On October 13th, a creative exchange and sharing event for the long poem “Himalaya,” written by Chen Renjie, took place in Lhasa. This event was organized by the Tibet Autonomous Region’s Publicity Department in collaboration with the People’s Literature Magazine, Tibet University, Tibet National University, the Foreign Language Press, and the Tibetan Literary Federation.
The event brought together over a hundred experts, poets, and students from various literary and academic institutions, including the China Literary Criticism Base (Tibet University), the Tibet National University’s School of Literature, and the Tibet Writers Association. The event will continue until October 15th.
Lu Cairong, Vice President of the China Publishing Association and former Deputy Director of the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, remarked that the long poem “Himalaya” is a significant literary work with contemporary importance, social value, and international dissemination potential. The poem vividly narrates the arduous liberation, construction, and struggle history of New Tibet, using poetic language to highlight the old Tibetan spirit and the two-route spirit that have driven historic changes in Tibet. It serves as a heartfelt tribute to this ancient, mysterious land and its great people.
Shi Zhanzhun, a member of the China Writers Association and the editor-in-chief of “People’s Literature,” noted that the poem’s reflections on the completion of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, the democratic reform journey in Tibet, and the central government’s support for Tibet, give it a distinctive political and cultural significance. The work harmoniously integrates the beauty of Tibet with traditional Chinese culture, mirroring historical transformations with contemporary realities, and unifying ideological messaging with artistic expression in poetry.
Chen Renjie’s more than 900-line long poem “Himalaya” will be published in the fifth issue of “People’s Literature” in 2024 and will be prominently released in both Chinese and English by the Foreign Language Press. Through the lens of literature and poetry, the poem captures Tibet’s historical changes, particularly showcasing the unity and endeavors of the Tibetan people in the new society and era, presenting to the international community a vibrant, harmonious, civilized, and progressive picture of New Tibet.