China HuiLi-Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award, Firstly Held in Huili Ancient City, Sichuan Province
On the Dragon Boat Festival of June 10th, 2024, along the ancient Tea-Horse Road connecting Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, there stands an ancient and thriving city, which echoes the poetry flavor of "a city of fireworks, a city of homesickness" and "nostalgia writings" by Yu Guangzhong. This national historical and cultural city, which has crossed the river of more than 2,100 years, attracts the world's attention with its profound historical, cultural heritage and unique national cultural charm. Today, it is also blooming poetic light - Poetry Traveling Thousands of Miles into Huili and Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award ceremony was firstly held in Huili ancient city. Attending the award ceremony were local leaders, Huili CPC, Mayor Xu Yang, Mr. Zhang Wei, Publicity Minister of Huili CPC Committee, Mr. Su Bin, Chairman of Liangshan Literary Federation, etc. Guests from all over the country include famous poet Jidi Majia, Director of the Poetry Committee of the Chinese Writers Association, former Vice chairman of the Chinese Writers Association, Mr. Li Xiaodong, Director of the Social Liaison Department of the Chinese Writers Association, Mr. Qiu Shuhong, Vice chairman of the Guangdong Writers Association and former chairman of the Zhongshan CPPC, and judges of the awards, such as famous poets Ye Yanbin, Luti (Taiwan), Qi Ren, Li Li and Zhou Zhanlin. There were winners Liang Ping, Shi Hao, Ma Xing, Gong Xueming and other poets, and nearly 100 writers and artists from the literary and art circles of Huili City attended the event.
Mr. Yu Guangzhong is a well-known poet at home and abroad. He loves traditional Chinese culture and praises "China, the most beautiful mother country". His poem "nostalgia" is a famous poem and his name is clearly engraved in the history of new Chinese literature. In order to commemorate and inherit the poetic spirit of Mr. Yu Guangzhong, entrusted by Mr. Yu Guangzhong's relatives, “Poetry Traveling Thousands of Miles” Organizing Committee and Taiwan's "Autumn Water" poetry magazine jointly organized "Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award", and Ms. Fan Weicun, Yu Guangzhong's wife, served as the general consultant.
Mr. Qi Ren, director of the organizing committee of Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award, said that the poetry award named after Yu Guangzhong aimed to carry forward Mr. Yu Guangzhong's contribution to the development of Chinese poetry and cross-strait exchanges, rewarding Chinese excellent poets, and encouraging poets to sing for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Mr. Ye Yanbin, director of the jury committee of the first Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award, introduced the selection process. Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award was launched in 2021, collecting poetry collections and poetry reviews published in the mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao from 2018 to 2020. 12 poetry collections and 3 reviews were selected from many submitted works, and 6 winners were finally selected by the jury. Among them, Liang Ping's poetry collection Time Notes received the highest vote and won the main prize of "Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award", Shi Hao's On the Land, Liu Xiaoyi's Blue Soul (female, Taiwan), Gong Xue-ming's Daddy Ballad, Ma Xing's Knock on the Door and other four poets works won the "Poet of the Year Award". The 94-year-old famous poet Yan Zhen was awarded "Yuguangzhong Poetry Award - Lifetime Achievement" for his artistic achievements in poetry and his great contribution to the development of new poetry by founding Poetry Newspaper in 1984 and promoting the new poetry development.
The famous poet Jidi Majia said in his speech, Mr. Yu Guangzhong was one of the most important poets in the contemporary Chinese world. His poetry inherits and creatively presents the aesthetic spirit of classical Chinese poetry. His work and the remarkable achievements made by Taiwan poetry in the second half of the 20th century are undoubtedly an integral part of the overall pattern of Chinese new poetry. Through exchanges between the two sides of mother tongue as the carrier, we can jointly promote the prosperity and development of Chinese culture facing the 21st century. I believe that this poetry award of special significance will certainly play its unique and charming role if it continues to be held.
It is a cultural practice of Huili Municipal Party committee and Municipal government to invite “the First Yu Guangzhong Poetry Award to land on Huili city，demonstrating positive response to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s initiative “to let the residents see the mountains, see the water, and remember their homesickness”. Huili City Mayor Xu Yang said, The realm of "nostalgia" in Yu Guangzhong's poetry reflects the human truth of "one family on both sides of the Taiwan Strait", and makes the spirit of Yu Guangzhong's poetry shine brightly, which is the good wish and common mission of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
（translations into Chinese by HaiAn）
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