On the Great Road
"On the Great Road" (simplified Chinese: 我们走在大路上; traditional Chinese: 我們走在大路上; pinyin: Wǒmen zǒu zài dàlù shàng), commonly known as We Walk on the Great Road, is a Chinese patriotic song written and composed by Li Jiefu in 1962 and published the following year. The song alludes to the metaphorical road to development for the Chinese people and state after the Great Leap Forward, as well as to the Long March undertaken by Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party in 1934. We Walk on the Great Road was a popular patriotic songs during the Cultural Revolution, and its optimistic tone and simple lyrics cemented it as one of the most popular and enduring patriotic songs of the era, being ranked by the Chinese National Culture Promotion Association as one of the 124 greatest Chinese musical works. Notably, the song was sung extensively during the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and featured prominently in the 50th Anniversary of the People's Republic Parade in 1999.
History
At the onset of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Li Jiefu (born Li Yunlong) began songwriting for the Yan'an People's Drama Society of the Red Army of Workers and Peasants in China, a propagandist organisation in association with the Chinese Communist Party. Previously a pickpocket, Li was transferred to the Eighth Route Army in Northwestern China to aid in the propaganda effort. By 1939, Li had already produced a number of popular anti-Japanese songs, such as 'Our Iron Cavalry', 'Two Little Cows Singing', and 'The Five Champions of Langya Mountain'.[1] By 1945, Li had become the President of the Yan'an People's Drama Society, and became responsible for much of the propaganda dissemination over Northwestern China.[citation needed]
In 1958, Mao Zedong implemented the Great Leap Forward, a series of economic and social policies attempting to modernise infrastructure and increase industrial output across China. This caused nationwide famine, and generally began to erode popular support for the communist system. In response, the CPC began aggressively increasing propaganda output in the early 1960s. It was under these conditions that Li created the song 'We Walk on the Great Road'. Allegedly, Li received inspiration for the lyrics after a chance meeting with a former friend and soldier during a visit to Beijing, who impressed Li with his iron resolve and optimistic disposition. The song was reportedly a personal favourite of Zhou Enlai.. The lyrics were altered to be more nationalistic in tone during the Cultural Revolution.
After the discrediting of the Gang of Four, the song was temporarily banned, however was eventually re-permitted following lyrical alterations, largely reverting to the original lyrics and removing references to Anti-Americanism, the Cultural Revolution, and Mao Zedong.
Original lyrics
Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | English translation |
---|---|---|
我们走在大路上, 三面红旗迎风飘扬, 我们的朋友遍天下, 我们的道路多么宽广, | wǒ men zǒu zài dà lù shàng , sān miàn hóng qí yíng fēng piāo yáng , wǒ mén de péng yǒu biàn tiān xià , wǒ mén de dào lù duō me kuān guǎng , | We walk on the great road, The three red flags flutter in the wind. Our friends are all over the world, Our road is endlessly broad, |
Lyrics during the Cultural Revolution
Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | English translation |
---|---|---|
我们走在大路上, 万里河山红烂漫, 我们的朋友遍天下, 大海航行靠舵手, | wǒ men zǒu zài dà lù shàng , wàn lǐ hé shān hóng làn màn , wǒ mén dí péng yǒu biàn tiān xià , dà hǎi háng xíng kào duò shǒu , | We walk on the great road, Ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers shines crimson Our friends are all over the world, Sailing the seas depends on the helmsman, |
Contemporary lyrics
Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | English translation |
---|---|---|
我们走在大路上, 革命红旗迎风飘扬, 我们的道路洒满阳光, 我们的道路多么宽广, | wǒ men zǒu zài dà lù shàng , gé mìng hóng qí yíng fēng piāo yáng , wǒ mén dí dào lù sǎ mǎn yáng guāng, wǒ mén dí dào lù duō me kuān guǎng | We walk on the great road, The revolutionary red flag fluttered in the wind. Our road is full of sunshine. Our road is endlessly broad, |
See also
- Dong Fang Hong I
- The East Is Red (1965 film)
- Honglaowai
- Maoism
- "Ode to the Motherland"
- "Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman"
- "Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China"
- "The East Is Red again"
- The Long March
- The Great Leap Forward
References
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- v
- t
- e
1912–1949
- How Great is Our China!
- China Heroically Stands in the Universe
- Song of Five Races Under One Union
- Song to the Auspicious Cloud
- March of the Volunteers
- National Anthem of the Republic of China
- National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China
- 800 Heroes Song
- The Sword March
- Along the Sungari River
- The Great Wall Ballad
- Guerrillas' Song
- In the Taihang Mountains [zh]
- Marshal Training Soldier Song
- Song of the National Revolution
- Gong Xi Gong Xi
People's Republic of China
- March of the Volunteers
- Workers, Peasants and Soldiers, Unite [zh]
- The East is Red
- The Internationale
- Military Anthem of the Eighth Route Army
- Nanniwan
- Ode to the Motherland
- Song of the Military and Political University of Resistance Against Japan
- Three Rules and Eight Notices
- Unity is Strength
- Osmanthus Flowers Blooming Everywhere in August
- The Sky Above the Liberated Zone
- When Motherland Calls Upon Us
- Yellow River Cantata
- To the Rear of the Enemy
- I Love Beijing Tiananmen
- March of the People's Liberation Army
- I Love the Motherland's Blue Skies
- My Motherland
- Long Live Comrade Mao for Ten Thousand Years
- Red Star Shines
- Socialism is Good
- I Am a Soldier [zh]
- Learn from Comrade Lei Feng
- Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman
- Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China
- My Chinese Heart
- My People, My Country
- Bloodstained Glory
- Loyalty to the Country
- Story of Spring
- When That Day Comes
- Towards Revival
- I Love You, China
- On the Great Road
since 1949
- National Anthem of the Republic of China
- National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China
- Ode to the Republic of China
- The Plum Blossom
- 800 Heroes Song
- Night Raid [zh]
- Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Song
- Chiang Ching-kuo Memorial Song
- Go and Reclaim the Mainland
- Taiwan Is Good
- The Anti-Communist and Anti-Russian Aggression Song