Nie Er (14 February 1912 – 17 July 1935), born Nie Shouxin,

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theobald ...

Ziyi (子義 or 子藝), was a Chinese composer best known for "

March of the Volunteers The "March of the Volunteers" (), originally titled the "March of the Anti-Manchukuo Counter-Japan Volunteers", has been the official national anthem of the People's Republic of China since 1978. Unlike previous Chinese state anthems, it was ...

", the

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. In numerous Shanghai magazines, he went by the English name George Njal, after a character in '' Njal's Saga''.Jones. Andrew F. 001(2001). Yellow Music - CL: Media Culture and Colonial Modernity in the Chinese Jazz Age.

Duke University Press Duke University Press is an academic publisher and university press affiliated with Duke University. It was founded in 1921 by William T. Laprade as The Trinity College Press. (Duke University was initially called Trinity College). In 1926 Du ...

. p
122

Biography

Nie Er's ancestors were from

Yuxi Yuxi () is a prefecture-level city in the central part of Yunnan province of the People's Republic of China. The administrative center of Yuxi is Hongta District. Yuxi is approximately south of Kunming. Geography Yuxi is located in the center ...

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...

, in

southwest China Southwest China () is a region in the south of the People's Republic of China. Geography Southwest China is a rugged and mountainous region, transitioning between the Tibetan Plateau to the west and the Chinese coastal hills (东南丘陵) and ...

. He was born in

Kunming Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headquar ...

, Yunnan. From an early age he displayed an interest in music. From 1918 he studied at the Kunming Normal School's Affiliated Primary School. In his spare time, he learnt to play traditional instruments such as the , , , and , and became the conductor of the school's Children's Orchestra. In 1922 he entered the Private Qiushi Primary School (Senior Section), and in 1925 entered Yunnan Provincial Number One Combined Middle School. In 1927, Nie Er graduated from Yunnan Provincial Number One Combined Middle School, and entered Yunnan Provincial Number One Normal School. At school, he participated in the book club, and organised the Nine-Nine Music Society, which performed within the school and outside. During this time, he learnt to play the

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

and

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

. In June 1931, Nie Er entered the Mingyue Musical Drama Society as a violinist. In July 1932 he published ''A Short Treatise on Chinese Song and Dance'', in which he criticised the Drama Society's president,

Li Jinhui Li Jinhui (; 5 September 1891 – 15 February 1967 although some sources suggest he died 1968) was a Chinese composer and songwriter born in Xiangtan, Hunan, Qing China. He is often dubbed as the "Father of Chinese popular music".Aigomusic.A ...

, as a result of which he was forced to leave the society. Prior to joining the Lianhua Film Studio in November 1932, he took part in shaping the Bright Moonlight Song and Dance Troupe. He later joined the musical group of the Friends of the Soviet Union Society. He also organized the Chinese Contemporary Music Research Group, which participated in the Leftist Dramatist's Union. In 1933, he joined the

Communist Party of China The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Civil ...

. In 1933, he impersonated a Black miner in the film ''

The Light of Maternal Instinct ''The Light of Maternal Instinct'' (also translated as ''The Glory of Motherhood'' In April 1934, Nie Er joined

Pathé Records Pathé Records was an international record company and label and producer of phonographs, based in France, and active from the 1890s through the 1930s. Early years The Pathé record business was founded by brothers Charles and Émile Pathé, ...

and managed the musical section. In the same year he founded the Pathé National Orchestra. This was a prolific year for him in terms of musical output. In January 1935 he became the director of the musical department of Lianhua Number Two Studio. In April 1935, Nie Er went to

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

to meet his elder brother in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

. There, he composed the "

", which would later become the

of China.

Name

When Shouxin was young he showed signs of musical talent. He was able to imitate the voices of people he knew, and almost any sound that entered his ears. He could learn any song just by listening to it twice. Thus, people began to call him "Ears" (耳). In addition to having musically trained ears, Shouxin was able to move each of his ears independently. This earned him another nickname, "Doctor Ears". Shouxin felt that his nickname is interesting and said that "Since friends give me one more ears, I will have one more ears from now on". Later on, he changed his name to be Nie Er (聂耳).

Death

On July 17, 1935, he died while swimming in

Fujisawa, Kanagawa is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 439,728 and a population density of 6300 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Fujisawa is in the central part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It f ...

, Japan, at the age of twenty-three. He may have been en route to the Soviet Union, passing through Japan to receive training, sent by the Chinese Communist Party. Some suspect that he was killed by the Japanese, while others believe that he was killed by Chinese Nationalists, as he was in Japan to flee from them. However, because he disappeared while swimming with friends, this made the possibility of assassination difficult and highly unlikely. Evidence points to drowning as the most probable cause of death. He was found by the local rescue team the following day. According to the rescue team and the police, his body was not different from that of ordinary drowned bodies.

Compositions

Nie Er wrote a total of 37 pieces in his life, all in the three years before his death. A significant proportion of these songs reflected working class life and struggles. He often collaborated with lyricist

Tian Han Tian Han ( zh, 田汉; 12 March 1898 – 10 December 1968), formerly romanized as T'ien Han, was a Chinese drama activist, playwright, a leader of revolutionary music and films, as well as a translator and poet. He emerged at the time of the ...

. Apart from "March of the Volunteers", his other important works include: *1932: **"March" (进行曲) **"Waltz" (圆舞曲) **"Love of Family Union" (天伦之爱) *1933: **"Miners' Song" (开矿歌) **"Song of Hunger and Cold Suffering" (饥寒交迫之歌) **"Song of Newsboy" (卖报歌) * 1934: Nie Er Pavilion

**"Out of Studio" (走出摄影场) **"A Female Star" (一个女明星) **"Snow Flying" (雪飞花) **"Spring Dawn on the Green Lake" (翠湖春晓), instrumental piece **"Snowflakes Flutter" (雪花飞) **"Dance of the Golden Snake" ( 金蛇狂舞), arranged from the last fast section of the ''

Jiangnan sizhu ''Jiangnan sizhu'' () is a style of traditional Chinese instrumental music from the ...

'' piece "Yang Ba Qu" 阳八曲 (Yáng Bā Qǔ, "Yang Eight Tune"), also called Fan Wang Gong 梵王宫 (Fàn Wáng Gōng, "Fa as Mi") or 梵皇宫 (Fàn Huáng Gōng) **"Zhaojun He Fan" (昭君和番) **"Little Wild Cat" (小野猫) **"Song of Making Bricks" (打砖歌) **"Dock Workers' Song" (码头工人歌) **"Song of Labor Force" (苦力歌) **"Graduation Song" (毕业歌) **"Song of the Broad Road" (大路歌) **"Pioneers" (开路先锋) **"Song of Whirling Flowers" (飞花歌) *1935: **"Leaving Southeast Asia" (告别南洋) **"Spring is Coming Back" (春回来了) **"Song of Comfort" (慰劳歌) **"Song of Mei Niang" (梅娘曲) **"Tone of Fugitive" (逃亡曲) **"Village Girl of the Steppes" (塞外村女) **"Hit the Changjiang River" (打长江) **"Song of Picking Water Chestnuts" (采菱歌) **"Singing Girl Downtrodden" (铁蹄下的歌女) **"Small Worker" (小工人) **"Song of Wounded Soldier" (伤兵歌) **"Progress Song" (前进歌) **"Song of White Snow" (白雪歌) **"Song of Picking Tea" (采茶歌) **"Love Song of Tea Mountain" (茶山情歌) **"New Woman" (新女性) **''Storm on the Yangtze'' (扬子江暴风雨) (an opera)

Legacy

In the history of modern Chinese music, Nie Er has undoubtedly taken a special position. It is not only because his "

" was later adopted as the present national anthem of the

, but in his short life, he created for the people many other songs and instrumental pieces. Some of his works reflected the sufferings and groaning of the broad mass of the labouring people at that time, and others were an expression of the patriotism and resistance of the Chinese people in face of the Japanese aggression. His works, some full of tremendous momentum and imbued with the spirit of the age, some lyrical, graceful and in a strongly national style, were not only great favourites of Chinese at home and abroad then, but are also still treasured by the Chinese people today as precious elements of the Chinese national music. Although his career as a composer lasted for only two years, from the publishing of his first composition to his accidental death when swimming in the sea of Japan, his works have had a uniquely profound influence on modern Chinese music.

Film

In 1959, on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the

People's Republic People's republic is an official title, usually used by some currently or formerly communist or left-wing states. It is mainly associated with Soviet republic (system of government), soviet republics, socialist states following People's democracy ...

, China produced a

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...

entitled ''

Nie Er Nie Er (14 February 1912 – 17 July 1935), born Nie Shouxin, courtesy name Ziyi (子義 or 子藝), was a Chinese composer best known for "March of the Volunteers", the national anthem of People's Republic of China. In numerous Shanghai magaz ...

'', retelling the story of Nie Er and his composition of the

Chinese National Anthem The "March of the Volunteers" (), originally titled the "March of the Anti-Manchukuo Counter-Japan Volunteers", has been the official national anthem of the People's Republic of China since 1978. Unlike previous Chinese state anthems, it was ...

Nie Er Piano

Nie Er Piano was founded by Zhu Xuegong at Shanghai in 1958. The brand hires German piano construction experts and uses American advanced technology to build its own pianos. The Nie Er brand piano has become one of the most successful piano brands in China.

Nie Er Park

Nie Er Park is located on the northernmost of Yuxi City, it occupied 100,000 square meters, which was completed in July 1987. It is a comprehensive park that can be used for relaxing, entertaining, and promoting culture. The whole park is divided into parts that are for commemoration, entertaining, relaxation, cultural activities, children's play, ornamental flowers, and park administration. Nie Er's statue is the main body of the commemorative part. The statue is 2.4 meters tall, weighs 1.8 tons, and faces north. The height of the platform under the statue is 2.25 meters. Nie Er's statue leans forward with coat flying, his face is solemn with arms held up and gestures in beating the time. Overall, it looks like he is conducting and singing his "March of Volunteers".

Nie Er Cultural Square

Nie Er Cultural Square is located at Yuxi, Yunnan, which is composed by one lake, two line (outer traffic line & inner lake line), and four areas (recreational area, business area, exercising area & musical square area). There is a statue of Nie Er playing the violin on the top of the mountain. On the bottom of the statue, there are six words that were written by a former member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China,

Li Lanqing Li Lanqing (; born 22 May 1932) is a retired Chinese politician who served as first-ranked Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China between 1998 and 2003. He was a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party ...

, which are "Nie Er Musical square" (聂耳音乐广场) in Chinese. When you are looking the square from a bird's eye view, the design of the square looks like a big violin that is lying on the earth. The view is magnificent and beautiful. There are more and more people who would like to come and stop by for a while.

Nie Er Square in Japan

In 1981, Fujisawa, Japan, under the

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

mayor Shun Hayama ( 葉山峻), and Kunming became

sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

. Nie Er Square was established in Shonan Beach Park ( 湘南海岸公園), near the beach where he had died.

Gallery

File:Nie Er Tomb Kunming 2009 07.jpg, Nei Er's Tomb, with his statue, in Xishan Forest Park beside

Dian Lake Dianchi Lake (), also known as Lake Dian and Kunming Lake (), is a large lake located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau close to Kunming, Yunnan, China. Its nickname is the "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland" () and it was the model for the Ku ...

, Kunming File:Nie Er Tomb.jpg, Nie Er's Tomb ( 聶耳墓) File:Nie Er Memorial Square in Japan.jpg, Nie Er Memorial Square in

, Japan File:Nie Er Cenotaph.JPG, Nie Er Memorial in Nie Er Memorial Square

Quotes

Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 J ...

(first premier of China): "Many youngsters were going to the revolution by singing songs of

Xian Xinghai Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by other names, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong Plain, the city is the third most populous city in Western China, after Chongqin ...

and Nie Er. They are the great musicians." *

Zhu De Zhu De (; ; also Chu Teh; 1 December 1886 – 6 July 1976) was a Chinese general, military strategist, politician and revolutionary in the Chinese Communist Party. Born into poverty in 1886 in Sichuan, he was adopted by a wealthy uncle at ...

(Chinese general): "He is a musician of the people." *

Guo Moruo Guo Moruo (; November 16, 1892 – June 12, 1978), courtesy name Dingtang (), was a Chinese author, poet, historian, archaeologist, and government official. Biography Family history Guo Moruo, originally named Guo Kaizhen, was born on November ...

(writer): "Nie Er, the horn of the Chinese revolution, the drum of People's liberation, and his March of the Volunteers have already been regarded as Chinese Anthem. This song always triggers people's patriotism, and it also raises morale with its solemnity. As well as our national flag, Nie Er is immortal." *

Xia Yan Xia Yan is the name of: *Xia Yan (Ming dynasty) (1482–1548), Ming dynasty politician *Xia Yan (playwright) Xia Yan (; 30 October 1900 – 6 February 1995) was a Chinese playwright and screenwriter, and China's Deputy Minister of Culture bet ...

(playwright): "Though Nie Er only worked for two years in Shanghai, he still wrote tons of well-known music, which are better for promoting anti-Japanese national salvation movement. Many people are going to the war by singing these songs." *

(playwright): "The reason Nie Er's works are proliferated so fast is due to his enthusiasm on politics. His intention for composing is not for making music, but he is standing among the miserable people to shout out his anger and request. His work tightly combines the revolutionary world view and progressive innovative method together, which is certainly the invincible for art innovation. *

(composer): "His songs are aggressive, he wants to awaken people by using his songs. His songs are anti-imperialism, anti-feudalism, and anti-warlordism, which are landmark for China. His songs can reflect people's requests, so that can be accepted and sang by millions people. He is the founder of Chinese new music. Many people say that he still need more professional cultivation on musical skills, which is not right. From his hard-working and achievements, I can say that he has already exceeded many so-called "master musician" and " professional composer". Because of his modesty, he has already surpassed many nominal 'musicians'." * He Lüting (composer): "That Nie Er passed away so young is a big loss for China's musical landscape. However, his contributions to the civil revolution are significant, which are the pride of China's musical landscape. Nie Er is immortalized."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Nie, Er 1912 births 1935 deaths Accidental deaths in Japan Chinese male composers Chinese violinists Republic of China musicians People from Kunming National anthem writers Deaths by drowning Musicians from Yunnan 20th-century violinists Chinese composers 20th-century Chinese musicians 20th-century male musicians