Editing Cup of Solid Gold (section)

== Background ==
[[File:Li Hung Chang in 1896.jpg|thumbnail|left|180px|[[Li Hongzhang]] arranged a [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907) poem to ceremonial music to serve as China's unofficial anthem during his visit to Europe in 1896.]]
{{National anthems of China}}
{{further|Historical Chinese anthems}}
[[Dynasties in Chinese history]] used music for various ceremonies, but never had official anthems representing the country. By the end of the nineteenth century, however, Qing China was constantly in contact with foreign countries and started to require a national anthem "for diplomatic convenience".{{sfn|Ye|Eccles|2007|p=440, note 24}}

Qing diplomats were one of the first to suggest adopting an official anthem. [[Zeng Jize]] (1839–1890) – eldest son of statesman [[Zeng Guofan]] – was the Qing envoy to France, Britain, and Russia for several years starting in 1878. Around 1880, he composed a song called ''[[Pu Tian Yue]]'' to be played as China's anthem in various state ceremonies and suggested the Qing adopt it as its official anthem, but the court did not approve. That song's lyrics and melody have both been lost for a very long time. However, an instrumental version of the anthem has been found and a part of what is seemingly the lyrics.{{sfn|Ye|2006}}

When [[Li Hongzhang]] (1823–1901) visited Western Europe and Russia in 1896 as a special envoy charged with learning about foreign institutions after the disastrous end of the [[First Sino–Japanese War|Sino–Japanese War]] in 1895, he was again asked to provide China's national anthem for performance at state receptions. He hastily adapted some court music to a slightly modified ''[[jueju]]'' poem by [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907) poet [[Wang Jian (poet)|Wang Jian]] and presented that song as the Qing anthem.{{sfn|Ye|2006}} That song later became known as the ''[[Tune of Li Zhongtang]]'', but was never officially recognized as a national anthem.{{sfn|Ye|2006}}

Another unofficial anthem was written for the new Qing ground forces that were established in 1906. Entitled ''[[Praise the Dragon Flag]]'', it was played on ceremonial occasions, but like the songs promoted by Zeng Jize and Li Hongzhang, was never officially adopted as the Qing national anthem.{{sfn|Ye|2006}}

A Chinese version of the Japanese national anthem ''[[Kimigayo]]'' (adopted by the [[Meiji period|Meiji]] regime in 1888) was played in the new-style schools that taught modern topics like science and engineering.{{sfn|Ye|Eccles|2007|p=440}} The Chinese lyrics – "To unify old territories, our ancient Asian country of four thousand years sighs in sorrow for the Jews, India, and Poland. Reading the history of those who have lost their countries, we shiver in our hearts!" – emphasized the [[Social Darwinist]] themes of ethnic crisis and loss of national territory, but many considered these too far from the usual themes of ceremonial music to be acceptable.{{sfn|Ye|Eccles|2007|p=440}}