The Nie Er Memorial (聶耳記念碑) in Shōnan Beach Park (湘南海岸公園)

Nie Er Memorial Square (聶耳記念広場)

Nie Er (traditional Chinese: 聶耳, simplified Chinese: 聂耳) (1912-1935) was a Chinese violinist and composer from Kunming in Yunnan Province, China.

He became a member of the Chinese Communist Party in 1933.

In April 1935, upon receiving information that the Chinese Nationalist authorities were planning his arrest, he escaped to Japan, where his elder brother lived.  However, some accounts suggest he was passing through Japan en route to the Soviet Union or Europe to study.

Cenotaph of Nie Er

Shortly after his arrival in Japan, he composed the theme song for the patriotic Chinese film "Children of Troubled Times," directed by Xu Xingzhi.  This song is now known as the "March of the Volunteers."

On July 17, 1935, he went missing while swimming at Kugenuma Beach and was found dead the following day.  His remains were returned to Kunming in October 1937, where he was buried.

When the song was adopted as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China in 1949, some citizens of Fujisawa initiated a campaign to commemorate Nie Er, leading to the construction of a cenotaph in 1954.  However, it was washed away during the Kanogawa Typhoon in 1958 and was rebuilt in September 1965.

Relief sculpture of Nie Er

In 1986, a relief sculpture was installed and the area was organized into the Nie Er Memorial Square (聶耳記念広場) as part of a project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death.  The Nie Er Memorial Preservation Society (聶耳記念碑保存会) holds a memorial ceremony every year on July 17.

Stone plaque inscribed with Nie Er's brief biography and the Preservation Society's activities in Chinese

Stone plaque from Kunming

On December 11, 2010, a stone plaque, made from materials sourced from Yunnan Province, inscribed with Nie Er's brief biography and details of the Preservation Society's activities in Chinese was placed at the site.

In 2011, a stone plaque, inscribed with the phrase "A single song serves the nation, astonishing the four seas; bridging two lands, bringing blessings to all people" in Chinese, was sent from the city of Kunming to commemorate their 30th anniversary of the sister city partnership with Fujisawa.