A hundred years of lilacs have bloomed in the soil of memory, their delicate fragrance distilling the essence of poetry itself. Across a century, lilac petals have borne witness to the evolution of verse, crystallizing a poetic charm that continues to infuse new life into cultural landscapes. In this spirit, a new chapter was inscribed in the literary annals of a city steeped in tradition and replete with dreams.
On the 11th of April, the field research activities of the 2025 “Centennial Lilac Poetry Gathering” unfurled their fragrant wings beneath the ancient gables of Beijing’s Fayuan Temple, a sacred site with a legacy stretching back over a thousand years. Hosted by the Publicity Department of the Xicheng District Committee and organized by the October Literature Academy, this poetic pilgrimage brought together more than fifty esteemed poets and scholars from across the globe.
Among them were Stephen Smith of the United Kingdom, a poet and celebrated translator whose verses span continents; Lei Zhen from Germany, a lyrical voice and seasoned Sinologist; laureates of the First Global Chinese Poetry Competition of the Lilac Poetry Gathering; rising literary voices from the Lilac Poetry Gathering·University Poetry Creation Alliance; and representatives from the North American Poetry Association. This gathering marked not only a convergence of poetic minds but also a communion of cultures across space and time.
As the participants traced the worn stone paths of Xuan Nan Cultural Museum and the cloisters of ancient temples, they engaged in a profound dialogue that transcended languages, borders, and generations. It was a field journey where classical grace met contemporary spirit — a day when “the fragrance of ink wafted from the ancient temple eaves, and poetic cadences flowed like spring water through the alleys of the old town.” Each footstep was a stanza, each shared reflection a verse in the living epic of lilac poetry.
Thus concluded not merely a field activity, but an odyssey of verse — a ceremonial tribute to the enduring beauty of lilacs and the unbroken thread of human expression.
