Poetry bridges cultures at Summer Palace event

Poetry, music, tea, and flowers came together at Beijing's Summer Palace on June 9 as Chinese and international guests gathered for a cultural exchange event celebrating the power of classical literature to connect civilizations across borders.

Held under the theme "Sharing poetry, bridging the world", the event took place at Yangyunxuan, or Hall of Nurturing Clouds, home to the Summer Palace Research Institute, and coincided with the opening of the World Conference of Classics in Greece and the approach of the second International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.

Using poetry as a cultural bridge and the classical Chinese garden as a living stage, the gathering invited participants from around the world to appreciate Chinese and international literary classics while exploring the role of poetry in fostering mutual understanding among cultures.

The event was jointly organized by China Daily, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and the Summer Palace Administration of Beijing.

Chinese guests included Zhu Baoxia, deputy publisher of China Daily; Zhao Gang, vice-president of Beijing Foreign Studies University; and Wang Shubiao, deputy director of the Summer Palace Administration and president of the Beijing Summer Palace Society.

The event also welcomed representatives of diplomatic missions in China, Sinologists, international content creators, and students from 11 countries — the United States, Italy, Serbia, Georgia, Argentina, France, Sweden, Nicaragua, India, Latvia, and Lebanon.

During the poetry appreciation salon, guests shared and interpreted Chinese and international literary classics, discussing the humanistic values embedded in the verses and poetry's enduring ability to transcend linguistic and national boundaries.

Drawing on the rich cultural heritage of the Summer Palace, Zhang Pengfei, deputy director of the Summer Palace Research Office, offered an in-depth reading of Emperor Qianlong's Impromptu Poem on Longevity Hill, guiding participants through the unique poetic imagery and cultural significance woven into China's imperial garden traditions.

Soldat Tatjana, director of the Serbian Cultural Center in Beijing, recited Li Bai's celebrated Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lushan. Reading the Tang Dynasty (618-907) masterpiece from a foreign perspective, she highlighted the grandeur and emotional power of China's poetic depiction of nature.

Hou Yiling, a professor at the School of English and International Studies at BFSU, delivered a moving rendition of Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei's Mountain Dwelling in Autumn, in the Evening Glow. Through his expressive recitation, he conveyed the poem's tranquil landscape, rhythmic beauty, and profound cultural spirit.

China Friendship Award recipient and American journalist Erik Nilsson of China Daily recited Wang Wei's Deer Enclosure, offering an international interpretation of the poem's minimalist imagery of empty mountains, quiet forests, and shifting light. His reading reflected the deep appreciation many overseas readers have developed for classical Chinese aesthetics.

Antoine Bunel, a French food expert residing in Beijing, read the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) poet Tao Yuanming's timeless poem, Drinking Wine, No 5, reflecting on the Chinese ideal of pastoral simplicity and a detached, contented state of mind.

Guests were also introduced to the beauty of Western classical poetry. Elisa Messina, Cultural Attache, Italian Cultural Institute in Beijing, joined Patrizia Liberati, literature & drama projects manager at the Italian Cultural Institute in Beijing, to interpret the Italian classic Alla luna, sharing the romantic imagination and emotional depth characteristic of the European poetic tradition.

Xu Xue, executive director of the Academy of Certified Chinese Tea Master, presented Tang Dynasty poet Lu Tong's famous tea poem, A Quick Note in Thanks to Censor Meng for Sending Fresh Tea. Connecting the poem's celebrated "seven bowls of tea" imagery with the philosophy of traditional Chinese tea culture, Xu offered participants an immersive glimpse into the spiritual dimension of Chinese tea aesthetics.

Beyond poetry, the event featured hands-on experiences in traditional Chinese culture. Guests took part in demonstrations of imperial-style flower arrangement and traditional tea arts, while an ensemble of Beijing Foreign Studies University's international students performed Chinese and international musical classics.

Participants created their own floral arrangements, sampled fine teas, and experienced Chinese lifestyle aesthetics through a multi-sensory setting where the fragrance of flowers mingled with tea aromas and poetry intertwined with music.

Organizers said the event sought to integrate classical poetry, garden culture, tea traditions, and intangible cultural heritage into an immersive platform for intercultural dialogue, promoting respect for cultural diversity and encouraging exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.