Wang Meng, a father in his 40s from rural Shandong province, recalled a poem by the prestigious 8th-century poet Li Bai, which he stumbled upon as a teenager, changed his life path, leading him into the captivating world of ancient poetry.
With his young son, who also shares his love of poetry, Wang attended the Zhonghua Jiating Shici Leitaisai (Chinese Family Poetry Competition), a cultural TV variety show produced by Shandong Television.
The show was created from and inspired by the broadcaster's popular program Guoxue Xiaomingshi (Young Scholars of Chinese Classics), which aired five seasons between 2017 and 2022.
It recruited 40 families consisting of eight episodes, each themed around a famous poet. The competitions revolve around the works of these poets, including Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai and Song Dynasty (960-1279) masters Su Shi, Li Qingzhao and Xin Qiji.
The show has aired four episodes so far, amassing over 150 million views of its related topics on major social platforms like Sina Weibo.
Huang Qiqing, the chief director, said they worked hard to make traditional culture and ancient poetry more relevant to ordinary people in the modern era, as well as discovering how poetry has influence on the lives of average individuals.
For instance, Cui Simin, an 11-year-old boy from the mountains of Yunnan province, has become an internet celebrity due to the show. His passion for poetry is evident as he is often found reciting or reading poems while helping his parents with agricultural chores.
Shi Tongyu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the show has successfully integrated the biographical introductions of the eight poets and their most influential masterpieces, serving as an effective platform for increasing the younger generation's interest in traditional culture.
