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Chinese Teenager Wins Poetry Conference Championship; Youth’s Interest in Traditional Poetry Rises

| Feb 12, 2017 07:22 AM EST

Wu Yishu is the16-year-old winner of the Chinese Poetry Conference.

The winner of the contest is Wu Yishu, a high school student from Fudan University, who won the final round of the Chinese Poetry Competition. The conference for nine days and Wu won among 100 contestants.

The Chinese Poetry Competition is a TV show that has a poetry theme and aims to promote classical Chinese literature amid China's path to modernization.

Judges of the competition came from the country's top universities. One of the judges admired the young woman's modest disposition.

Meng Man, an associated professor at Minzu University of China and one of the show's judges, said, "Her heart has absorbed the charm of poetry. Wu is also modest. She just stands there, calm and relaxed. She makes you feel a poetic sentiment just by being there."

She was also seen as the "perfect image of a talented woman from ancient times."

There is a widening interest in Chinese poetry among the youth due to increased media promotion and government officials setting an example.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is a passionate advocate of classical Chinese literature. During his speech given last Spring Festival, he quoted poems from Wang Wei of the Tang Dynasty and a poem from Wang Anshi of the Song Dynasty.

President Xi has used the term "culture confidence," meaning that Chinese should be proud of their culture and traditions and re-familiarize themselves with the rich Chinese poetic traditions.

"I think desensitization is pathetic. We should have these classics deeply rooted in students' minds. They should be the cultural genes of the Chinese nation," Xi said.

The president also was quoted to saying that people around the world should learn more about the Chinese people.

He once said in a press briefing, "Friends from the press, China needs to learn more about the world, and the world also needs to learn more about China."

He added, "I hope you will continue to make more efforts and contributions to deepening the mutual understanding between China and the countries of the world."

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