The First Literary and Arts Salon of the Sino-Canadian Writers Association Successfully Held
(Huawen.com News, Reporter Qi Yaling, LILI CHENG Reporting from Toronto) On the afternoon of September 14, 2025, a literary salon hosted by the Chinese Writers Association of Canada was successfully held in Toronto.
This salon, themed “Literature and Art,” brought together scholars, writers, and art enthusiasts from the fields of literature and art to jointly explore the beauty of the fusion between text and art.
At the salon's opening, host Ms. Qi Yaling began with, “Literature is the echo of thought in time, and art is the trace of emotion in space.”
Yan Fei, Chairman of the Canadian Chinese Writers Association, delivered the opening speech. Yan Fei stated that literature and art are both important components of the human spiritual world, and their significance is even more profound in cultural exchange within immigrant societies. Through platforms like salons, everyone can not only share their creative experiences but also find inspiration and build friendships through the collision of ideas. He expressed his hope that the Writers Association will continue to build bridges for the exchange of literature and art in the future, making the cultural life of Toronto richer and more vibrant through everyone's participation.
Qi Yaling, Yan Fei, Chang Zaisheng
The event specially invited three guests: Ms. Asharf, formerly a literature professor at a university in Iran, who turned to painting after moving to Canada. She shared her unique experience of freely transitioning between words and colors, believing that “literature and painting are both lyrical ways, and they can find more complete expression through mutual complementing.” Ms. Wang Lin, owner of Run Defei Estate in China. She introduced her original intention in persevering with hosting national poetry and prose competitions for ten years, hoping to make poetry the breath of the earth through the estate and integrate literature with nature. Professor Chang Zaisheng, a professor at the School of Arts, Yangzhou University. He reviewed his experience of shifting from writing to sculpture and shared the joy of picking up the brush again, stating, “Art is a dialogue with the world. Although the forms are different, they all pursue the expression of the soul.”
Ms. Wang Lin, Ms. Ashraf, and Chen Rong, Director of the Chinese-Canadian Writers Association
Professor Sun Ruixiang, a council member of the Writers Association and president of the Canada Gong Gong News Agency, drawing upon his forty years of teaching practice and creative experience, proposed: literature, by grafting artistic genes, can have deep roots and flourish; art, by being given the wings of literature, can fly far. Similarly, journalism, by integrating literature and art, can generate infinite charm to attract the public.
Wan Mu, a council member of the Writers Association and a poet, believes that literature lies between news and art. It should not only accurately depict life's details but also elevate to the level of revealing society's essence. Poetry is the essence of language, and only sincere emotions and life experiences can give literature lasting appeal.
Professor Sun Ruixiang interacts with poet Wan Mu
Jiang Ni, a council member of the Writers Association and a poet, says literature is for those who express past regrets, vent many emotions, and convey much longing and homesickness.
The poet Jiang Ni speaks.
Chen Rong, a council member of the Writers Association and editor-in-chief of Voice of North America, not only hones words in the world of literature but also thrives between dance and song, experiencing the power of rhythm and melody.
Literary and art critic Qiu Yaling, a writer who majored in fine arts, shares her insights on literature and art: Emotions that words cannot fully convey can be complemented by color; images that a paintbrush cannot fully capture can be embellished with words.
The event was relaxed and inspiring, with everyone speaking freely and sharing their insights and experiences in creation. Immersed in a rich artistic atmosphere.
Writer Yan Fei (also known as poet Yan Daxia) has recently received critical acclaim for his epic poem "A Farewell to Red Mansions." Yan Daxia emphasizes that the creation of poetry and lyrics requires repeated refinement and careful consideration.
Grand Master Yan Discusses "Hong Lou Xiao Xu Ci"
The female author Kanata, who wrote the novel "The Black Hole Doesn't Detour," which is about existentialist philosophy, believes that delicate psychological descriptions and a narrative structure full of tension are essential elements for writing a novel.
Female author Kanata speaks
Female writer Biyang poses for a photo with Yan Fei, chairman of the Canada-China Writers Association.
Poet Huang Zanyang emphasizes that art should focus on the deep emotions and benevolence of human nature.
Poet Huang Zanyang speaks
Key members of the China-Canada Writers Association, including Fu Ju, Feng Wenjun, and Li Yan, shared their moments of inspiration in poetry creation, the interplay between painting and writing, and the power of literature and art to enlighten the mind and nourish the soul.
Li Yan shares her emotional experience with poetry.
In our exchange, we unanimously agreed that text and images, emotions and thoughts can echo each other, jointly constructing a deeper spiritual world.
A group photo of some attendees.
The hours of discussion passed in an instant, and as time grew late, Yan Fei announced the successful conclusion of the event. Qi Yaling summarized, “Literature and art will not stop with today's end; they will continue to grow in our hearts, transforming into creative inspiration and the poetry of life.”
Qi Yaling hosts a salon event
The salon concluded successfully in a warm atmosphere. Attendees expressed their anticipation for the next literary and artistic gathering.
(Photography by Lili Cheng)
