Adopted 1937 | ||
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Lyrics Disputed (see below (usually attributed to Tai Chi-tao)), 1937 Music Huang Tzu (pinyin: Huáng Zì), 1936 | ||
The National Flag Anthem (official name, also known as the "National Banner Song" unofficially) (Chinese: 國旗歌; pinyin: gúoqí gē) of the Republic of China is played during the raising and lowering of the Flag of Republic of China. This song is also played at international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, where the Taiwanese team plays as "Chinese Taipei".
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Origin
After the Kuomintang Anthem became the de facto National Anthem of the Republic of China in 1930, the Ministry of Education had invited submissions for a new official national anthem. The music composed by Huang Tzu was eventually chosen in 1936, but the Nationalist Government refused to adopt it as the national anthem. As a compromise, the National Anthem remained unchanged, while Huang Tzu's music was adopted as the National Flag Anthem, with lyrics written in Classical Chinese by Tai Chi-tao, who had also contributed to the lyrics of the National Anthem.
Use
Since 1983, the song (officially with different lyrics) was used at Olympic competitions instead of the National Anthem due to pressure from the Chinese Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. This also changed the symbols used by Taiwan during the Olympics and another sporting and another events and their name officially changed to "Chinese Taipei." During the 2004 Summer Olympics, Chinese Taipei won its first gold medals, and the Banner Song was played at the ceremonial raising of the flag of the gold medal team. When introduced, the song is officially called the "National Anthem of Chinese Taipei." However, in the 16th Asian Games held in Guangzhou, China, the song was introduced as the "Anthem of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee" (中華臺北奧會會歌), with new lyrics written by Zhang Bide (張彼德). In schools in Taiwan, every morning the National Anthem and the National Flag Anthem are played before classes at an outdoor ceremony. The national anthem is sung while the flag is being held before raising and the National Flag Anthem is played when the National Flag is raised.
Dispute of the author of lyrics
According to Liu Yiling from National Library of the Republic of China, there is a dispute about the author of lyrics. Some earlier publications was printed as the lyrics was an anonymous work. Later publications attributed it to Tai Chi-tao, who also wrote a song with the title "National Flag Anthem" in 1928 but it was totally different from the current version. Liang Desuo with his work published in 1929 with the title "Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth." is said to be the author as his work much resembles the current lyrics.