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 who 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 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.

Please send all enquiries, suggestions and corrections regarding 21st Century Chinese Poetry to Meifu Wang at:

editor@modernchinesepoetry.com.

Founder and Editor
Meifu Wang

A NEW SEASON OF POETRY

We are happy to continue our partnership with China's Poetry Journal (诗刊), a bi-weekly poetry journal, the oldest and widest-circulated poetry journal in China.

Every month editors of Poetry Journal provide us a set of poems from their latest publications for our team to screen and translate.

ABOUT CHINA POETRY JOURNAL 《诗刊》介绍

Poetry Journal（诗刊, Beijing, China） was founded in 1957 with an emphasis not only on the publication of contemporary Chinese poetry, but also the publication of classical poetry by living poets. In addition, it announces poetry gatherings and events across the country, hosts literary criticism forums, and supports poetry translation. The daily operations of the journal are supervised by The Chinese Writers’ Association.

Each month Poetry Journal publishes three paperback journals. The first paperback journal shows up on the shelf in the beginning of the month and features poems by established poets. The second paperback shows up in the middle of the month and features poems by emerging poets. The third is called The Sage Said, which features poetry in classical forms. The journal also maintains a website that broadcasts all matters related to poetry development in China; it has an audience exceeding half a million visitors daily.

Circulating close to sixty years, the journal has been at the forefront of publishing modern Chinese poetry, reflecting many of the sweeping changes that the country has witnessed over that period. The journal has also brought together and introduced a great number of fine poets, published a veritable styles of poems, and contributed to the continuous flowering of Chinese poetry.

POEM FOR THE DAY 每日一首

PLANET OF MANY AND MANY A PEAR

• by Wang Nianjun


• Earth — planet of many and many a pear
• that evoke thirst in the beholders —
• its pear trees readily capture
• our fancies, engendered under the trees.
• We didn’t see the orchard in bloom,
• but their young green pears
• with fitful yellow freckles lured us.
• I can't help recalling how we climbed the trees
• to pick a few of the fullest fruits from the twigs
• and lobbed them on the tender lush grass.
• Pears of the century exist for us,
• their cores have not all hardened and darkened.
• Like little thieves, we evaded the owner,
• eating pears whilst stealing a kiss under the trees, and
• spitting the stubs on the pea racks by the road.
• We didn’t see the orchard in bloom,
• but have tasted the biting green pears.
• They evoked lust in us,
• not guilty for conquering our hearts so easily.


• Translated by Meifu Wang, Michael Soper & Guy Hibbert
• Simultaneously broadcast in China via WeChat （微信） by our partner — China's Poetry Journal （诗刊）: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/bjSBg5LPn5CF3vCGAKfzJA