Shanghai International Poetry Festival has the right rhythm
International poets visit the Zikawei Library in Xuhui District on Saturday.
The eighth Shanghai International Poetry Festival raised its curtain on Saturday, offering a cultural feast for lovers of poetry.
The beauty of poetry resonated at Zikawei Library in Xuhui District, a new popular cultural and tourism landmark in the city.
This year's festival, with the theme "Poetry in the Age of Artificial Intelligence", will last four days.
Kunqu Opera "The Peony Pavilion" is performed at the opening ceremony.
Diversified literature events including seminars on poetry writing and artificial intelligence, poem reading, forums, poem solicitation and an award ceremony, as well as cultural exchange activities will be held.
The events will be staged at former residence of Chinese literary master Ba Jin, the east branch of Shanghai Library, Jing'an District Library, Wanli Community of Putuo District, and Sinan Bookstore, according to the Xuhui District Administration of Culture and Tourism.
Under the theme, poets and readers will review and explore the relation between human and artificial intelligence.
Wole Soyinka visits the library.
During the opening ceremony, the 2023 Golden Magnolia International Poetry Prize was awarded to Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian poet.
"With his distinctive poems, Wole Soyinka has built up a grand and deep poetry garden," the jury said.
"His poems, full of powerful words, sincere attitude, profound thoughts, amazing images and whimsical ideas, convey the sorrow and love of the world, and express the pursuit of truth, the vision of the future, and the yearning for peace."
An Anthem to Humanism, a poem by Wole Soyinka, recited at the opening ceremony.
