Ode to a New Era—the 2018 Qu Yuan Dragon Boat Poetry Meeting is held in Yichang

The 2018 Qu Yuan Dragon Boat Poetry Meeting（Photo by Wang Jianfeng）

The 2018 Qu Yuan Dragon Boat Poetry Meeting, which falls on June 14 evening, is held in Yichang, Hubei Province. In the feelings and forms of poems, this meeting has greatly cheered for the new era. The vice-chairman of China Writers Association, secretary of the Secretariat, famous poet Jidi Majia, the Director of Taiwan Affairs Office Huang Wentao, the member of the standing committee of Hubei Province and Minister of Publicity Department Wang Yanling, the secretary of municipal Party committee of Yichang Zhou Ji, the vice governor of Hubei Province Yang Yuhua, the mayor of Yichang Zhang Jiasheng and other leaders and guests have attended this meeting. Zhou Ji, on behalf of the city of Yichang, awarded Jidi Majia as "the Poet Laureate of Chinese Poetry City”. Zhang Jiasheng, on behalf of the city of Yichang, awarded Lei Yangping and other ten poets as the “Ambassador of Chinese Poetry City.

Zhou Ji, the member of the standing committee of Hubei Province and the secretary of municipal Party committee of Yichang, awarded Jidi Majia as "the Poet Laureate of Chinese Poetry City”. (Photo by Wang Jianfeng)

Ten poets are awarded as the “Ambassador of Chinese Poetry City. (Photo by Wang Jianfeng)

Poetry recitation Calling For Qu Yuan( Photo by Wang Jianfeng)

Hosted by Wang Guobin, the member of the standing committee and the minister of publicity department of the city of Yichang, Zhang Jiasheng has delivered a welcome speech, this poetry meeting has one preface calling for Qu Yuan and three main chapters, namely, home in the Yangtze River, love in music and paintings, ode to the new era. A total of 16 programs, including poetry recitation and singing and dancing, not only has integrated the unique historical and cultural elements of Qu Yuan's hometown, but also let the audience incorporate into the poetic and pictorial splendor. This meeting is also closely linked to the theme of the green development of the Yangtze River, and the new era has been greatly chanted.

The poetry meeting is acclaimed by audiences (Photo by Ai Tao)

Over 40 famous poets including Ye Yanbin, Li Shaojun, Wang Jiaxin, Chen Xianfa, Lei Pingyang, Gu He, Hu Xian, Duo Yu, Zhang Zhihao, Yu Xiuhua and others and 15 famous recitation artists, famous actors and hosts including Qu Xianhe, Xu Tao, Na Sen, Yan Jilie, Zang Jinsheng, Wen Yujuan, Shi Ke are gathering in the city of Yichang to appreciate the beauty of poetry and mourn for Qu Yuan, the famous patriotic poet.

The famous artist Qu Xianhe is reciting Memory (Photo by Wang Jianfeng)

The CCTV host Na Sen is reciting Thinking of Yichang in Dragon Boat Festival (Photo by Wang Jianfeng)

The actor Shi Ke from Yichang is reciting Wang Zhaojun Lute Music （Photo by Wang Jianfeng）

It is introduced that Yichang is the hometown of Qu Yuan, the great patriotic poet. Li Bai, Du Fu, Ouyang Xiu and Su Dongpo have also left classical works in Yichang. According to incomplete statistics, the poets of past dynasties wrote more than 5000 poems and songs to recall Qu Yuan and eulogize the Three Gorges in Yichang.

Collective recitation of Gratitude to New Era （Photo by Wang Jianfeng）

Nowadays, poetry culture has been well developed among the people in Yichang. According to statistics, in recent years, Yichang has held over 50 large poetry activities annually, and more than one hundred thousand people have participated in the creation and performance of all kinds of poetry activities. In 2014, with the approval of the Chinese Writers Association, the Chinese Poetry Society awarded Yichang as "the city of Chinese poetry".     

Yichang has been an active force in introducing poetry cultures into private sectors, schools, communities and enterprise from all year around. In this year’s 2018 Qu Yuan Dragon Boat Poetry Meeting, many inheritance and grass-roots activities like eulogizing classical poems will be carried out to make the flowers of poems blossom throughout the city.