Changsha poetry society chants Chinese traditional culture

Changsha's Xiaoxiang Poetry Society helps bring China's ancient lunisolar calendar to life and promotes Chinese traditional culture, Xinhua reported on Jan 9.

Based on observations of the sun's perceived annual motion, the ancient Chinese created a calendar dividing the year into 24 segments, each given a specific "solar term", or jieqi. The system provided a time frame for agriculture, everyday life and festivals.

The Chinese 24 Solar Terms were added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Nov 30, 2016.

Centering on traditional culture of the 24 solar terms, the society has organized a series of cultural activities including lectures, artistic performances, telling of stories and readings of classical and modern poems and prose, a cultural feast for participants and others. 

"Minor cold is the 23rd solar term (falling on Jan 5 this year), announcing the coldest period of a year," said Hu Shubing, one of the initiators. "This time, we selected 'regimen' as the topic of our poem-chanting. The chanting activity is held in a Chinese medical center." 

Song Zhuanzi, one of the planners of the themed activity, said that "it's difficult to promote agricultural culture among urban residents, so we organized the activity to help people realize the charms of traditional culture and improve their aesthetic taste." 

The 24 Solar Terms, a traditional Chinese calendar that summarizes different seasonal phenomena, have inspired many artists from poets and painters to composers. 

"Every time, we release advance notice, attracting a large number of participants, including amateur poets and local residents," Yan Xiaofeng, a volunteer, introduced. 

"Joining the poetry society can exert a subtle influence on children," said Changsha local Wang Yingying, adding that cultural activities, different from preaching, are well received by them.

For more than 10 years, the Xiaoxiang poetry society has been building up a cultural brand and great popularity among people in Changsha city and Hunan province. It has contributed greatly to easy access to traditional culture. 

"We members of the society have normal jobs, and get together because of a shared love for all forms of poetry," Yan said. "The society also offers a platform for all members to learn from each other.