Known for its many clove trees, the Fayuan Temple in Beijing's Xicheng District held its annual poetry event to promote cultural exchange on Wednesday. Attendees included descendants of renowned Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore and Chinese poet Xu Zhimo.

Chanting and writing poetry often served as a humorous way of communication in the old days. Today, poems have become an important tool for promoting Chinese culture abroad.

Apart from poems, Chinese culture – represented by Chinese martial arts, folk art and cuisines – is attracting more and more attention across the globe.

The country set the tone for cultural exchanges when the 14th Five-Year Plan said China will promote its rich culture to boost its soft power.