Tune of Li Zhongtang

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National anthems of China
"Pu Tian Yue" (unofficial) 1878–1896  "Tune of Li Zhongtang" (unofficial) 1896–1906  "Praise the Dragon Flag" (unofficial) 1906–1911  "Cup of Solid Gold" 1911–1912  "Song of Five Races Under One Union" 1912–1913  "Song to the Auspicious Cloud" 1913–1915  "China Heroically Stands in the Universe" 1915–1921  "Song to the Auspicious Cloud" 1921–1928  "Three Principles of the People" 1930–present  "The Internationale" 1931–1937  "March of the Volunteers" 1949–present
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The Tune of Li Zhongtang (simplified Chinese: 李中堂乐; traditional Chinese: 李中堂樂; pinyin: Lǐ Zhōng táng Yuè) is the first semi-official national song of China, written by Li Hongzhang in 1896 during the Qing dynasty. As an unofficial anthem for the dynasty, it was so named because "Zhongtang" was a bureaucratic title meaning viceroy or grand secretary.^[1]

In 1896, (the 22nd year of Guangxu), Li Hongzhang (李鴻章), Minister of Beiyang and Governor of Zhili, paid a diplomatic visit to Western Europe and Russia. As a national anthem was requested for the welcome ceremony, Li Hongzhang adopted a Tang dynasty poem by Wang Jian for the event.

As a former commander of the Beiyang Fleet, Li also wrote an anthem for it to the same tune.^[1]

Chinese Wikisource has original text related to this article:

李中堂樂

金殿当头紫阁重，
仙人掌上玉芙蓉，
太平天子朝天日，
五色云车驾六龙。

金殿當頭紫閣重，
仙人掌上玉芙蓉，
太平天子朝天日，
五色雲車駕六龍。

Jīndiàn dāng tóu zǐgè chóng,
Xiānrén zhǎng shàng yù fúróng,
Taìpíng Tiānzǐ cháo tiān rì,
Wǔ sè yúnchē jià liù lóng.

In the Golden Palace, amongst the overlapping purple pavilions,
Like a jade lotus flower in an immortal's palm,
The Son of Heaven of Supreme Peace pays tribute to Heaven's sun,
In its five-colour chariot of clouds, drawn by six dragons.

• Royal anthem
• Historical Chinese anthems
• Anthem of the Beiyang Fleet