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The phrase (live for) ten thousand years (Traditional
Chinese: 萬歲；
Simplified Chinese: 万岁,
pinyin: wànsùi) in
Chinese and banzai in
Japanese was used to bless emperors in
East Asia. It can be repeated multiple times (in China, it was
customary to pay respects to the
Emperor by saying "Wansui, wansui, wanwansui"; the last one indicates
ten thousand ten thousands, or 100
million years). It is usually translated into English as "Long live!"
although it has historical connotations that are not present in the
English phrase. "Ten
thousand" in
Chinese numerals has a connotation of
infinity, innumerability, similar to Greek
myriad.
Although it was once used casually like "Cheers to your health", it
came to be used by the emperor during the
Tang Dynasty. It became a prayer from the emperor's long life and
reign. In later Imperial history, using it to address someone other than
the emperor was considered an act of rebellion and consequently highly
dangerous. In modern times the term is posted on the gates of the
Forbidden City in which there are large signs which read "Long live
the People's Republic of China" and "Long live the unity of the world's
people". During the
Cultural Revolution, the saying was commonly used to toast
Mao Zedong - "Mao Zhuxi Wansui!" With these exceptions the term has
largely fallen into disuse in Chinese societies.
It was introduced to
Japan, but at that time, was pronounced "banzei". Its early instances
can be found in the 8th century. It expressed respect for the
emperor in Japan too.
Banzei was revived as "banzai" after the
Meiji Restoration. Banzai as a formal ritual was established in the
promulgation of the
Meiji Constitution in 1889 when university students shouted banzai in
front of the emperor's carriage.
At the same time, banzai also came to be used unrelated to the emperor.
The supporters of freedom and people's rights movements began to shout "Jiyū
banzai" (自由万歳 Long Live Freedom) in 1883. Today banzai becomes a word of
congratulation.
Wansui is pronounced manse in
Korean, whose usage was influenced by Japanese one. Historically, the
Koreans were not allowed to use manse for their king because it was
exclusively used for the Chinese emperor. Instead cheonse (千歲 one
thousand years) was used for the king of Korea.
Quotation
- "To chant 'Long live!' is to contradict natural laws. Everyone has
to die sooner or later, whether they be killed by germs, crushed by a
collapsing house, or blown to smithereens by an atom bomb. Anyway, one
way or another everyone ends up dead. After people die they shouldn't be
allowed to occupy any more space. They should be cremated. I'll take the
lead. We should all be burnt after we die, turned into ashes and used
for fertilizer. --Mao Zedong, in comments made when signing "A Proposal
that all Central Leaders be Cremated after Death" in November 1956
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