The opening ceremony of the "100th Anniversary of Tagore's Visit to China" and "Tagore and Shanxi" series of events, hosted by the Taiyuan cultural relics bureau and the School of Literature at Shanxi Normal University, took place at the Jinshang Museum in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi province, on Aug 3.

In 1924, Rabindranath Tagore, a renowned Indian poet, writer, philosopher, and social activist, was invited to visit China for the first time. During his nearly 50-day stay from April 12 to May 30, he delivered over 10 speeches and talks, facilitating cultural exchanges between China and India and further enriching the history of friendly interactions between China and India.

Taiyuan, a city in Shanxi province, was also an important stop during Tagore's visit to China. According to the Taiyuan City Chronicle, on the afternoon of May 23, 1924, Tagore attended a welcome ceremony at the Dazixing Hall of Wenyinghu Park (now Shanxi Hotel). He said, "China and India are both ancient Eastern countries, and the cultural ties between them date back a long time. Therefore, coming to China feels like coming to a second home." In Shanxi, Tagore engaged in in-depth discussions with cultural and intellectual figures, demonstrating his deep affection for the Chinese people in his speeches and literary works.

A century later, numerous cultural enthusiasts gathered in Taiyuan to honor the literary giant of a generation, fostering greater cultural exchanges between China and India and enhancing the preservation of cultural heritage. The planned activities include academic exchanges, Tagore's poetry recitals, artistic performances and visits to places associated with Tagore.

Liu Yuwei, director of the Taiyuan cultural relics bureau, expressed hope that this series of events will strengthen cultural exchanges and mutual learning, deepen academic exchanges, and enhance mutual understanding and trust between China and India.