The Centennial Lilac Poetry Fair, themed "Salute to the Masters, Celebrating Centuries of Poetry," begins at Fayuan Temple in Xicheng District of Beijing on Wednesday, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore's visit to China.
The five-day event lasting until Sunday including a poetry creation and exchange activity, a cultural salon, lilac feature cultural creation market and other side events.
There are countless opportunities for not only litterateurs but all to connect with fellow poetry enthusiasts, compose their own masterpieces, and bask in the springtime splendor of Beijing.
On Thursday morning, the Lilac Poetry Saloon saw Russian, Indian, Britain, Egyptian and poets from other countries share insights with their Chinese counterparts.
Renowned Chinese poet Shu Ting shared at the event that Rabindranath Tagore was hugely influential on her early poems, saying that she was fascinated by his collections like Gitanjali from a young age.
Podareva Anastasia, a Russian poet, met poets and scholars from all over the world through this activity. She shared her understanding of ancient Chinese poetry and her feelings on cross-cultural and cross-language creation at the salon.
"The living habits of different countries are very divergent, but from the perspective of poetry creation, there is no big difference. Because poetry is the exchange between souls, you may not understand some foreign language, but you can taste the true feelings of a certain poet," she said.
Guests also toured museums to deepen their understanding of Chinese cultural heritage.
English poet Fiona Benson, on her first visit to China, said she was struck by realizing the incredible depth and antiquity of the Chinese traditional culture.
"I think I'm just realizing what an ancient civilization China is and how far back your poetic tradition stretches. I've been to the museum and we've seen texts from thousands of years ago. It's incredible, and I think there is so much that I need to learn," she said.
Indian poet Rati Saxena, who has visited China six times previously, sees philosophical parallels between Eastern wisdoms.
"China is the land of knowledge, poetry. I have been coming to China many many times and every time I gain something," she said.
Beyond the literary exchange, the cultural festival's organizers hope the event builds confidence in Chinese cultural heritage while embracing opportunities for global exchange.
"Poetry is also an important carrier of human civilization, so through this poetry fair, we communicate with friends from all over the world through diverse forms of poetry categories, fully demonstrating our confidence in our Chinese culture, while also showing our warm expectations for interaction, exchange and mutual learning with civilizations around the world," said Wu Yingmao, deputy director of Xicheng District Cultural Relics Protection and Management Center.
"I think China should be incredibly confident, because it's a cultural powerhouse, really. I think that's what I am learning, what a cultural giant China is, that's such an amazing thing to give to the world, the cultural heritage. I think it's incredible to share that with everybody," Benson said.
The Fayuan Temple's Lilac Poetry Fair is a traditional cultural event that has been passed down since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to this day, spanning centuries. Notable literary figures like Ji Xiaolan, Gu Tinglin, Gong Zizhen, and Lin Zexu have all been part of this historic tradition.
Lilac poetry festival blossoms with global literary exchange
