|-|zh|u|3|.|yi|4}}
| bpmf2 = ㄙㄢ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄇㄧㄣˊ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄓㄨˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄧˋ
| l2 = Three Principles of the People
| showflag = p
| c = 
| ci2 = {{IPAc-yue|s|aam|1|-|m|an|4|-|z|yu|2|-|j|i|6}}
| j2 = saam1 man4 zyu2 ji6 go1
| phfs = Chûng-fà Mìn-koet koet-kô
| poj2 = Sam-bîn Chú-gī
}}

{{National anthems of China}}

The "'''National Anthem of the Republic of China'''", also known by its [[incipit]] "'''Three Principles of the People'''", is the [[national anthem]] of the [[Republic of China]], commonly called Taiwan, as well as the party anthem of the [[Kuomintang]]. It was adopted in 1930 as the national anthem and was used as such in both [[mainland China]] and [[Taiwan]] until 1949, when the Republic of China central government [[retreat of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan|relocated to Taiwan]] following its defeat by the [[Chinese Communist Party]] in the [[Chinese Civil War]]. It replaced the "[[Song to the Auspicious Cloud]]", which had been used as the Chinese national anthem before. The national anthem was adopted in Taiwan on October 25, 1945 after the [[surrender of Imperial Japan]]. Mainland China, being governed by the [[China|People's Republic of China]] today, discontinued this national anthem for "[[March of the Volunteers]]".

The national anthem's words are adapted from a 1924 speech by [[Sun Yat-sen]] in 1927. The lyrics relate to how the vision and hopes of a new nation and its people can be achieved and maintained.<ref>{{cite web |title = National anthem |url = https://english.president.gov.tw/Page/97 |website = english.president.gov.tw |publisher=Office of the President |access-date=15 January 2020 }}</ref> Informally, the song is sometimes known as "'''San Min Chu-i'''" from its opening line, which references the [[Three Principles of the People]] ({{Lang-zh|t=三民主義|p=sānmín zhǔyì|w=san1-min2 chu3-i4|labels=no}}), but this name is never used on formal or official occasions. During flag-raising ceremonies, the national anthem is played at the start prior to flag-raising followed by the [[National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China]] during actual flag-raising.

== History ==

The text was a collaboration between several [[Kuomintang]] (KMT) party members: [[Hu Hanmin]], [[Tai Chi-tao]], [[Liao Zhongkai]], and [[Shao Yuanchong]]. The text debuted on 16 June 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.<ref name="Guy 2002" /> 
[[File:National-Anthem-of-the-Republic-of-China-1942-recording.ogg|thumb|Vocal version of the National Anthem of the Republic of China, c.1942]]
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 ({{lang|zh-tw|國歌編製研究委員會}}) was set up, which endorsed the KMT party song. On 3 June 1937, the [[Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Kuomintang|Central Standing Committee]] 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 [[History of the Republic of China#Authoritarian era (1949–1991)|KMT dictatorship]].<ref name="Guy 2002" >{{cite journal |last1=Guy |first1=Nancy |title="Republic of China National Anthem" on Taiwan: One Anthem, One Performance, Multiple Realities |journal=Ethnomusicology |date=Winter 2002 |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=96–119 |doi=10.2307/852809 |jstor=852809}}</ref>

== Tune ==
<score sound="1">
  \relative c' {
    \key c \major \time 4/4
    \partial 4 c\mf
     c2. e4 e2. g4 g2. e4 d2. e4 c'2. a8( g) \bar "|" \break
     a2. e4 a2. g8( fis) g2.\fermata g4-.\p( f-. a-. g-. c-.)( b-. d-. c-.) a( \bar "|" \break
     a c a g e d c) g'\mf g2. a8( g) g2. c4 c2. a8( g) \bar "|" \break
     g2. g4\ff e'2. d8.( e16) d2. g,4 d'2. d8.( e16) c2. \bar "|."}
</score>

== Lyrics ==

{| cellpadding="10"
![[Traditional Chinese characters|Traditional Chinese]]<br />(with [[Bopomofo]])
![[Simplified Chinese characters|Simplified Chinese]]<br />(with [[Hanyu Pinyin]])
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] transcription{{efn|See [[Help:IPA/Mandarin]] and [[Standard Chinese phonology]].}}
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem lang="zh-tw" style="font-size:125%">
{{ruby-zh-b|三|ㄙㄢ}}{{ruby-zh-b|民|ㄇㄧㄣˊ}}{{ruby-zh-b|主|ㄓㄨˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|義|ㄧˋ}}，{{ruby-zh-b|吾|ㄨˊ}}{{ruby-zh-b|黨|ㄉㄤˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|所|ㄙㄨㄛˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|宗|ㄗㄨㄥ}}；
{{ruby-zh-b|以|ㄧˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|建|ㄐㄧㄢˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|民|ㄇㄧㄣˊ}}{{ruby-zh-b|國|ㄍㄨㄛˊ}}，{{ruby-zh-b|以|ㄧˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|進|ㄐㄧㄣˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|大|ㄉㄚˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|同|ㄊㄨㄥˊ}}。
{{ruby-zh-b|咨|ㄗ}}{{ruby-zh-b|爾|ㄦˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|多|ㄉㄨㄛ}}{{ruby-zh-b|士|ㄕˋ}}，{{ruby-zh-b|為|ㄨㄟˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|民|ㄇㄧㄣˊ}}{{ruby-zh-b|前|ㄑㄧㄢˊ}}{{ruby-zh-b|鋒|ㄈㄥ}}；
{{ruby-zh-b|夙|ㄙㄨˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|夜|ㄧㄝˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|匪|ㄈㄟˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|懈|ㄒㄧㄝˋ}}，{{ruby-zh-b|主|ㄓㄨˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|義|ㄧˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|是|ㄕˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|從|ㄘㄨㄥˊ}}。
{{ruby-zh-b|矢|ㄕˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|勤|ㄑㄧㄣˊ}}{{ruby-zh-b|矢|ㄕˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|勇|ㄩㄥˇ}}，{{ruby-zh-b|必|ㄅㄧˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|信|ㄒㄧㄣˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|必|ㄅㄧˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|忠|ㄓㄨㄥ}}； 
{{ruby-zh-b|一|ㄧˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|心|ㄒㄧㄣ}}{{ruby-zh-b|一|ㄧˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|德|ㄉㄜˊ}}，{{ruby-zh-b|貫|ㄍㄨㄢˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|徹|ㄔㄜˋ}}{{ruby-zh-b|始|ㄕˇ}}{{ruby-zh-b|終|ㄓㄨㄥ}}。</poem>
|<poem lang="zh-hans" style="font-size:125%">
{{ruby-zh-p|三民|Sānmín}}{{ruby-zh-p|主义|zhǔyì}}，{{ruby-zh-p|吾|wú}}{{ruby-zh-p|党|dǎng}}{{ruby-zh-p|所|suǒ}}{{ruby-zh-p|宗|zōng}}；
{{ruby-zh-p|以|Yǐ}}{{ruby-zh-p|建|jiàn}}{{ruby-zh-p|民国|Mínguó}}，{{ruby-zh-p|以|yǐ}}{{ruby-zh-p|进|jìn}}{{ruby-zh-p|大同|dàtóng}}。
{{ruby-zh-p|咨|Zī}}{{ruby-zh-p|尔|ěr}}{{ruby-zh-p|多士|duōshì}}，{{ruby-zh-p|为|wèi}}{{ruby-zh-p|民|mín}}{{ruby-zh-p|前锋|qiánfēng}}；
{{ruby-zh-p|夙夜|Sùyè}}{{ruby-zh-p|匪|fěi}}{{ruby-zh-p|懈|xiè}}，{{ruby-zh-p|主义|zhǔyì}}{{ruby-zh-p|是|shì}}{{ruby-zh-p|从|cóng}}。
{{ruby-zh-p|矢|Shǐ}}{{ruby-zh-p|勤|qín}}{{ruby-zh-p|矢|shǐ}}{{ruby-zh-p|勇|yǒng}}，{{ruby-zh-p|必|bì}}{{ruby-zh-p|信|xìn}}{{ruby-zh-p|必|bì}}{{ruby-zh-p|忠|zhōng}}；
{{ruby-zh-p|一|Yì}}{{ruby-zh-p|心|xīn}}{{ruby-zh-p|一|yì}}{{ruby-zh-p|德|dé}}，{{ruby-zh-p|贯彻|guànchè}}{{ruby-zh-p|始|shǐ}}{{ruby-zh-p|终|zhōng}}。</poem>
|<poem style="line-height: 2.415em;">{{IPA|wrap=none|[sán.mǐn ʈ͡ʂù.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 ʈ͡ʂù.î ʂɻ̩̂ t͡sʰʊ̌ŋ]
[ʂɻ̩̀ t͡ɕʰǐn ʂɻ̩̀ jʊ̀ŋ pî ɕîn pî ʈ͡ʂʊ́ŋ]
[î ɕín î tɤ̌ kwân.ʈ͡ʂʰɤ̂ ʂɻ̩̀ ʈ͡ʂʊ́ŋ]}}</poem>
|}

The lyrics are in classical [[Classical Chinese|literary Chinese]]. For example:
* {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|ěr}} ({{lang|zh-tw|爾}}) is a literary equivalent of both singular and plural "you" (which are differentiated in [[Standard Chinese|modern Chinese]]) depending on the context. In this case, it is the plural of "you".
* {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|fěi}} ({{lang|zh-tw|匪}}) is a classical synonym of "not" ({{lang|zh-tw|非}} fēi).
* {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|zī}} ({{lang|zh-tw|咨}}) is a classical, archaic [[interjection]], and is not used in this sense in the modern [[Written vernacular Chinese|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 (poetry)|Fu]]'' style follows that of a four-[[Chinese character|character]] poem, where the last character of each line rhymes in {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|-ong}} or {{Transliteration|zh|pinyin|-eng}}, which are equivalent.

=== English translations ===
The official translation by Theodore B. Tu<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cassel|first1=Susie Lan|title=The Chinese in America: A History from Gold Mountain to the New Millennium|date=2002|publisher=Rowman Altamira|isbn=9780759100015|page=279|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_zSiPKzf0LYC&q=Du+Tingxiu&pg=PA279|access-date=30 August 2016|language=en}}</ref> appears in English-language guides to the ROC published by the [[Government of the Republic of China|government]].

{| cellpadding="10"
!Official
!Literal
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem>[[Three Principles of the People|San Min Chu-i]]
Our aim shall be:
To found [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|a free land]],
[[Great Unity|World peace]], be our stand.
Lead on, [[Kuomintang|comrades]],
[[Vanguardism|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.</poem>
|<poem>The [[Three Principles of the People]]
The foundational principle that we follow.{{NoteTag|The {{lang|zh-Hant|吾黨}} may simply mean "we/our" but it may also mean "our party".}}
Using this, we establish the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic]];
Using this, we advance into a state of [[Great Unity|total peace]].
Oh, you, [[National Revolutionary Army|righteous men]],
Of the people, be their [[Vanguardism|vanguards]].
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.</poem>
|}

=== Transcriptions in other Sinitic languages ===
<div class="overflowbugx" style="overflow-x:auto;">
{| class="wikitable"''
![[Cantonese]] ([[Yale Romanization of Cantonese|Yale]])
![[Taiwanese Hokkien]] ([[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]])
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem>
{{Transliteration|yue|italic=no|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 háaih, jyú yih sih chùhng,
Chí kàhn chí yúhng, bīt seun bīt jūng,
Yāt sām yāt dāk, gun chit chí jūng!}}
</poem>
|<poem>
{{Transliteration|nan|italic=no|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!}}
</poem>
|}
</div>

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Reed W. L. and Bristow M. J. (eds.) (2002) "National Anthems of the World", 10 ed., London
* Cassell, p.&nbsp;526. {{ISBN|0-304-36382-0}}

== External links ==
{{Wikisource}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20221002055931/https://english.president.gov.tw/Page/97 The National Anthem of the ROC (4 Versions)]
* {{cite web |url = http://www.ey.gov.tw/state/News_Content.aspx?n=6C2B8374CBFF550E&s=C51A4E4E81A0BBEA|script-title = zh:國旗、國歌 |publisher = [[Executive Yuan]] |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171030003117/http://www.ey.gov.tw/state/News_Content.aspx?n=6C2B8374CBFF550E&s=C51A4E4E81A0BBEA |archive-date = 2017-10-30 |language = zh-TW }}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
|title = Three Principles of the People
|before = [[Song to the Auspicious Cloud]]<br />{{nobold|(1913–1928)}}
|years = 1943–1949<br />{{nobold|(in [[Mainland China]])}}
|after = [[March of the Volunteers]]<br />{{nobold|(1949–1966 and 1976–today)}}
}}
{{succession box
|title = Three Principles of the People
|before = [[Kimigayo]]<br />{{nobold|(1895–1945)}}
|years = 1945–present<br />{{nobold|(in [[Free area of the Republic of China|Taiwan]])}}
|after = ''current''
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Taiwan topics}}
{{Chinese patriotic songs}}
{{National anthems of Asia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National symbols of Taiwan]]
[[Category:Chinese political party songs]]
[[Category:Three Principles of the People]]
[[Category:Chinese anthems]]
[[Category:Compositions in C major]]
[[Category:National symbols of the Republic of China (1912–1949)]]
[[Category:Taiwanese patriotic songs]]