At the award ceremony held today, the Chinese Poetry Society officially awarded Harbin the title of “City of Chinese Poetry”. The northern city, which gave birth to famous poets such as Xiao Hong and Liang Nan, became the first city in northeast China to receive this honor.
“From Xiao Hong’s poetic prose to the contemporary ice and snow poetry school, poetry has always been the city’s cultural gene.” Yang Ke, president of Chinese Poetry Society, said. The reporter saw in the central street that many citizens stopped to enjoy the poem engraved on the exterior wall of the Russian-style building. In Sophia Church Square, a group of primary school students are reciting classic poems about Harbin under the guidance of their teacher.
Harbin’s poetic tradition dates back to the early 20th century. In the 1920s, the Russian poet Palkau created a large number of works reflecting life in Harbin. In the 1930s, Xiao Hong depicted the customs of the North with poetic strokes in Shangshi Street, while Jin Jianxiao and other poets used poetry to awaken national consciousness. After the founding of New China, the Beidahuang poetry movement arose here, and poets such as Guo Xiaochuan created a large number of works reflecting the life of reclamation area.
Today, poetry has a new lease of life in the city. The chief editor of “Shilin” magazine told reporters that the poetry publication, which was founded 40 years ago, has cultivated tens of thousands of poets. At the Harbin Grand Theatre, the poetry stage play incorporating holographic technology allows the audience to have a “dialogue with Li Bai”. The “Ice City Poetry into the community” activity launched last year has allowed poetry to enter the homes of ordinary people.
“The title is a tribute to history and a promise for the future.” Harbin Federation chairman said. With the promotion of the preparations for the 9th Asian Winter Games in 2025, Harbin is using poetry as a medium to build a platform for cultural exchange in Northeast Asia. The second Sun Island Ice and Snow Poetry Festival received nearly a thousand submissions, many from Japan and South Korea and other countries.
As night falls, the “Poetry Corridor” beside the Songhua River lights up. From poems from the Republic of China period to new works by contemporary poets, this corridor bears witness to the century-old heritage of Harbin poetry. As the local poet says, “Poetry is found at every turn here.”