TEHRAN -- Chinese poet and translator Mu-hong Yan, who has written poems in Persian, said he became a poet after reading Persian poetry.

He recited his Persian poem “Passing the River” at the opening ceremony of the 5th Fajr International Poetry Festival on Saturday.
“I’ve became acquainted with poetry through the translation of Persian poems, and the Persian poetry fills my life with spirituality,” he said.
He has previously translated a selection of poetry by the contemporary poet Qeisar Aminpur into Chinese.
At the opening ceremony, several Iranian and foreign poets gave short speeches on the poetry and the festival.
At the event, the Iranian literary scholar and poet Ali Rajali urged the literary scholars to review poems from an academic point of view and renowned poets to take part at the festival.
The Turkish poet, Rahmanqoli Tumaj, asked officials of the festival to pay attention to the regional poems in Iran, which will increase the people’s interests in poetry.
The veteran poet Shirin Ali-Golmoradi called the festival an opportunity for junior poets to appear more influential than did the veteran poets in the event.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, as well as Yahya Talebian, the deputy minister of culture for poetry and literature.
This edition of the festival is hosting 17 poets and Persian language scholars from Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Turkey, China, Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Iraq, Russia and several more.
The programs will continue in other locations in Tehran, and closing day will be on March 1 in Vahdat Hall.