Chinese Empire/Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) Anthem “Cup of Solid Gold“ Medley (1911)

Gong Jin’ou (Chinese: 鞏金甌; pinyin: gǒng jīn’ōu, lit. “Cup of Solid Gold“) was the first official national anthem of China, created during the late Qing Dynasty; though it was used only for a short time due to the Republic of China overthrowing the Qing Dynasty. The song was composed by Bo Tong (溥侗), a high-ranking officer of the Imperial Guard. The lyrics, in Classical Chinese, were penned by Yan Fu, commander of the Qing Navy. Guo Cengxin (郭曾炘), Master of Ceremonies, made some minor adjustments and arranged the music. Gong Jin’ou was adopted by the Qing government on the 13th Day and 8th Month of the 3rd Year of the Xuantong Emperor’s reign (October 4, 1911). However, only six days later was the Wuchang Uprising, which effectively led to the end of the Qing Dynasty with the declaration of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912 and the abdication of the emperor on February 12, 1912. As a result, the anthem never gained any notability. Since it praises the Qing dynasty specifically, it is also a Royal anthem.