The award ceremony of the 1st poetry festival of Southeast University——“Our June” was successfully convened at Jiulonghu Campus on October 29. Ren Lijian, Vice Secretary of CPC Committee and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of Southeast University, Lv Jin, Honorary President of Chongqing Municipal Literary Federation and NewPoetry Research Institute of Southwest University, Renowned Taiwan Poet Yang Ping, Critic Professor Jiang Xiquan, Director of Former Chinese Department of Jiangsu Second Normal University, Li Qiang, Chief Editor of the literal journal “Youth”, Cai Kelin, Chief Editor of U. S. Huston Poetry, Kong Fanxun, Vice Chairman of the Literary Federation of Yuhua District, Ping Zi, Vice Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Jiangning District, principals of the CPC Publicity Department, the Youth League Commission, the Graduate School, the Trade Union, the CPC Old Cadre Office and the Development Committee, etc. of Southeast University, some schools and departments including the School of Humanities as well as representatives of the winners attended the award ceremony.
Vice Secretary Ren Lijian addressed the ceremony. He first expressed his great congratulations to the award-winning teachers and students; on behalf of the university, he further extended his heartfelt appreciations to the experts and scholars from Taiwan and mainland for their professional support and guidance in the poetry festival. He pointed out that the poetry festival was convened to enable all teachers and students to find the long-lost poetry’s poetic flavor beyond stress and express their understandings about the times, the society and the life through poetry. He emphasized that Southeast University, as a centennial university, highlighted its profound tradition of literature, history and philosophy. We can feel the flow of poetry at each campus; therefore, the expression of poetry should not be lacked. Deputy Secretary Ren Lijian pointed out that Southeast University should cultivate cutting-edge talents who would make innovation for the nation and the country. He encouraged students to accept the poetry edification initiatively, cultivate the ability of feeling the beauty of poetry, feeling and expressing the poetic quality of life; thus all of us can study and live in Southeast University and Southeast University can develop itself to an internationally top-ranking university in the accompany of poetic quality.
Professor Lv Jin, in his speech, expressed his congratulations on the successful conclusion of the 1stpoetry festival of Southeast University. By quoting the original text of Ideas of University, as composed byBritish Cardinal John Henry Newman in the 19th century, he emphasized that although the university is not a place to cultivate poets, if a university cannot inspire the poetic quality among young people, this university would be unattractive. He also pointed out that the poetic dwelling shall be a kind of watching, watching the peace of mind, watching the poetry and hope far away. He expected each student of Southeast University could have a poetic life and be a poetic person.
At the award ceremony, Professor Wang Ke from Modern Chinese Poetry Research Institute, Director of the Chinese Department of Southeast University, introduced the review process and pointed out that the review system adopted by the poetry festival, that is, the preliminary review by the intramural teachers and then the final review by extramural teachers in adherence to the principle of impartiality, fairness and openness. Mr. Yang Ping, a Taiwanese poet, on behalf of the ten final review experts of the first poetry contest of Southeast University, commented on the entries. He highly praised the students' passion and talent in poetry. Afterwards Mao Huixi, Director of the CPC Publicity Department of Southeast University announced the list of award-winning works and commendations. Then the guests presented awards to the winners accordingly.
In the poetry reading section, Cheng Mingxi, the retired comrades’ representative and the former Director of Higher Education Research Institute, Xia Guangcan, the employees’ award-winning representative and physician of Zhongda Hospital, Wang Chuhong, the alumni’s award-winning representative and Editor of “Zhongshan” Periodical Office under Jiangsu Province Writers’ Association, Yan Dongnan from the School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, as the students’ award-winning representative read their award-winning poems on the stage respectively. Pan Zirou and Zhu Shengchi, members of the school's radio station, recited the “Singthe Pine Trees of Six Dynasties” and the “Centennial Southeast University”, “Happy Donation to the Hope Project on the Teachers’ Day” and other award-winning poems.
It is reported that the first poetry festival: “Your June” of Southeast University has been widely acclaimed by teachers and students since its launch in May of this year. Almost 500 entries from 283 participants including young students, in-service and retired teacher staff, alumni from home and abroad, etc. have been received. Upon two rounds of meticulous and fair review by experts from intramural and extramural experts,a total of 121 award-winning works were selected. Meanwhile, the poetry-themed series seminar: “Forum on Humanities of Southeast University” in respect of poetry creation, poetry appreciation and relevant theoretical research, etc. was also convened during the poetry festival. Seven hotshot scholars were invited to deliver several brilliant lectures to students of Southeast University.