The "Silk Road · Poetry Road" campaign debuts in Xi'an to celebrate Chinese civilization

A cross-media cultural initiative themed "Silk Road · Poetry Road" kicked off in Xi'an, Shaanxi province on July 4. Titled Ancient Silk Road, Poetic Chang'an, the event drew on Tang poetry to carry forward and display the profound allure of Chinese civilization.

More than 150 guests attended the launch ceremony. The attendees included officials from Xinhua News Agency, Poetry Journal under the Chinese Writers Association, Xi'an municipal authorities and the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, publicity staff from Xi'an's districts and counties, local cultural researchers and university representatives from across Shaanxi.

Ren Weidong, deputy editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, described Tang poetry as an invaluable gem of traditional Chinese culture. He said the campaign serves as a meaningful attempt to revitalize cultural heritage via integrated media outreach. Leveraging its full-spectrum media platforms and global communication network, Xinhua collaborates with diverse partners to promote outstanding traditional culture, fuel local growth and amplify Chinese culture's global standing.

Wu Jiang, director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, said Xi'an is pushing ahead with its goal of building a culturally robust city. The municipality prioritizes the preservation, inheritance and creative development of Tang poetry, weaving poetic culture into urban planning and public cultural services.

He voiced hope that Xinhua's worldwide media channels will further elevate Xi'an's international profile as the "Capital of Tang Poetry".

"Tang poetry offers the world a window to appreciate Xi'an's seamless blend of ancient grace and modern dynamism, Shaanxi's rich historical legacy, and China's spirit of openness and inclusiveness," Wu remarked.

Feng Bing, head of Xinhua News Agency Shaanxi Branch, shared details of the upcoming field expedition. A special reporting team will set off from Xi'an, travel through the Hexi Corridor and key Silk Road passes, cross Northwest China and Xinjiang, and conclude its journey in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Retracing the geographic trails of iconic Tang poems, the team will conduct on-site reporting to reconstruct historical scenes and unlock fresh contemporary meaning for classical verse through immersive, multi-dimensional coverage.

A flag presentation ceremony was held for the expedition team, after which participating leaders jointly announced the official launch of the campaign.

The ceremony featured a lineup of performances bridging ancient and modern art forms. It opened with Pozhen Le (Victory Music), a powerful Chang'an drum piece listed as intangible cultural heritage, setting the tone for cross-civilization exchange. The poetic stage performance Poetic Chang'an, Eternal Soul of Poetry and Tang-style dance Flower-adorned Gathering by Winding Streams vividly evoked the prosperity and openness of the Tang Dynasty. A vocal rendition of the timeless poem Quiet Night Thought struck a chord with every attendee and lifted the event to its emotional peak.

An interactive experience zone offered hands-on activities, including fan painting inspired by the great poet Li Bai and traditional Chinese rubbing, allowing visitors to engage directly with Tang poetry and connect with ancient literary traditions across centuries.

In recent years, Xi'an has drawn deeply on its abundant historical assets to cultivate its signature cultural brand — the "Capital of Tang Poetry". Through innovative cultural conversion and immersive tourism projects, Tang poetic imagery once confined to ancient texts have been transformed into tangible, sensory and participatory urban cultural landmarks that define Xi'an's unique cultural identity.

As the renown of Xi'an's "Capital of Tang Poetry" brand continues to grow, the thousand-year poetic tradition thrives anew along the Wei River and beneath the Zhongnan Mountains. Grounded in time-honored culture yet oriented toward the wider world, Xi'an presents a self-assured, inclusive and vibrant Oriental city to global audiences.