Lyuliang takes center stage at literature event

Lyuliang city in Shanxi province saw its first Literature Festival open in the local Jiajiazhuang village on May 9, with many leading figures from the literary and art world attending the event. 

Initiated by renowned Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke who was born in Fenyang county in the province, the festival with its theme of "writing from the countryside" aims to retrospect, reflect, remold and enhance writing about China's rural milieu in the context of modern culture and world literature.

The festival consists of 35 cultural and art events including lectures, academic seminars, writing workshops, readings and film screenings. Art exhibitions and a book fair have also been planned. 

To encourage more higher standard works of literature, the event has set up two literature awards – the Lyuliang Literature Award and Mafeng Literature Award.

A writer's village and a cinema which is called Open Village, were opened to the public in Jiajiazhuang village on the same day.