Moscow-Peking

Moskva-Peking (Russian: Москва–Пекин), also known as Moscow Beijing, or Russian man and Chinese man are brothers forever (Russian: Русский с китайцем — братья навек…) is a Soviet mass song written in 1949 by Vano Muradeli to lyrics by Mikhail Vershinin. The song was written to commemorate the foundation of the People's Republic of China as well as to emphasise fraternal and amicable relations by the Soviet Union and the newly Communist Chinese state.[1] Due to the Sino-Soviet Split during the 1960s, the song generally fell out of official favour by the end of the 1960s, and the lyric "Russians and Chinese, brothers forever" became a common ironic joke.[2]

History

The lyrics of Moscow-Peking were written in 1949 by Mikhail Vershinin for publication as a poem in a state-run magazine.[3] According to an interview by Izvestia, Vershinin was serving a sentence in a forced labour camp at the time that he wrote the poem, and wrote it in exchange for the reduction of his sentence.[3] By chance, composer Vano Muradeli read Vershinin's poem and decided commit it to music, commemorating both the 70th birthday of Joseph Stalin as well as the foundation of the People's Republic of China.[3] The original version of the song also directly referenced Stalin, although this lyric was replaced after the ascension of Khrushchev.[2] Before the Sino-Soviet Split, the song was used frequently at state events, in particular those involving China. The song was also played personally for Mao Zedong by the Alexandrov Ensemble during a tour of Beijing, a showing which sufficiently impressed Mao to the point of asking to meet the composer.[3] Stalin was also known to be partial to the song, and awarded Vano Muradeli a Stalin Prize. After the Sino-Soviet Split, the song was rarely heard, due to it being considered politically unacceptable.

Lyrics
RussianTransliteration (BGN/PCGN)English translation

Русский с китайцем братья вовек.
Крепнет единство народов и рас.
Плечи расправил простой человек,
С песней шагает простой человек,
Сталин и Мао слушают вас*.

Припев:
Москва - Пекин.
Москва - Пекин.
Идут, идут вперёд народы.
За светлый путь, за прочный мир
Под знаменем свободы.

Слышен на Волге голос Янцзы,
Видят китайцы сиянье Кремля;
Мы не боимся военной грозы;
Воля народов сильнее грозы;
Нашу победу славит Земля.

Припев

В мире прочнее не было уз;
В наших колоннах ликующий Май.
Это шагает Советский Союз;
Это могучий Советский Союз,
Рядом шагает новый Китай!

Припев

Russkiy s kitaytsem brat'ya vovek.
Krepnet yedinstvo narodov i ras.
Plechi raspravil prostoy chelovek,
S pesney shagayet prostoy chelovek,
Stalin i Mao slushayut vas*.

Pripev:
Moskva - Pekin.
Moskva - Pekin.
Idut, idut vperod narody.
Za svetlyy put', za prochnyy mir
Pod znamenem svobody.

Slyshen na Volge golos Yantszy,
Vidyat kitaytsy siyan'ye Kremlya;
My ne boimsya voyennoy grozy;
Volya narodov sil'neye grozy;
Nashu pobedu slavit Zemlya.

Pripev

V mire prochneye ne bylo uz;
V nashikh kolonnakh likuyushchiy May.
Eto shagayet Sovetskiy Soyuz;
Eto moguchiy Sovetskiy Soyuz,
Ryadom shagayet novyy Kitay!

Pripev

Russian man and Chinese man are brothers forever.
The unity of peoples and races grows stronger
A simple man has straightened his shoulders
A simple man strides with a song
Stalin and Mao are listen to us*.

Chorus:
Moscow - Beijing.
Moscow - Beijing.
People are go, go forward.
For the bright path, for lasting peace
Under the banner of freedom.

The voice of the Yangtze is heard on the Volga
The Chinese see the brightness of the Kremlin;
We are not afraid of a military storm;
The will of the nations is stronger than the thunderstorm;
The globe glorifies our victory.

Chorus

There was no stronger bond in the world;
There is a jubilant May in our columns.
It is the Soviet Union is striding;
This is the mighty Soviet Union.
Alongside the new China is striding!

Chorus

  • In post-1956 versions of the song, this lyric was replaced with 'friendship forever in our hearts'

See also

References
  1. "1 октября (1949 г.) День образования Китайской Народной Республики. Парад войск. Песня "Москва — Пекин". - ГРУППА - ЗЕТА".
  2. Русский с китайцем братья навек. // Серов В. В. Энциклопедический словарь крылатых слов и выражений. — М.: Локид-Пресс, 2005. — 852 с. — ISBN 5-320-00323-4.
  3. Лукашин, Вячеслав (7 August 2007). "Привет от Мао Цзэдуна..." Известия.
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