We are pleased to announce that the Newman Prize for English Jueju, a poetry competition sponsored by the Institute for US-China Issues, University of Oklahoma (OU), is open for submissions from your students, and you as teachers, with a prize of $500 (USD). The deadline is 15 February 2023.
The Newman Prize for English Jueju is awarded every two years to the best classical Chinese poems written in English and is an opportunity for teachers, students and adults to learn and explore this complex form of poetry. The winning poem will be featured in a ceremony and published on the Institute’s website, alongside the work of past winners.
Read last year’s winning UK entry by Sofia Saronne from St Paul’s Girls School.
| Type of Entry | Submission Procedure |
| Student: Teacher Submission | Individual student or class poems are submitted by the student’s teacher along with:Student Name Teacher Name Contact information If the student wins, the teacher will be contacted. |
| Student: Parent Submission | Student poems are submitted by the student’s parent or guardian along with contact information for notification if the student wins.
Winners must attend ceremony to receive their prize. |
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Adult
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College students and other adults can submit their poems directly. Please provide school affiliation and contact information.
Any adult category winner from out of state does not need to attend the ceremony in person and will receive their award by mail. |
Two new videos have been posted detailing the rules and providing a step-by-step walk through of how to compose a regulated English Jueju:
Step-by-step video:
Background on the origin of the rules behind regulated English (and Chinese) Jueju:
Teaching Resources to Introduce Jueju (and the competition) to your students
Jueju became popular among Chinese poets in the Tang Dynasty (618–907) and has remained the most popular form of Chinese poetry to this day. Jueju poems are always quatrains (four lines) and have lines of five or seven monosyllable words each.
Through the Newman Prize for English Jueju, students are leading the way in introducing this poetic form to the English-speaking world. By using their own language, English speakers can learn deep cultural concepts that have guided Chinese civilisation for thousands of years.
Discover more about the history of Jueju as well as online resources to help you introduce the format to your students.
Contest Guidelines
Please submit your poem by 15 February 2023 to newmanpoetryaward@ou.edu
For full guidelines, information and resources, visit the Newman Prize for English Jueju website.
