Eternal sunshine of the aged people’s poetry club

Members of the poetry club in Xin’an Community exchange their inspirations of poetry writing.

Liu Bihua, Fan Dan

and Xu Wei

In Anting Town, there is a well-known poetry club for aged people at Xin’an Residential Community. Most of the members are old farmers with only primary school education. Although they are retired, they bear in mind that one is never too old to learn. Poetry writing is also a way for them to express their hope and appreciation for life.

For elderly people, poetry studying can not only broaden their knowledge, cultivate their taste, but also add fun in their retired lives.

Xin’an is a newly built community with more than 1,000 families. At the beginning of last year, its neighborhood committee chief decided to set up an amateur poetry club after noticing that some aged people were interested in poetry writing. The club soon attracted a lot of people to join. So far, the club members have written around 300 poems of different themes and genres.

Zhang Xiangjun is the director and instructor of the club. Before his retirement, Zhang worked for the forestry public security bureau. Although he doesn’t have a high educational background, he is very enthusiastic about the poetry in the Tang (AD 618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. Over the past 20 years, he has created a great many works.

To him, poetry can be classified into two major styles — classical and modern. No matter in what style it is, it should be meaningful and rhyming.

As the club’s instructor, he encouraged the members to read more beautiful poems. As an adage goes, “After reading 300 poems of the Tang Dynasty, you can at least intone poems even you can’t write them.” Today, a few members have grasped basics about poetry genres and styles. Additionally, the poetry club frequently organizes outings and contests. Excellent poems are exhibited in the community. When a club member has a birthday party, usually he will get blessing poems from other members.

Zhang’s family used to live in the forest region of Xiaoxing’an Mountains in Heilongjiang Province. The beautiful natural landscape nurtured Zhang’s emotion and enthusiasm for classical poetry.

After work he spent a lot of leisure time studying ancient poetry of the different dynasties. He also had a lot of gatherings with the local poetry lovers to exchange ideas about artistry and aesthetics of poems.

In 2005, Zhang and his family moved to the Xin’an Community of Anting Town. The peaceful and poetic environment again ignited his passion for poetry writing. He then wrote more than 60 poems themed on the Wusong River and the Anting Town.

When the poetry club was founded in January 2011, Zhang was invited to be a cultural consultant. He has offered the club members a lot of valuable learning tips and methods. His works have also been compiled as a reference book for the club members.

Over the past year, Zhang has devoted himself to poetry teaching and making. The lessons and learning schedules he prepares for the students are not tedious. Instead, they’re combined with games, music and contests to arouse more old people’s interest in poetry. His efforts have paid off. Now even those who don’t have a high educational background can read and write poems on their own.