Feature: U.S. Midwestern city befriends China through literature

Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-18 13:08:25|Editor: Shi Yinglun
Video PlayerClose

U.S.-IOWA CITY-CHINA-LITERATURE

Novelist Nieh Hualing (R) and Hugh Ferrer, associate director of the International Writing Program, pose for photos in the city of Iowa, Iowa, the United States, on Sept. 17, 2018. Novelist Nieh Hualing, living in Iowa City for some five decades, has helped link the place with the image of lotus, which represents poetical peace and moral integrity in Chinese literature and has hence been widely adored in all ages. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

IOWA CITY, the United States, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Iowa has been called "Aihehua" (meaning "love the glamor of lotus") in Chinese, at least in the world of writers and poets.

Chinese novelist Nieh Hualing, living in Iowa City for some five decades, has helped link the place with the image of lotus, which represents poetical peace and moral integrity in Chinese literature and has hence been widely adored by all ages.

The UNESCO City of Literature has also been quite famed among those writing and speaking Chinese. For some 40 years, it has invited talented Chinese writers and poets to the United States for writing and talking with counterparts from other nations, giving them a rare chance of exposure when their country just opened up to the outside world.

PAUL ENGLE'S POEM

"A gray-haired wind has blown thousands of years. Red dirt from green fields into your brown eyes... The future is a rocket where you ride."

The verses were created by Paul Engle, a U.S. poet born and brought up in Iowa State, heart of the Midwestern region famous for its corn and hogs. A stranger to the Chinese language, he recorded his intense responses to several trips to China with his Chinese wife, Nieh, in the late 1970s, when the country began to conduct reforms and embrace the wider world.

So moved by his experiences in China that convinced him the country is ready to open up, Engle believed that the only possible reaction he could make had to be in poetry. "Images of China," a poetic collection of his thoughts on China, was filled with rimed stanzas, blank verse, the sonnet, free verse unrimed, rimed couplets, all verse forms in English.

The trips to China have also partly explained the couple's commitment to the International Writing Program (IWP), a writing residency for international writers and poets in Iowa City.

According to Hugh Ferrer, the IWP's associate director, the exchange program, since its inception in 1967, has provided a period of optimal conditions for the creative work of nearly 50 emerging and established Chinese poets and novelists, in a bid to grasp the momentum of Chinese modern literature and enhance bilateral literary communication for better understandings.

"During my first time coming back to China, I met with Wang Meng, Bing Xin and Ai Qing, as I wished. I was so happy since I knew that means China was beginning to open up," recalled Nieh, who was born in 1925 in China's Hubei Province.

"I needed to know and invite the senior writers, I needed to know and meet the young ones, I needed to know what had happened in the past and what would happen then for this country."

Noticeably, most of them were invited after China's reform and opening up. They were household names, even globally famous, like Nobel laureate in Literature Mo Yan.

For most of them, the stay in Iowa City became their first ever experience outside China. Their exposure to the agricultural, U.S. heartland city, to some extent, altered their general imagination of the United States that had come mostly from movies and books.

However, the culture shock has been a rare experience for young Chinese attendees after the year 2000. China had become an integral part of globalization by then, lessening their curiosity on one hand and enabling more proactive participations on the other.

Chinese poet and mathematician Cai Tianxin, also this year's invitee, told Xinhua that he had been invited to give lectures in 11 U.S. cities during the three-month stay.

A WINDOW BETWEEN U.S.- CHINA

The program has been well connected with China since the beginning, thanks to Nieh. It has still been a window for Chinese writers to get across the literature genres in the United States and beyond.

For Su Tong who was invited in 2001, the exposure to the international family-like atmosphere impressed him most. For Bi Feiyu, an invitee in 2006, he learnt the importance of dialogue on equal footing in teaching literature through the program. But to Chi Zijian who participated in the program in 2005, the subjects of the IWP's panel discussions, such as gender and writing, horror depicting, imagination and reality, had all been inspiring to her writing.

"My colleagues come from different parts of the world with different cultural backgrounds," Chi said. "Listening to their remarks is like building up a world with literature as nation's boundary."

On the other hand, the involvement of Chinese writers, seen as "the source of peace and dialogue," has been a treasure for the IWP. The activities related to China have been booming.

"We've hosted a lot of really interesting writers here and Chinese writers in particular. I can say without reservation that Xi Chuan's poems have shaped my own thinking as a poet, the novels of Mo Yan and Su Tong have profoundly influenced my understanding of contemporary Chinese life. To be a writer in the 21st century, you have to have some sense of what China is all about," said IWP's director Christopher Merrill.

"There are many windows for us Chinese writers to look through to the outside world, but the one in Iowa has still been the largest and brightest one, leading us to the world stage," Chi noted. "The most positive part of the IWP is to get us, through literature, to the world peace that we have dreamed of for long."

A LIFE-LONG BOND

1104 North Dubuque Street stands a hillside pink-colored two-story building with a discolored plate, which reads "Engle's House."

The house, for decades, has been the most frequented place for Chinese writers coming to Iowa city. The host and hostess have been welcoming and caring, helping promote them in the U.S. literary circle and launching fund-raisings to pay for their flights and daily necessities so that they could get tuned to the life in a country so different from theirs.

The friendship between the Engle couple and Chinese writers has been personal and enduring, said He Jixian, an analyst from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He said that Nieh and Engle have captured the worthy part of Chinese modern literature after China's reform and opening up, such as the genres and talented writers.

"Nieh has also been inspiring to the narrative of China's stories in the 20th century," he said.

"The writers she likes to invite are adept at telling the stories and emotions of the Chinese in key turning points of the country's history. Now that China has had a booming economy, it is high time for writers to tell the stories happening in the country in the past century. It's about China's cultural identity. It is important," he said.?

?

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next  

KEY WORDS: U.S.
YOU MAY LIKE
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001375413321
乐发彩票中心 大发app 凤凰彩票app 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 大发彩票 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ii下载入口 乐发ll 乐发v平台 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 乐发lv 乐发lll安装 乐发lv 乐发登录入口 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票登录 网信彩票 彩神 彩神彩票官方网站 彩神彩票官网首页 彩神官方app下载安卓版 凤凰彩票登录 彩神v3 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 快3官网 网信彩票 快3app 网信彩票平台 百姓彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3app下载 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票平台 幸运5分彩快3 快3彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 大发10分PK10 快3下载 网信彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3彩票官网app 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 大发彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 彩神购彩平台 每日彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 彩神彩票购彩平台 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 凤凰彩票登录 乐发lv 乐发∨Il 百姓彩票网站网址 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发lll安装 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 一分快3 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 乐发lll 乐发ii下载入口 乐发彩票官方网站 凤凰彩票官方网站 凤凰快3 彩神彩票官网首页 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 凤凰彩票app 乐发app 网信彩票平台 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票app 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票app 网信彩票平台 乐发彩票app下载 乐发lv 乐发app 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 彩神彩票 乐发彩票中心 极速快3彩票平台 人人快三凤凰 大发彩票app 大发彩票大全 乐发彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 乐发app 酷天堂彩票平台 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票大厅 凤凰彩票app 极速快3彩票平台 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 大发彩票app 网信彩票用户 百姓快三 百姓彩票平台 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 彩信平台 网信彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发∨Il 人人快三凤凰 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 人人快三凤凰 乐发彩票 彩神彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发彩票 大发彩票中心 凤凰彩票登录 凤凰彩票app 彩神彩票 大发彩票 乐发ll 大发彩票app 凤凰快3 凤凰彩票 彩神彩票 乐发ll 凤凰彩票 乐发lll 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 彩神彩票 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 盈彩网投资平台 大发官网 一分时时彩 乐发lv 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 彩神iv 大发彩票app 大小单双平台 一分pk10 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发官网 快彩彩票 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 乐发彩票中心 网信快3 乐发 彩神xl 三分快3 大发彩票 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 大发彩票 乐发 分分快3 彩神vl 55世纪 55世纪 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 乐发lv welcome凤凰彩票 乐发ll 1分快3 彩神 彩神ll 1分快3官网 1分快3的平台 welcome凤凰彩票 三分快3 彩神x 彩神vl 凤凰彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ll 乐发lll 乐发lv 大发彩票app 大发彩票 乐发 乐发彩票 乐发彩票中心 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 彩神xl 腾讯快3 大发彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票app 快3平台 乐发 1分快3 乐发彩票 彩神x 凤凰快3 彩神xl 彩吧助手 大发彩票app 快3平台 大发排列3 彩神iv 彩神vl 乐发IV 彩神x 一分pk10 大发排列3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 一分pk10 凤凰彩票 乐发Vll 大发官网 乐发ll 大发彩票 乐发1 凤凰快3 彩神vl 乐发lx 百姓彩票 乐发VI 彩神x 乐发IV 极速快3 乐发 凤凰快3 网信快3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发lv 乐发lv 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 大发彩票 大发彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 彩神x 乐发 乐发ll 极速快3 乐发lv 乐发彩票中心 快3彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 彩神x 凤凰彩票app 分分快3 网信彩票 网盟彩票 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票 乐发 快彩彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发ll 网信彩票 乐发lv 全民彩票 凤凰彩票app下载 快盈彩票 大发彩票app 大发官网 凤凰彩票 彩神iv 大发彩票 网信快3 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票