Ode to the Motherland

"Ode to the Motherland" (simplified Chinese: 歌唱祖国; traditional Chinese: 歌唱祖國; pinyin: Gēchàng Zǔguǒ) is a famous patriotic song of the People's Republic of China, written and music composed by Wang Xin (Chinese: 王莘; pinyin: Wáng Xīn) (October 1918–October 15, 2007) during the period immediately after the founding of the People's Republic of China (1949-1951). It is sometimes honoured as "the second national anthem" of the PRC.

Origin

On October 1st, 1949, when Mao Zedong declared the founding of People's Republic of China under a sea of fluttering Five-star red flags in Tiananmen Square, he said, "Chinese people have stood up (against invasion and foreign exploitation) today!". That was the most inspiring moment for millions of Chinese patriots, and remains so today. Wang Xin started writing this song in late September of 1950, shortly after he saw the sea of fluttering Five Star Red Flags at Tiananmen Square again, during the preparation period for the first National Day anniversary. The song's lyrics and its music composition were officially published on 15 September 1951 in the People's Daily.

Full Lyrics

Simplified Chinese	Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Literal English translation
五星红旗迎风飘扬， 胜利歌声多么响亮； 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。 越过高山，越过平原， 跨过奔腾的黄河长江； 宽广美丽的土地， 是我们亲爱的家乡， 英雄的人民站起来了！ 我们团结友爱坚强如钢。 五星红旗迎风飘扬， 胜利歌声多么响亮； 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。 我们勤劳，我们勇敢， 独立自由是我们的理想； 我们战胜了多少苦难， 才得到今天的解放！ 我们爱和平，我们爱家乡， 谁敢侵犯我们就叫他死亡！* 五星红旗迎风飘扬， 胜利歌声多么响亮， 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。 东方太阳，正在升起，** 人民共和国正在成长； 我们领袖毛泽东， 指引着前进的方向。 我们的生活天天向上， 我们的前途万丈光芒。*** 五星红旗迎风飘扬， 胜利歌声多么响亮； 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。 歌唱我们亲爱的祖国， 从今走向繁荣富强。	五星紅旗迎風飄揚， 勝利歌聲多麼響亮； 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。 越過高山，越過平原， 跨過奔騰的黃河長江； 寬廣美麗的土地， 是我們親愛的家鄉， 英雄的人民站起來了！ 我們團結友愛堅強如鋼。 五星紅旗迎風飄揚， 勝利歌聲多麼響亮； 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。 我們勤勞，我們勇敢， 獨立自由是我們的理想； 我們戰勝了多少苦難， 才得到今天的解放！ 我們愛和平，我們愛家鄉， 誰敢侵犯我們就叫他死亡！ 五星紅旗迎風飄揚， 勝利歌聲多麼響亮， 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。 東方太陽，正在升起， 人民共和國正在成長； 我們領袖毛澤東， 指引著前進的方向。 我們的生活天天向上， 我們的前途萬丈光芒。 * 五星紅旗迎風飄揚， 勝利歌聲多麼響亮； 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。 歌唱我們親愛的祖國， 從今走向繁榮富強。	Wǔ xīng hóngqì yíng fēng piāo yáng, shènglì gēshēng duōme xiǎnglìang; Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang. Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang. Yuè guò gāoshān, yuè guò píngyuán, kùagùo bēnténg de Huánghé Chángjiāng; Kuān'guǎng měilì de tǔdì, shì wǒmen qīn'aì de jiāxiāng, yīngxióng de rénmín zhàn qǐlái le! Wǒmen tuánjié yǒu'ài jiānqiáng rú gāng. Wǔ xīng hóngqì yíng fēng piāo yáng, shènglì gēshēng duōme xiǎnglìang; Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang. Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang. Wǒmen qínláo, wǒmen yǒnggǎn, dúlì zìyóu shì wǒmen de lǐxiǎng; Wǒmen zhànshèng liǎo duō shǎo kǔnàn, cái dédào jīntiān de jiěfàng! Wǒmen aì hépíng, wǒmen aì jiāxiāng, shui gǎn qīnfàn wǒmen jiù jiào tā sǐwáng! Wǔ xīng hóngqì yíng fēng piāo yáng, shènglì gēshēng duōme xiǎnglìang; Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang. Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang. Dōngfāng tàiyáng, zhèngzài shēngqǐ, rénmín gònghéguó zhèngzài chéngzhǎng; Wǒmen lǐngxiù Máo Zédōng, zhǐyǐnzhe qiánjín de fāngxiàng. Wǒmen de shēnghuó tiāntiān xiàngshàng, wǒmen de qiántú wàn zhàng guāngmáng. Wǔ xīng hóngqì yíng fēng piāo yáng, shènglì gēshēng duōme xiǎnglìang; Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang. Gēchàng wǒmen qīn'ài de zǔguó, cóng jīn zǒuxìang fánróng fùqíang.	Five-Star Red Flags are fluttering in the wind, How clear and bright are the sounds of victory songs; Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength. Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength. Across the mountains, across the plains, Over the turbulent Yellow and Yangtze rivers; This vast and beautiful land, is our dear homeland; The heroic people have stood up! Our unity and fraternity is as strong as steel. Five-Star Red Flags are fluttering in the wind, How clear and bright are the sounds of victory songs; Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength. Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength. We are hardworking, we are brave, Independence and freedom are our ideals; We had triumphed over so many sufferings, to achieve today’s liberation! We love peace, we love our homeland, Whoever dares to infringe us, we shall call for his death! Five-Star Red Flags are fluttering in the wind, How clear and bright are the sounds of victory songs; Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength. Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength. The eastern sun is rising, The People's Republic is growing up; Our leader Mao Zedong, guides us the way forward. Our living conditions are improving day by days, our future is as bright as ten thousand radiating light beams. Five-Star Red Flags are fluttering in the wind, How clear and bright are the sounds of victory songs; Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength. Singing for our dear motherland, from now step towards prosperity and strength.

• Sometimes rendered as simplified Chinese: 灭亡; traditional Chinese: 滅亡; pinyin: mie wang, meaning perish.

• Note that in the updated version of this song the second-to-last stanza is completely omitted and the previous stanza is repeated, demonstrating the de-emphasis on Mao's cult of personality.

• sometimes rendered as Chinese: 前程; pinyin: qiancheng, also meaning future.

External links

• Orchestral MP3 Audio from PLA Daily
• CCTV video
• Lyric in Chinese
• Song's Name in English - "Singing in Praise of the Motherland" by People's Daily
• Song's Name in English - "Singing Praises of Motherland" by GOV.cn
• Song's Name in English - "Ode to the Motherland" by people.com.cn
• Orchestral and sung version on YouTube
• Cultural Revolution rendition with Cultural Revolution lyrics on YouTube