The National Anthem was written in 1935, with lyrics by the noted poet Tian Han and music by the famous composer Nie Er. The lyrics are as follows:

Arise, we who refuse to be slaves;

With our very flesh and blood

Let us build our new Great Wall!

The peoples ofChinaare at their most critical time,

Everybody must roar defiance.

Arise! Arise! Arise!

Millions of hearts with one mind,

Brave the enemy's gunfire,

March on!

Brave the enemy's gunfire

March on! March on! March on, on!

    This song, originally namedMarch of the Volunteers, was the theme song of the film,Sons and Daughters in a Time of Storm. The film tells the story of those who went to the front to fight the Japanese invaders in northeastChinain the 1930s, when the fate of the nation was hanging in the balance.

    Moving and powerful, the March of the Volunteers gave voice to the Chinese people's determination to sacrifice themselves for national liberation, and expressedChina's admirable tradition of courage, resolution and unity in fighting foreign aggression. It was for this reason that the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) onSeptember 27, 1949decided to adopt the song as the provisional national anthem of the People's Republic ofChina(PRC), and the National People's Congress (NPC) onDecember 4, 1982officially decided to adopt the song as the National Anthem of the PRC.