Poetry festival closes in Xi'an

Video

Play VideoPoetry Festival opens in Xi´an

The second China Poetry Festival has concluded in Xi'an, in Shaanxi province in northwestern China.

The closing ceremony on Friday night took the form of a grand gala show of songs, dances, and poetry readings. Renowned poets and actors from across China recited classics in both prose and verse, including compositions from the Tang and Song Dynasties as well as essays by more recent authors.

This year, the festival included more than sixty activities, which allowed over four hundred poets and scholars to compare notes on the latest developments of poetry writing in China.

The festival's theme was "The Spirit of Poetry Amidst China's Prosperity". Special attention was paid to representing the distinct culture of the city of Xi'an, which served as the cultural center for a string of dynasties in China. During the Tang Dynasty in the 8th and 9th century, when poetry was at its pinnacle in China, the city was home to the most distinguished poets of the time.

The China Poetry Festival was organized by the Ministry of Culture, the China Writers' Association and the Shaanxi Provincial Government. It is set to be held every three years.