The 2026 "Centennial Lilac Poetry Festival" in Beijing’s Xicheng District, themed “Lilac as Message, Youth as Poetry,” officially kicks off at Baoguo Temple on April 2.

　　In 1924, Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore visited Fayuan Temple in Beijing accompanied by Chinese poet Xu Zhimo and architect Lin Huiyin. Together they admired the lilacs in bloom at the temple and discussed poetry, creating a cherished chapter in China-India cultural exchange. One hundred and two years later, the Lilac Poetry Festival continues this tradition of civilizational dialogue.

　　The 2026 "Centennial Lilac Poetry Festival" in Beijing’s Xicheng District, themed “Lilac as Message, Youth as Poetry,” officially opened on Thursday at Baoguo Temple. The event will feature a rich lineup of activities including poetry salons, writing sessions, recitation gatherings, poetry-music performances, CityWalk + poetry games, and “Lilac Poetry Huts.” In this season filled with blooming lilacs, the thousand-year-old cultural heritage of Xuannan is being revitalized through the voices of young people in the new era, allowing the world to appreciate the beauty of the East through the rhythm of poetry.