China is 2009 guest of honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the publishing world's biggest annual event, and a major publicity campaign to promote Chinese literature is underway in German-speaking countries, the Beijing News reported on August 4. Translations of modern Chinese poetry have replaced commercial advertising on billboards in 11 major cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Campaign curator Xi Chuan says it is the biggest promotion of Chinese poetry ever staged.

An advertising light box in Salzburg displays a line from a poem by Chinese poet Ouyang Jianghe: "No matter how much money you earn, once you count it, it is all counterfeit." [chinanews.com.cn]

Campaign to cost millions

In Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Salzburg, Zurich and other cities, Chinese poetry is replacing commercial posters on advertising billboards in subways, bus stations, shops and cafes. A campaign to boost interest in the work of modern Chinese poets began in July and will last until the end of August.

Xi Chuan said the cost of the campaign was likely to run into millions of Euros. In the city of Salzburg alone, 150 street-side light boxes have been booked at a cost of 2,000 Euros each.

The campaign is being organized by the Robert Bosch Foundation and a number of other German NGOs and local literary associations. Poet Xi Chuan was chosen as campaign curator in recognition of his tireless efforts to promote modern Chinese poetry around the world,

Modern poets showcased

The works of several Chinese poets, including Ouyang Jianghe, Yu Jian, Chang Yao and Yin Lichuan are being showcased in the campaign. In addition to publishing German translations of their works on billboards, poetry recitals are being held in the 11 targeted cities.

A spokesperson for a local literature association said the German-speaking public knows very little about Chinese literature, and additional resources are needed to produce better quality translations of Chinese works.

(China.org.cn by Ren Zhongxi, August 5, 2009)