12th Blossoms of Wisdom gathering held

Poster for the 12th Blossoms of Wisdom gathering

On April 10, 2023, the 12th Blossoms of Wisdom gathering was held in Cuijin Garden of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum. This signature cultural program was co-hosted by the museum, the Chinese Poetry Society, and the School of Literature of Nankai University, and was attended by more than 70 scholars and artists from poetry and art circles.

Wu Zhao plays a traditional Chinese musical composition for guqin – Three Variations on the Plum Blossom.

The event began with a guqin performance of Three Variations on the Plum Blossom by Wu Zhao, an inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage item (guqin), and was followed by speeches by Feng Nai’en, director of the museum, Li Xilong, dean of the School of Literature at Nankai University, and Zhou Wenzhang, director of the Chinese Poetry Society.

Feng Nai’en, director of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum makes an address.

Li Xilong, dean of the School of Literature at Nankai University, delivers a speech.

During the gathering, poets interacted in pairs and showcased their works, and more than a hundred excellent poems were submitted around the theme of reading.

Zhou Wenzhang, director of the Chinese Poetry Society, is paired up with Zhao Kexin, a graduate student from Nankai University. They exchange gifts and share their poems during the event.

The event also celebrated the upcoming 100th birthday of renowned scholar Chia-ying Yeh, who serves as honorary director of the Chinese Poetry Society and honorary chairman of the Crabapple Poetry Society at Prince Kung’s Palace Museum.

Zhou Wenzhang, director of the Chinese Poetry Society, presents the “Centenarian Poet Star” certificate of honor to Professor Chia-ying Yeh (received by Feng Dajian, vice dean of the School of Literature at Nankai University).

The history of the Blossoms of Wisdom gathering dates back to Prince Kung Yixin's time (1833-1898) and has been continued by his son Zaiying and grandson Puru. The gathering was established during the period when the mansion was repurposed as the site of Fu Jen University (1937-1952), and has become a vital cultural heritage of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum.

Guests write poems at the gathering.

The event affirmed the practical role of the Blossoms of Wisdom gathering in promoting Chinese poetry, expressed its best wishes for the inheritance and promotion of poetry, and celebrated Chia-ying Yeh’s 100th birthday through poetry. The gathering also used poetry to record the 40-year history of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum, leaving an important commemoration of this grand event in poetry.

Scenery of Prince Kung’s Palace Museum in spring

As a cultural landmark in Beijing, Prince Kung’s Palace has a long poetry history. There are documented collections of poetry such as the Poem Collection of Jiale Hall, Verse Collection of Yanxi Hall, The Cuijin Collection, and the Poem Collection of Yunlin Studio. The museum has gone from restoration to full-scale opening, from a key national cultural heritage conservation site to a 5A-level national tourist attraction and to a first-class national museum. In the future, it will continuously explore cultural connotations, build a dynamic cultural space, and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture.