ccp, china, chinese national anthem, communism, cultural revolution, march of the volunteers, nie er, persecution, tian han

Tian Han, the Persecuted Writer of China’s National Anthem

China’s now-beloved national anthem March of the Volunteers was written in 1931 by lyricist Tian Han. But many do not realize the history behind the anthem, or that his greatest fame only came posthumously. In the latter part of his life, Tian Han experienced first-hand the brutality of the Communist Party — the Party that ...

December 6, 2022

Tatiana Denning

The Fate of the Chinese National Anthem Lyricist and Composer

Tian Han was the lyricist and Nie Er was the composer of the music that became the Chinese national anthem, The March of the Volunteers. This song was the favorite choice of the CCP, and when it took power in 1949, it became the Chinese national anthem. What became of Tian Han and Nie Er ...

September 9, 2019

Helen London