ICS students celebrate the art of poetry with Prof Yan Chunfang’s visit

“A poem can be inspired by anything as simple as the weather, an encounter with someone, a person’s demeanour, and so on,” Chinese literary writer Prof Yan Chunfang said during his visit to UTAR Kampar Campus on 11 March 2025.

While ancient poetry is rife with riddles and enigmas, inviting logophiles and creative minds to decode them, its mystifying facade often belies the author’s true intent. Instead, the ardent words reflect the author’s emotions during the process of crafting a subtly expressive piece. One may not be able to determine the author’s intent behind the words at first glance; however, the tone remains evident through the author’s diction, whether it is delightful or melancholic.

In contrast, modern poetry is structured with simpler words yet retains colourful meaning, making it an accessible form of expression enjoyed by people from diverse backgrounds. While ancient poetry was mostly appreciated by intellectuals in the past, Prof Yan’s statement resonates with a broader audience, as anyone can draw inspiration from their own life and express it through the timeless nature of poetry.

Emphasising the joy of poetry writing, the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), in collaboration with the UTAR Chinese Studies Society, invited Prof Yan Chunfang to share his insights on Chinese poetry with UTAR students at UTAR Kampar Campus.

Hosted as part of his Poetry Tour to Universities (诗歌高校行), Prof Yan’s visit to UTAR marked his first official academic tour on an international scale. During his visit, Prof Yan conducted two talk sessions and donated several of his books to UTAR Library, including “Wei He Er Lai” (为荷而来), “Tai Yang Yu Da Hai” (太阳与大海), and “Yi Qi Xiang Wei Lai” (一起向未来).

Besides enriching students’ understanding of various aspects of Chinese poetry, this visit also served as a meaningful bridge for knowledge exchange between Malaysia and China, further strengthening diplomatic and cultural ties between the two economies.

The first talk was titled The Development of Modern Chinese Poetry over the Past Century and Its Creative Writing. The talk mainly focused on the introduction of modern poetry and its development over the past century. In the talk session, Prof Yan shed light on the different eras of modern Chinese poetry, introducing various Chinese poetry from the 20th century such as the early 20th-century poetry, modernist poetry, realist poetry, and political poetry. Aside from early modern poetry, Prof Yan also discussed the popular works by late 20th century and contemporary poets, including the third generation of poets, misty poets and net poets.

With the prevalent introduction of artificial technology (AI) technology across the globe, it is inevitable to consider its impact on the creation of poetry. Prof Yan explored how AI has influenced poetry writing from various perspectives, including motive, creation process, tone expression, cultural background, innovation and originality, diction, reader’s interactivity, and its limitations.

The second talk, titled The Realistic and Romantic Characteristics of Ancient Chinese Poetry, explored the realism and romanticism recorded in ancient Chinese poetry. During the talk, Prof Yan highlighted the differences as well as the relationship between the two poetic concepts. He further elaborated on these concepts through multiple popular works such as “The Classic of Poetry” (诗经), “The Songs of Chu” (楚辞), and works by Chinese poets from the Tang Dynasty Du Fu and Li Bai.

While exchanging their passion for Chinese arts and poetry, UTAR students took to the stage to showcase their talents, reciting an assortment of Prof Yan’s poems in their own unique voices and styles, from traditional recitations to performing in the dramatic Chinese opera style.

Reciprocating the gratitude shown by Prof Yan, students also joined their voices to recite the poems by the poet, written specifically for UTAR and Malaysia, titled “The Song of UTAR” (拉曼大学之歌) and “The Song of the Twin Towers” (双子塔之歌). The poems performed during the talks included “Ling She —Xian Gei She Nian De Ni” (灵蛇 — 献给蛇年的你), “Sha Tan Yu Sha Li” (沙滩与沙粒), “Mei Le Tou Lu De Shi Lao Ren” (没了头颅的石老人), “Zhi Jiao Shi” (致礁石), “Yong Shou Xing Zou De Mu Fu Ta” (用手行走的穆夫塔), and “Bu Fu Shu De Xiang Gang Nü Hai” (不服输的香港女孩), all composed by Prof Yan. In addition, students also performed classical works by Du Fu and Li Bai, infusing the atmosphere with vibrance and gaiety amidst the graceful verses.

Present at the first talk session were ICS Head of Modern Chinese Literature Studies Unit Dr Wong Lih Lih, UTAR Library Assistant Manager Ms Lee Yin Chiar, and OIA Senior Assistant Manager Ms Loi Sien Mun. Meanwhile, present at the second talk was ICS Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Ling Liong Ngo.

Prof Yan’s visit marked his first Poetry Tour to Universities in Malaysia. During his tour in China, Prof Yan conducted poetry recitation and sharing activities at more than 10 universities, including the Wuhan University, Wuhan University of Technology, Central China Normal University, Hubei University, Shandong Technology and Business University, and Sichuan University of Media and Communications.

Not only did the visit strengthen cultural ties between both economies, but it also fostered a deep appreciation for Chinese poetry among the UTAR community, inspiring individuals from diverse backgrounds to celebrate its timeless beauty.