Lifting the soul of the nation

Speaking at Wednesday's opening ceremony for the 10th congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the ninth congress of the Chinese Writers' Association, President Xi Jinping called on Chinese artists and writers to step outside their own space and let their hearts beat in time to the rhythm of the people's.

Calling people "the creators of history and sculptors of the times", Xi said their "deeds on an epic scale are abundant, we just need the ambition to make epic works".

He said the nation's literary and artistic works should be people-focused, and artists and writers should serve the people by inspiring them with works that encourage every Chinese person's "sense of national pride and honor".