The National Museum of China in central Beijing has received a collection of vintage records, which includes the first recording of China's national anthem, "March of The Volunteers."

At a special ceremony for the occasion on Tuesday, a collection of 33 vintage records were donated to the National Museum of China. The most prominent item among them is a demo recording of "March of The Volunteers." It was cut in December of 1949, two months after the founding of the People's Republic of China. 

Another treasured item is a recording of "Ode to the Motherland" from the year 1951, a song widely regarded as second only to the national anthem.

The donor Wang Shilin said these are among only a tiny number of such vintage records still intact today. 

At the ceremony, he played both records on a hand-operated gramophone, and called for more donations of such music and other recordings for the public to enjoy. The museum also promised to step up its efforts to find more. 

The "March of the Volunteers" has been the national anthem of the People's Republic of China since its founding. Unlike previous Chinese national anthems, it is written entirely in vernacular Chinese, as opposed to the classical form.