Sino-French Poetry Exchange Celebrates Chinese New Year in Paris

Paris marked the Chinese New Year with a unique cultural event, the “Odes to Spring” Sino-Foreign Poetry Exchange, held at the Paris Chinese Cultural Center on February 21, 2026. The event brought together artists and cultural figures from China and France in a celebration of poetry and music.

A Fusion of Cultures

Nearly 100 guests from the art world, cultural institutions, and media attended the exchange, witnessing a blend of Chinese and French poetic traditions. The event aimed to showcase contemporary Chinese culture to an international audience, as emphasized by Wang Meng, director of the Paris Chinese Cultural Center according to Chinaculture.org.

The Year of the Horse and Poetic Expression

Wang Meng highlighted the significance of hosting the exchange during the Spring Festival season, noting that poetry embodies the aspirations for a vibrant new year, aligning with the spirit of the Year of the Horse. He described the event as a dialogue between cultures, experienced through the fusion of poetry and music.

Poets and Performances

Contemporary Chinese poets Ouyang Jianghe, Shu Cai, and Xu Jiumei presented their work, joined by French poetry enthusiasts Sophie Tedeschi, Elise Leledy, and Georgies Srour. The performance allowed for a natural flow between Mandarin and French. A particularly notable moment featured the renowned poet Adonis and Ouyang Jianghe reciting Adonis’s poem dedicated to Shanghai, first in Arabic and then in Chinese.

Paris Chinese Cultural Center Activities

The Paris Chinese Cultural Center is currently hosting a series of events celebrating the Spring Festival, including a design competition for zodiac signs, art exhibitions, a son et lumière spectacle, and film screenings. The center is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00, and Saturdays from 9:30 to 18:00 (excluding school holidays).

The center’s mission is to foster cultural exchange between China and France.