Learning from the past

To pass down Qu's patriotic fervor and wisdom to more young people around the world, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, China Daily and the government of Yichang city in Hubei province have jointly launched a global youth art submission activity that involves writing "A Treasured Letter Sent Back in Time" to Qu.

The campaign invites youth worldwide to engage in "spiritual conversations" with the legendary poet across space and time.

Each letter to Qu is a tribute to traditional Chinese culture, and the campaign has drawn young participants from over 20 countries and regions.

Chen Siyao, a student at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, who has been learning calligraphy since she was 5, says she regards Qu's poem Li Sao as a coveted treasure in her practice.

She says she discovered the charm of Chinese culture through brush and ink, and witnessed its "vitality" in the "light and shadow landscape" at the opening ceremony of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in 2016 and during the landing of Chinese space probe Tianwen 1 and rover Zhurong on Mars last year.

Tianwen, which means "quest for heavenly truth", is named after a poem by Qu.

"Young people should embrace our culture, and present a real and beautiful portrait of China to the world through spiritual conversations with ancient visionary leaders," Chen says.