Chinese poets take pride of place in Moscow

"China has an unmatched poetic tradition that spans centuries"

At the start of the month the 10th Moscow International Poetry Biennale 2017 closed in Moscow. This year for the first time the biennale was dedicated to a single country, China. Thirteen Chinese poets, including Yu Jian, Yang Lian, Han Dong, Chen Dongdong and Li Suo, were invited to read poems to the public and to converse with their peers and readers. China Daily talked to the festival organizer Natalia Azarova via email. She is also a poet and translator.

This was the Moscow International Poetry Biennale 2017, and Russia's rich history of poetry is well known. Is poetry still a popular genre in the country, and what does it mean for Russia and its people?