▁" H istor ical ▁Records ". ▁The ▁title , ▁Do ▁Not ▁Say ▁We ▁Have ▁Nothing , ▁is ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁Chinese ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁left - wing ▁anth em : ▁" The ▁Intern ationale ", ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁st ap le ▁anth em ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁China ▁after ▁Qu ▁Q i ub ai ’ s ▁translation ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁version ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 . ▁Within ▁the ▁plot ▁of ▁the ▁novel ▁this ▁anth em ▁occurs ▁at ▁numerous ▁points , ▁particularly ▁as ▁a ▁r ally ing ▁cry ▁for ▁the ▁student ▁protest ers ▁at ▁T ian an men ▁Square , ▁at ▁which ▁A i - M ing ▁and ▁S par row ▁are ▁present : ▁" The ▁people ▁around ▁her ▁were ▁we eping . ▁At ▁the ▁front , ▁the ▁student ▁leaders ▁began ▁to ▁sing ▁the ▁Intern ationale ." ▁( Th ien ▁ 4 3 8 ). ▁Also ▁referenced ▁in ▁the ▁novel ▁is ▁the ▁song ▁" The ▁East ▁is ▁Red ", ▁which ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁the ▁uno fficial ▁national ▁anth em ▁during ▁the ▁Cultural ▁Revolution ▁within ▁which ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁events ▁in ▁the ▁K ai ▁and ▁S par row ' s ▁sub plots ▁occur . ▁Additionally , ▁the ▁novel ▁refers ▁to ▁" S ong ▁of ▁the ▁Gu err illas ", ▁a ▁Chinese ▁anth em ▁that ▁describes ▁Chinese ▁gu err illa ▁f igh ters ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁S ino - J apan ese ▁War . ▁In ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁interview , ▁Th ien ▁created ▁a ▁" Book ▁Note