Sponsored by the Institute for US-China Issues, the Newman Prize for English Jueju is awarded every two years to the best classical Chinese poems written in English. Four $500 prizes will be given to entries based on region and age. K-12 students and classes are encouraged to participate, as well as college students and adults. No geographic restrictions apply; we accept entries from all over the world!
Due to the many cultural, artistic and linguistic elements that enrich this complex form of poetry, we encourage not only English and Chinese classes to participate, but also social studies, history, art, music, drama, as well as AP classes of all subjects. Students who enjoy word games, poetry or both are especially encouraged to enter!
If you like word games, poetry, or both, try your hand at this year’s Newman Prize for English Jueju, sponsored by the Institute for US-China Issues at the University of Oklahoma. This year, four $500 prizes will be given to entries based on region and age. There is only one catch — the winning English poems must follow the rules of Classical Chinese Poetry. Learn the rules on our About English Jueju page.
The contest is now closed. Please check back soon for announcements regarding the next cycle.
Questions? Email newmanpoetryaward@ou.edu.
| Type of Entry | Submission Procedure |
|---|---|
| Student: Teacher Submission | Individual student or class poems are submitted by the student's teacher Student Name 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. |
Adult
| 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. |
Watch this year's Newman Prize for English Jueju ceremony at the 25-minute mark.
Professor Jonathan Stalling's instructional video (below) leads teachers (and ambitious students) through the basic elements of the most famous genre of Classical Chinese poetry, the “jueju.” Professor Stalling is the creator of this genre of English poetry, and will judge the submissions. Have fun and good luck!
Read and download our guide to Composing English Jueju (PDF)
Visit our "About English Jueju" page for more educational materials
For those interested in seeing how to create a regulated jueju from start to finish, please see the below video by Professor Jonathan Stalling, "From Kuyin to Yinsong: How to write a Regulated Jueju in English."
For those interested in learning more about where the rules for Regulated Jueju come from and how and why English is a good language to compose Classical Chinese Poetry please see the below video, "From Zhiyin to Yunxue: the Rise of Chinese Rhyme Studies."
For a basic introduction to English jueju, see the video below.
