The First China Poetry Festival opened Tuesday in Maanshan, a city in east China's Anhui Province, with the theme of "Poetic China, Harmonious China".

The festival, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Association of Writers and the local government of Maanshan City, has brought together many renowned poets and scholars from China, America, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Brazil. All of them have nurtured a deep love for Chinese poems.

During the seven-day festival, the participants will enjoy various stage performances and recitations. Other activities include a seminar on poetry, a local folk song party and an exhibition of contemporary calligraphy and painting.

"We try to bring the Chinese nation's poetical character to the fullest, combine the classic with the modern so as to satisfy both the elegant and the popular taste, " said one of the festival organizers.

Poetry has dominated China's literature since the very beginning and it casts a deep influence on almost every period of time in history.

The organizer chose Maanshan to host this culture gala because it is the home of many famous poets who composed their famous pieces here.

The city has hosted 16 China International Poetry-reading Festivals in succession since the first one in 1989.

According to festival sources, the China Poetry Festival will be held every three years, in different places across the country.

(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2005)