Shaanxi charms poets from afar
Mexican poet Manuel Cuautle poses for a picture with an actor portraying Tang poet Li Bai in front of a terracotta warrior at the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 15, 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The 2025 International Youth Poetry Festival—Special Session for China-Latin American nations brought together 40 poets from 15 Latin American and Caribbean countries to explore Xi'an and Shangluo in Shaanxi province, alongside 37 Chinese poets, from Sunday to Thursday.
Upon arriving in Xi'an on Sunday evening, the poets were welcomed by a grand ceremony at the city's iconic Yongning Gate. The following day, they explored the history of the Qin and Han dynasties (220 BC - 220) through visits to the world-renowned Terracotta Warriors and the Shaanxi History Museum.
Bolivian poet Jessica Freudenthal poses for a picture with an actress clad in Tang Dynasty attire at the Yongning Gate in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 14, 2025. [Photo by Xue Bo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
At the Twelve Hours of Chang'an theme block, the poets, dressed in Tang Dynasty (618-907) attire, were transported back to the heyday of the Tang Dynasty. They experienced the vibrant urban life in Chang'an, once a hub of both eastern and western cultures and the starting point of the Silk Road. At Tang Paradise, a theme park adjacent to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, they were treated to a captivating performance of Dongcang drum music, a royal musical form from the Tang Dynasty.
The poets also visited three local universities—Northwest University, Shaanxi Normal University and Xi'an International Studies University—where they participated in poetry readings and discussions with students passionate about poetry.
Panamanian poet Javier Alvarado poses for a picture in front of the terracotta horses at the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 15, 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
On Wednesday, festival participants journeyed to the Qinling Mountains, where they visited Zhongnanshan village in Zhashui county, Shangluo. Local folk performances, handicrafts, and snacks enthralled the poets who had travelled across the Pacific Ocean to China.
During their stay in the mountains, Chinese and Latin American poets staged a lively poetry reading, collaborated on a poem dedicated to the Qinling Mountains, and engaged in academic dialogues to share their thoughts and methods of poetry writing.
The festival will continue in Beijing on Friday and Saturday.
Dominican poet Thais Espaillat Urena and Brazilian poet Ricardo Domeneck pose for a picture during their visit to the Twelve Hours of Chang'an theme block in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 15, 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Argentine poet Maximiliano Legnani (center) talks to a creative cultural product vendor at the Twelve Hours of Chang'an theme block in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 15, 2025. [Photo by Xue Bo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Cuban poet Giselle Lucia Navarro and Peruvian poet Nilton Santiago pose for a picture at Twelve Hours of Chang'an theme block in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 15, 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Chinese and Latin American poets hold discussions at Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 16, 2025. [Photo by Xue Bo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Latin American poets try their hands on pulling noodles at Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 16, 2025. [Photo by Xue Bo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Poets interact with students at Xi’an International Studies University in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 16, 2025. [Photo by Xue Bo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Chinese and Latin American poets watch the grand Tang Dynasty-themed welcoming ceremony at the Yongning Gate in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Sept 14, 2025. [Photo by Xue Bo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
