Tune of Li Zhongtang
{{Short description|Unofficial Chinese national anthem}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox anthem
| transcription = Lǐ Zhōng táng Yuè
| english_title =
| country = Qing Dynasty
| prefix = Unofficial
| author = Wang Jian
| composer = Li Hongzhang
| music_date = 1896
| adopted = 1896
| until = 1906
| predecessor = Pu Tian Yue
| successor = Praise the Dragon Flag
}}
{{National anthems of China}}
The Tune of Li Zhongtang ({{zh|s=李中堂乐|t=李中堂樂|p=Lǐ Zhōng táng Yuè}}) is the first semi-official national song of China, written by Li Hongzhang in 1896 during the Qing dynasty. As an unofficial anthem for the dynasty, it was so named because "Zhongtang" was a bureaucratic title meaning viceroy or grand secretary.{{Cite web |last=Nielsen |first=Mads Vesterager |date=2021-02-25 |title=One song under Heaven: A history of China's national anthems |url=https://thechinaproject.com/2021/02/25/one-song-under-heaven/ |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=The China Project |language=en-US}}
History
In 1896, (the 22nd year of Guangxu), Li Hongzhang (李鴻章), Minister of Beiyang and Governor of Zhili, paid a diplomatic visit to Western Europe and Russia. As a national anthem was requested for the welcome ceremony, Li Hongzhang adopted a Tang dynasty poem by Wang Jian for the event.
As a former commander of the Beiyang Fleet, Li also wrote an anthem for it to the same tune.
Lyrics
{{Wikisourcelang|zh|李中堂樂}}
=Simplified Chinese=
金殿当头紫阁重，
仙人掌上玉芙蓉，
太平天子朝天日，
五色云车驾六龙。
=Traditional Chinese=
金殿當頭紫閣重，
仙人掌上玉芙蓉，
太平天子朝天日，
五色雲車駕六龍。
=Hanyu Pinyin=
Jīndiàn dāng tóu zǐgè chóng,
Xiānrén zhǎng shàng yù fúróng,
Taìpíng Tiānzǐ cháo tiān rì,
Wǔ sè yúnchē jià liù lóng.
=English translation=
In the Golden Palace, amongst the overlapping purple pavilions,
Like a jade lotus flower in an immortal's palm,
The Son of Heaven of Supreme Peace pays tribute to Heaven's sun,
In its five-colour chariot of clouds, drawn by six dragons.