Nie Er, formerly known as Nie Shouxin, was born in Kunming, Yunnan Province in February 1912. In 1927, he was admitted to Yunnan Provincial First Normal School. Joined the Communist Youth League of China in 1928. In 1930, he went to Shanghai to join the Anti-Imperialist Alliance and actively participated in revolutionary literary and artistic activities under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

In early 1933, Nie Er was introduced to the Communist Party of China by Tian Han. From then on, Nie Er not only gained new political life, but also further developed his artistic talent, becoming a pioneer of Chinese new music and an anti-fascist warrior. In the following two years, Nie Er composed more than 30 theme songs and interludes for operas, dramas and films, such as "New Woman", "Pathblazer", "Song of the Road", "Song of Advance", "Graduation Song" and "Song Girl Under the Iron Heel". First, it was widely sung throughout the country and played a positive role in inspiring the people's anti-Japanese and national salvation movement. His compositions such as "Dance of the Golden Snake", "Spring Dawn on the Green Lake", "Couple in the Mountain Country", etc. are deeply loved by people.

In 1935, Nie Er composed the theme song "March of the Volunteers" for the movie "Children of the Storm", which reflected the Chinese nation's great patriotism spirit of being united as one, uniting against aggression, fighting bravely, and moving forward when the nation was in danger. , inspired the heroic spirit of the Chinese people to fight the Japanese invaders to the end. Once this work was born, it immediately seemed to have wings and was sung everywhere in the motherland, playing the strongest voice of the era to save the national crisis. In September 1949, the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference determined "March of the Volunteers" as the current national anthem. In December 1982, the Fifth Plenary Session of the Fifth National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China determined "March of the Volunteers" as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China.

Because the large number of songs composed by Nie Er reflected the aspirations of the people and became powerful weapons and battle calls to inspire the people, educate the people, and attack the enemy, this aroused the reactionary authorities' hatred of him and wanted to arrest Nie Er. Ear. Nie Er left Shanghai in accordance with the decision of the party organization and went to the Soviet Union via Japan. On July 17, 1935, Nie Er unfortunately drowned and died while swimming at the Honuma Beach in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He was only 23 years old.