The journal of

21st Century Chinese Poetry 《廿一世纪中国诗歌》is an independent journal committed to showcasing the best of contemporary Chinese poetry. We exist to discover and celebrate poetry and the Chinese poets that write them with the largest possible Anglophone audience.

In the early twentieth century, The May Fourth Movement (1917-1921) launched an era where vernacular Chinese was for the first time accepted as a legitimate poetic voice. This was followed by an outpouring of verse written in 'plain speech' by people from all walks of life in contrast to the classical, elitist poetic forms of imperial China.

A century has now almost passed since these 'new' poetic voices emerged. Vernacular poetry has continued to blossom in poetry journals and in cyberspace.

The editor and translators at 21st Century Chinese Poetry are committed to translating poets from across China who would otherwise remain virtually unknown to Western audiences.

All enquiries, suggestions and corrections regarding 21st Chinese Poetry should be directed to Meifu Wang at

editor@modernchinesepoetry.com.

Founder and Editor
Meifu Wang

Poem of the day 一日一首

Stingy Winter

• by Li Tong


• I don’t know who’s handling Big Snow this season,
• but it shrinks, turning into Lesser Snow,
• so little that it's now merely a decoration.
• All of the accumulated snow, if piled up,
• would not exceed what’s on the tree tops.
• Stingy winter, it is “as if a poor man holds a fistful of sand”.
• Just today,
• I kissed a few snowflakes,
• and slowed my footsteps for them.
• Still, in a few minutes, they were all gone.
• Memories of the north and its grandeur keep coming back,
• and I long to return to join the horses racing across the field
• when its severe winter is over—
• The twigs outside the window show so many crevices,
• a lot of warmth and moisture,
• blurry and clean.




• from 21st Century Chinese Poetry, No. 7