"Good noon, esteemed leaders, distinguished seniors in the world of poetry, and fellow students!"
"Today marks our triennial grand gathering for the poetry community. This time, we have invited renowned poetry masters from across the nation to share in this momentous occasion!"
...
Following the opening remarks by the two elegantly dressed hosts, leaders from the propaganda department delivered their speeches, after which the former station director announced the rules for the current competition. m..oΓg
Wang Shu had only recently learned that this former station director was not only the head of Jiangnan Television but also an honorary dean and visiting professor in the Literature Department of Jiangnan Chinese University.
Yet, this cunning old fox had not let slip a single hint to him. However, this was entirely normal; after all, he was merely a tool he had temporarily employed for the competition.
According to the rules announced by the former station director, Wang Shu gained a general understanding of the competition's straightforward format. Each participating guest had a writing screen in front of them.
Each stage comprised two rounds, with a question master posing a challenge. The contestants would then compose a complete poem or ci based on the given prompt on the spot.
Each contestant had one chance to skip a question. Failure to complete the prompt within the allotted time would result in immediate elimination.
For those who successfully composed their works, the judging panel would assign scores to each piece. The rankings would be based on the combined scores of both rounds, with the bottom twenty contestants being eliminated, until the competition reached the top twenty, at which point a battle-style format would commence.
Wang Shu couldn't help but sigh slightly at these easily understandable rules.
The format of poetry competitions in this world was still too monotonous, lacking any real interest.
Suddenly, he recalled a highly popular cultural program from his previous life on Earth called "Chinese Poetry Competition."
That program not only had diverse formats and was engaging but also effectively balanced the competitive aspect.
Consequently, it became a national sensation.
However, that program also had a significant flaw: it tested contestants' memory rather than their ability to create poetry.
Those who had memorized more verses and had broader knowledge were the ones who could go the furthest.
If one could combine this program with poetry creation, Wang Shu believed it would become an even more popular show, simultaneously elevating its literary and cultural depth.
However, Wang Shu currently lacked the opportunity and time to develop such a program. But in the future, he would certainly not abandon this field.
After all, he possessed countless variety show ideas in his mind, all of which had been tested and proven by Earth audiences. Any one of them brought here would be a sensation.
While Wang Shu was lost in thought, all the contestants had taken their positions, and the first question master had already presented their prompt.
After receiving the prompt from the first question master, the host directly announced it on the central stage:
"The first question comes from the Vice President of Jiangnan Chinese University. The prompt is: Please compose a seven-character quatrain on the theme of the Qixi Festival!"
After the host finished speaking, they stepped off the stage. The large screen on the stage then displayed the images of the one hundred participating contestants.
As it was the first question, it was not too difficult. Many contestants, after hearing the prompt, immediately began writing on their screens.
Wang Shu, however, remained seated at his own pace, observing the poems being written by others.
After reading a few, Wang Shu couldn't help but marvel. It truly was a national competition, and the caliber of the contestants was indeed impressive.
For these contestants, this question was a piece of cake, and the seven-character quatrains they composed were of good quality, demonstrating a certain foundation in poetry.
As Wang Shu scanned the contestants, he happened to notice the slick-haired man in a suit who had previously tried to chat up Qin Xiaoyan in the restaurant.
To his surprise, that man had written a rather decent seven-character quatrain, and Wang Shu couldn't help but look at the young man with newfound respect.
In the audience, Qin Xiaoyan, seeing everyone diligently writing their poems while Wang Shu lazily stared at the big screen, felt a sense of bewilderment.
She knew that Wang Shu could easily write such poems; after all, on the Mid-Autumn Festival that day, he had defeated her grandfather at the foot of Tianmen Mountain.
"What is this kid doing?"
On the judging panel, the former station director was also observing Wang Shu's current state.
However, he noticed that while other contestants had already finished writing, Wang Shu was still looking around, showing no intention of starting his poem.
Instantly, the former station director felt he might have misjudged the person. Could it be that he couldn't even write such a simple poem and needed to refer to others?
However, with just one minute left in the competition, Wang Shu finally lowered his head and began to type on the screen in front of him.
"This guy has finally started writing. I thought he was going to give up."
"I guess he's just writing something to fill the time since time is running out. I can't believe there are slackers in a competition of this level."
"Do you think everyone participating in this competition is a master? Didn't you see his nameplate? It says representative from Jiangnan Television. He must be a slacker!"
Some audience members, upon seeing Wang Shu, who had been slow to start, begin to write, began to discuss amongst themselves.
"What trick is this guy playing? Starting to write only now?"
"He's definitely a fraud. Get him eliminated quickly!"
"Honestly, wasting a spot. If you can't write poetry, you shouldn't participate in this program. Just give the spot to someone else!"
At this point, many contestants had already submitted their works. However, when they saw Wang Shu only just starting to write, they couldn't help but murmur their complaints inwardly.
Seeing Wang Shu begin to write, Qin Xiaoyan intently watched the big screen, curious to see what kind of poem he would create.
"《Autumn Evening》"
"The autumn candlelight cools the painted screen,
A light silk fan swats at the fleeting fireflies."
As the first two lines appeared on the big screen, everyone was slightly taken aback.
They began to silently recite them in their minds.
From just these two lines, the autumnal atmosphere was already palpable.
A scene of candlelight reflecting on a painted screen on an autumn night, with a small silk fan swatting at fireflies, immediately materialized in everyone's minds.
"This kid has some talent!"
The station director couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He had initially feared that if Wang Shu couldn't even pass the first round, the television station would be greatly embarrassed.
However, upon seeing the first two lines of the poem, he instantly felt reassured. Even with just these two lines, they surpassed half of the works already submitted!
Wang Shu continued to write:
"The steps of the palace grow cold with the night,
Lying down, I watch the Cowherd and Weaver Girl stars."
When the entire poem appeared on the big screen, everyone couldn't help but gasp.
Even those contestants who had just been criticizing Wang Shu now felt rather embarrassed and fell silent.
"Good, this poem is excellent. This kid is capable!"
After savoring the entire poem, the station director couldn't help but praise it in his heart.
As someone who understood poetry, Wang Shu's poem could be described as outstanding.
It not only adhered to the theme but also perfectly met all the requirements of the prompt. It was beautifully written, with well-matched couplets and vivid imagery.
The other judges, after reading the poem, all nodded in approval and began to confer amongst themselves.
In the following few minutes, all the judges began scoring each poem.
Soon, everyone's rankings were revealed.
Wang Shu, living up to expectations, earned the highest score with his poem "Autumn Evening."
He became the first-place winner of the entire competition.
"I thought he was a bronze, but unexpectedly, he's a king. Terrifying!"
"No need for further comment, this poem is indeed well-written, and first place is well-deserved!"
"Why is this guy wearing a mask and a baseball cap? What's with all the disguise?"
When the rankings for the first round appeared on the big screen, everyone's attention turned to Wang Shu.
Subsequently, the competition continued.
This time, the question master's prompt was: Compose a seven-character quatrain in praise of bamboo, with the requirement that the word "bamboo" not appear in the poem!
This prompt was slightly more challenging than the previous one, but even this small increase stumped quite a few people present.
This time, although some began composing their poems immediately after hearing the prompt, there were significantly fewer than the first round.
Wang Shu, this time, was not hesitant. After hearing the prompt, he immediately began to write.
Since he had already gained a general understanding of these people's poetic abilities, he no longer needed to waste time observing their works.
"Strange, why did he start writing so quickly this time? Didn't he wait until the last minute to write?"
"I thought he would wait until the end to write again, just to show off. I didn't expect him to start writing now."
"The difficulty has increased compared to last time, but he started writing without even thinking. Is this guy even human?"
Many viewers were surprised to see Wang Shu take the initiative to write this time.
The contestants, this time, all kept their mouths shut. Just now, they had called Wang Shu a fraud, and who would have thought he would go on to take first place?
This time, as Wang Shu began to write, they all looked up at the big screen, eager to see what kind of work this guy would produce.
Wang Shu picked up his brush and began to write on the screen in front of him.
"《Bamboo and Stones》"
"Clinging to the green mountains, I do not let go,
My roots are firmly set within the broken rock."
As the former station director read the first two lines, he was once again astonished.
Wang Shu continued his consistent performance this time. The first two lines of the poem did not contain the word "bamboo," yet they already allowed the reader to understand that it was about bamboo.
Many contestants now began to feel nervous. With just these first two lines, it would be difficult for them to surpass him.
"Where did this guy come from? Is Jiangnan Television also full of hidden talents?"
"It's unbelievable. Today, I truly understand what it means when they say there's always someone better. This young man, despite his youthful appearance, possesses a level of songwriting skill that I cannot match."