Conference announcement & call for papers:
A HUNDRED YEARS OF MODERN POETRY IN CHINESE

Peking Univerity (Beijing Daxue: Poetry Center & Department of Chinese) and Capital Normal University (Shoudu Shifan Daxue: Center for the Study of Chinese Poetry & School of Literature) are pleased to issue a call for papers for an international scholarly conference on modern poetry in Chinese (Xinshi 'New Poetry'), to be held in Beijing from 18 to 20 August 2005.

The opening session, in the afternoon of 18 August, will feature keynote speeches by Prof. Xie Mian of Peking University and Prof. Michelle Yeh of the University of California at Davis. The program for 19 and 20 August will accommodate an estimated 50 individual presentations of 30 minutes each, in parallel sessions. The conference will highlight the following themes:

New Poetry and Chinese poetic traditions
New Poetry and its "outside" influences
the problematic of canonization
the (literary) sociology of New Poetry
the study of New Poetry and the writing of its history

The organizers encourage participants to indicate how their research relates to one or several of these themes, but will also consider individual abstracts of case studies whose significance is well argued on other grounds. The host institutions have secured funding to publish a broad selection of papers in a high-quality edited conference volume.

The conference languages are Chinese and English. Those making their presentation in English are cordially requested to provide a hand-out or a powerpoint presentation in Chinese.

Abstracts in Chinese (maximally 1000 characters) or in English (maximally 500 words) should reach Prof. Wu Sijing (wusijing@solcnu.net) and Prof. Wang Guangming (wangguangming@solcnu.net) by 31 March. The final selection of papers will be made and formal letters of invitation sent out in mid-April. Those who need a result earlier (e.g. for applying for funding at their home institution) may submit their abstract starting from 1 March.

Participants are expected to arrange their own funding for their return journey to the conference. The host institutions will bear the cost of accommodation and meals. Venue:

Capital Normal University, 100037 Beijing xi sanhuan beilu 105 hao; part of the program will take place at Peking University, with local transportation available free of charge. There is no registration fee.

For any additional information you may require, please contact Profs. Wu
Sijing or Wang Guangming.