Chinese poet Jidi Majia (L), vice-president of the China Writers Association, is awarded Lifetime Achievement Prize of Silver Willow during the third Cambridge Xu Zhimo Poetry Art Festival at the Cambridge University's King's College in Cambridge, Britain, July 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Tang Chao)
Chinese poet Jidi Majia was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Prize of Silver Willow during the third Cambridge Xu Zhimo Poetry Art Festival, which opened Saturday at the Cambridge University's King's College.
The organizing committee said Jidi Majia is one of the most eminent poets in China and one of the most famous Chinese poet of ethnic minority who is active in contemporary world poetic circles.
Highlighting the role of poetry in communication among human spirits, Majia said in his speech that "It is gratifying to note that when many confrontations or potential confrontations occur, poetry miraculously becomes the most secretive way for communication among human spirits and mind."
"In that space, Eastern poets, Western poets, Jewish poets and Muslim poets can find the joy and resonance the human spiritual and ideal world created by poetry," he added.
The theme of the festival is "Cam River, Cambridge". Almost 200 poets, writers, calligraphers and scholars from all over the world will gather to read poems, exchange ideas, and hold seminars and thematic exhibitions at the bank of River Cam, the place where Chinese renowned poet Xu Zhimo wrote the wellknown poem "Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again".
In addition, during the festival, King's Choir, the choir with British or the world's highest chorus also display the Chinese song Molihua (Jasmine), which was originated from the folk song in Jiangsu province, later recomposed by famous conductor Knight Stephen Cleobury and then recorded to be CDs.
As a uniquely excellent overseas chorus, King's College Choir releases album with the Chinese song as the theme song. Under the guidance of Knight Stephen Cleobury, King's College Choir performed Molihua at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Nanjing Museum and other famous art museum in 2016.
During the festival, four artworks exhibitions are also held in the King's College.
In the thematic exhibitions of "River Cam, Cambridge," over 20 artists with different backgrounds exhibit their calligraphy, painting and porcelain artworks.
The Cambridge Xu Zhimo Poetry & Art Festival started in 2008. The King's College of Cambridge University set up stone inscribed with Xu Zhimo's best-known poem under the shade of willows at the bank of the River Cam to commemorate the Chinese poet, who's also an outstanding alumni of the King's College, for his contribution to Sino-British cultural exchanges.
The stone inscribed with Xu Zhimo's best-known poem marks the first time for this college to set up memorial stone for its alumni. Over the past decade, many Chinese tourists have come to King's College, and the stone of the King's College becomes a must-visit place for many Chinese tourists.
The Cambridge Xu Zhimo Poetry & Art Festival is co-hosted and organized by the cultural protection project of "Cambridge Rivers Project", Cambridge Rivers Press and Development Department of the King's College. After three years' development, the festival has become one of the largest and most influential Sino-British cultural exchange activities in Britain.
