Four Chinese and four British writers started their unique train journey from Shanghai on Wednesday.

The journey, entitled "Writers' Train," is a first time literary event for China and organized by the Chinese Writers' Association and Cultural and Education Section of the British Consulate-General.

The Chinese writers -- Chen Danyan, Zhang Zhe, Ye Yanbin and Zhang Mei -- and the British writers -- Toby Litt, Romesh Gunsekara, Sinead Morrissey, Susan Elderkin -- will undertake a 16-day journey across the changing physical and economic landscape of China.

It takes them from Shanghai to Beijing, Chongqing to Kunming and Guangzhou to Hong Kong.

"Shanghai is the most international city in China, and it has the historical and cultural background of exchange between the East and West," said Michael O'Sullivan, the cultural counsellor and British Council director in China. "It makes the city a good place for the writers to start."

The writers will see some traces of the real ancient countryside during their journey from Chongqing to Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province. The visit to Guangzhou and Hong Kong is expected to give them a glimpse of modern Chinese society.

During the event, the writers will produce a new work each day from the inspiration of the trip. Various workshops, seminars and readings will be held in key cities along the way.

The results will be recorded in the form of an e-diary on the Writers' Train website www.thinkuk.org.cn/wt. The journey will culminate in a bilingual publication of the works produced during the event, which will be published by the Shanghai Literature and Arts Publishing House.

The event is targetting the literary enthusiasm of the younger generations, hoping it provides a direct exchange between Chinese and British writers and lays a foundation for future literature exchanges between the two countries.

Litt said before coming to China he was wondering about the preparations he should make. But he finally decided that curiosity was the best thing he could bring.

"The train journey offers a mixture of speed and a changing feeling of environment," Litt said. "And a train is a good place to write."

Chen, who is noted for her publications about Shanghai as well as some travelogues, said the journey will be an exciting experience as it offers the chance to get close to the earth and exchange ideas with writers from different cultural backgrounds.

(China Daily November 8, 2003)