Cantor Kristen Lee from Columbia University and Soto Sebastian James from New York University clinched the Merit Award in the international category at the 2024 Global Conference for Reciting Chinese Poetry in Shanghai on Nov 17.

Their rendition of the ancient poet Lu You's Chai Tou Feng (Phoenix Hairpin) highlighted the artistic charm and melancholic beauty of Song Dynasty (960-1279) poetry.

Professor Yang Yu of Central South University lauded the United States duo's performance, expressing admiration for their remarkable ability to deliver such outstanding performances and transcend cultural boundaries.

Lee is a master's student in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University, focusing on Chinese education, literature, and translation. She has traveled extensively in China and has a profound interest in Chinese literature. Her partner, James, is a senior majoring in business management at New York University, where he has studied Chinese. To participate in the finals held at Shanghai University, they flew over 10 hours from New York.

This year's recitation conference spanned three months and attracted hundreds of entries from over 50 universities worldwide. Ultimately, 21 teams from both Chinese and international institutions advanced to the finals. In the international category, aside from the Merit Award, the team from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan and the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil won first prizes.

Source: Shanghai Observer