Before it becomes dangerous to discuss such matters in Hong Kong, it is worth considering ideas of patriotism in the light of history. We are told we must
respect the national anthem as a symbol of the nation, not to be dismissed or assigned new lyrics. Yet, the history of China’s current anthem shows that it has been as much a rallying call for the party, and the state, as for the people.
Official anthems are a fairly modern invention. France’s La Marseillaise was a bloodthirsty revolutionary, as well as patriotic, song which became the official anthem in 1795. But it was replaced by Napoleon, banned under the restored monarchy, then twice removed and reinstated. The US’ Star-spangled Banner, whose lyrics date to a battle against the British in 1814 and whose music was composed by an Englishman in the 18th century, only officially became the anthem in 1931. The British, meanwhile, not having had a revolution in recent centuries, have stuck to the ponderous patriotism of God Save the Queen (King).
As for China, its
first official anthem dates from the dying days of the Qing dynasty – 1911. Since then, there have been several changes. The republican period saw three anthems, culminating in one from 1930, the party song of the Kuomintang, which is still used by the Republic of China on Taiwan today. The current Chinese anthem,
March of the Volunteers , was written in the 1930s and became official after the revolution. But it was
sidelined during the Cultural Revolution, and its author, Tian Han, imprisoned.
The East is Red, an old folk song given new words in praise of Mao Zedong, became the de facto anthem.
March of the Volunteers officially returned after the death of Mao but with some new words of praise of him and the party. The original 1934 lyrics were reinstated in 1982. It is hard to separate patriotism and political trends.
As for musing over the permanence of the current borders of the People’s Republic of China, and
claims over Taiwan and most of the
South China Sea, these should be a natural outcome of reading history. Those borders, excluding the South China Sea island claims which date only from the 1930s, were the basically established under the Qing dynasty and hugely increased the geographical area of the state, adding territories which made it far larger than under the Ming, Song, Tang or Han dynasties. These include parts of
Xinjiang and Mongolia, plus the Manchu lands and Taiwan. Qing assumption of control of Taiwan dates only to 1683, and even 300 years later, indigenous groups were still resisting alien rule.
The Qing dynasty recognised itself as a Manchu empire, of which the central part was Han. Its expansion included conquest and decimation of the Mongols of Dzungaria, now mostly northwest Xinjiang. The vast but thinly populated non-Han parts retained their separate identity, with Han settlement in Manchu lands not allowed till the 19th century.
