To celebrate the 110th anniversary of Xiangya Medical Education, Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University, in collaboration with the School of Humanities, the Chinese Classics Chanting Research and Dissemination Base, and Nanxun Poetry Society, hosted the “Xiangya Poetry Charm” competition. The award ceremony and poetry calligraphy exhibition were held on June 1 at the lecture hall of the new Xiangya campus library.

The competition, which began in January, included categories for classical poetry, modern poetry, and a special group for participants from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and overseas. Over 300 poems were submitted from around the world, expressing best wishes for Xiangya, respect for medical professionals, and a love for poetry. After expert evaluation, the first prize winners were Jiahao Li for his classical poem “Remembering Mr. Yan Fuqing of Xiangya”, Wei Luo for his lyrics “Nian Nu Jiao · Hundred and Ten Years of Xiangya”, Yuqi Li for his overseas entry “Congratulations on Xiangya’s 110th Anniversary”, and Weiqiang Zhou for his modern poem “Hundred and TenYears of Xiangya”. Sixteen second prizes, twenty-two third prizes, and twenty-seven excellence awards were also given.

At the award ceremony, Fu Ganghua, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Central South University, praised the outstanding poetry and calligraphy works as precious cultural assets. He emphasized that these works inspire us to stay true to our original aspirations and make greater contributions to medical development and human health. He expressed hope that Xiangya Medical Education would continue to uphold its school spirit of “Kindness, Truth-seeking, Beauty, Inclusiveness”, adhere to a people-centered development philosophy, achieve deeper integration of medicine and humanities, and cultivate more exceptional doctors with noble qualities.

Professor Yang Yu from the Chinese Department of Central South University, a regular commentator on programs like “Chinese Poetry Conference” and “China’s Good Poetry”, introduced the organization of the event. Expert judges from Peking University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shaanxi Normal University, Taiwan’s Cheng Kung University, and Xiangya Hospital participated, highlighting notable alumni such as Xu Jia, who expressed heartfelt emotions in a thousand-word essay, Xiao Hong Li, who remains connected to Xiangya from across the ocean, and Jiaxian Li, who demonstrated great love and dedication.

During the poetry calligraphy exhibition, the Central South University Couplets Research Institute showcased three congratulatory couplets. Academician He Jishan, honorary director of the institute, and Sun Yongzhong, associate professor at Taiwan’s Fu Jen Catholic University and chief guiding expert of the “Chinese Chanting University Student Association Alliance”, conducted on-site calligraphy demonstrations, explaining the profound meaning behind their works. Academician He inscribed a couplet praising Xiangya’s contributions over the past 110 years: “With courageous hearts, they treated countless lives, their loyalty shining like the sun and moon; their heroic deeds during the war, saving lives, are etched in the landscape”.

The event also featured various cultural activities. Students from the School of Humanities and the Chinese Classics Chanting Group performed “Meeting Li Guinian in Jiangnan” and “Qinyuanchun · Changsha”. Tang Xuen-ning, a student from Xiangya’s Class of 2104, interpreted the serene poetry of “Guan Ju” through dance, and the Changsha Junlin Art Troupe performed a hulusi rendition of “The Most Beautiful Liuyang River”, extending their heartfelt wishes to Xiangya.

In honor of Xiangya Medical Education’s 110th anniversary, the school plans to host several events throughout the year, including a Xiangya cultural relics exhibition, academic lectures, and a high-level achievements exhibition, all aimed at sharing Xiangya’s stories and spreading its voice.

(First Review: Li Ruijun; Second Review: Liu Zhisheng; Third Review: Huang Gengwen)