Golden Cup (Anthem)

On January 25, 1911, an official from the Ministry of Trustees named Cao Guangquan ( Chinese trad. 曹 廣 權 , ex. 曹 广 权 ) asked the imperial court of Qing to accept the majestic "national music" ( Chinese trad. 國 国 , ex. 国 乐 ), which could would execute at the hearing ^{[1] [2]} . He suggested that officials collect both ancient music and examples of national music from abroad, and on this basis develop an anthem for the Qing Empire. The ceremonial council ( Chinese trad. 典禮 院 , ex. 典礼 院 ), which had just replaced the ministry of rites, responded on July 15 of the same year ^[2] . It was written by Putong (溥 侗) (1877–1950) from the Aisinguoro family — a representative of the Manchu nobility, a direct descendant of the emperor who ruled under the motto “Daoguang” who served in the Imperial Guard — he was responsible for the music, then Yan Fu (1854— 1921), translator of European scientific and philosophical treatises and adviser to the Qing Navy ^[3] . Guo Cengxin (郭 曾 炘), who worked at the Ministry of Rituals, made some minor changes at the end ^[4] .

The Qing government adopted the work as a national anthem on October 4, 1911 ^[5] . The newspapers published a decree announcing a new anthem, and sometimes music and lyrics, and the court ordered the navy and army to use this song, which was also transmitted to the Chinese ambassadors around the world ^[6] . However, the Wuchang Uprising began on October 10 (six days after the hymn was unveiled) and quickly led to the fall of the dynasty. The founding of the Republic of China was announced on January 1, 1912 , and the last emperor Qing officially abdicated the throne a month later, so the hymn was never used in practice ^[7] .

Putun, who formally became a composer, is an imperial relative who was familiar with the theater and the Beijing opera ^[8] . With the help of assistants to the Imperial Guard, he composed music based on models found in the Supplement to the Treatise on the Sound Structure (律 义 后 编 / 律 呂正義 後 編, 1746), an imperial compilation that complemented much shorter works on ceremonial music commissioned Emperor Kangxi ^[5] .

• Rhoads, Edward JM (2000), Manchus & Han: Ethnic Relations and Political Power in Late Qing and Early Republican China 1861–1928 , Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, ISBN 0-295-97938-0  
• Ye, Xiaoqing 葉小青 (2006), " Da Qing guo de guoge 大 清 國 的 國歌 [The Qing National Anthem ]", Xungen 尋根 (no. 2006.3): 90–91, doi : 10.3969 / j.issn.1005-5258.2006 .03.010 , < http://doc.qkzz.net/article/d3f55605-73e9-48a9-ab26-d2e28d5c3d6d.htm >  
• Ye, Xiaoqing (2012), Ascendant Peace in the Four Seas: Drama and the Qing Imperial Court , Hong Kong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, ISBN 978-962-996-457-3 , < https: // muse. jhu.edu/book/24156 >   - using MUSE (requires subscription)
• Ye, Xiaoqing; Eccles, Lance (2007), " Anthem for a Dying Dynasty: The Qing National Anthem through the Eyes of a Court Musician ", T'oung Pao T. 93 (4/5): 433–58, doi : 10.1163 / 008254307x246946 , < https://www.jstor.org/stable/40376331 >   - using JSTOR (subscription required)