Gong Jin'ou
| English: Cup of Solid Gold | |
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| Gong Jin'ou | |
Sheet music in Gongche notation
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National and Royal anthem of  Qing dynasty China
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| Lyrics | Yan Fu |
| Adopted | 4 October 1911 |
| Relinquished | 12 February 1912 |
| Audio sample | |
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Gong Jin'ou
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The Cup of Solid Gold (simplified Chinese: 巩金瓯; traditional Chinese: 鞏金甌; pinyin: Gǒng Jīn'ōu; Wade–Giles: Kung3 Chin1-ou1, IPA: [kʊ̀ŋ tɕín.óu]), adopted by the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) on October 4, 1911, was the first official national anthem of China. The title wishes for the stability of the "golden cup," a ritual instrument that symbolized the empire. Six days after the anthem was adopted, however, the Wuchang Uprising took place and quickly led to the fall of the Qing. The Cup of Solid Gold was never performed publicly.
Ou 瓯／甌 was a kind of wine vessel. Jin'ou, or golden wine vessel, symbolized an "indestructible country". The Qing emperor used such a vessel for ritual purposes. Inlaid with pearls and gems, it was known as the "cup of eternal solid gold" (jin'ou yonggu bei 金瓯永固杯). Because gong 巩／鞏 means "to consolidate" or "to strengthen," the entire title may be translated as "strengthening our hold on the golden cup."
Yan Fu, who wrote the lyrics, glossed the title and first line of the anthem as "Firm and stable be the 'golden cup' (which means the empire)."
Imperial Chinese dynasties 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."
Qing diplomats were the first to suggest adopting an official anthem. Zeng Jize (1839–1890) — eldest son of statesman Zeng Guofan — was the Qing envoy to France, England, 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.
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