Chinese poet Jidi Majia emphasizes the role of poetry in bearing witness to the world's beauty and concerns, serving as a bridge for cross-cultural understanding and emotional connection. Speaking at the Daliang Mountain Poetry Festival in Xichang, Sichuan Province, he highlighted the importance of international dissemination of Yi cultural heritage through poetry and exchanges between Chinese and foreign poets. The festival hosted dozens of poets, writers, and artists from various countries, including Germany, the US, Italy, Poland, and Spain.

Jidi Majia, whose works have been translated into nearly 40 languages, believes poets should address broader human perspectives beyond immediate surroundings. He suggests poetry can stabilize society and offer healing. He attributes his poetic inspiration to his upbringing immersed in the poetic traditions of the Yi ethnic group, where poetry is integral to expressing thoughts, emotions, teaching about nature, moral values, and social conduct.

His early poetry, recognized with the Lu Xun Literature Prize for "Songs of First Love," carries forward the spiritual legacy of Yi epics, philosophical verse, and ritual songs, weaving elements of Yi mythology and epic traditions into reflections on the lived world. These poems serve as hymns to life, nature, freedom, dignity, and human solidarity.

In contrast to his early works, Jidi Majia's more recent long poems, such as "The Split Planet" and "The Promised Land," critically engage with modernity, reflecting anxieties, fractures, and hopes of the contemporary world. A visit to the Medellin International Poetry Festival in Colombia in 1997 profoundly impacted him, demonstrating poetry's power to unite people even amidst social unrest.

Jidi Majia notes the uncertainties of the modern world, including regional conflicts, trade wars, religious clashes, complicated geopolitics, and the impact of bioengineering and AI on society. He urges poets to use their thought and conscience to judge right from wrong and to reveal the true nature of the world through their work.

To foster dialogue and understanding, Jidi Majia founded and organized international poetry events in China, such as the Qinghai Lake International Poetry Festival, the Liangshan Qionghai International Poetry Week, and the Chengdu International Poetry Week. He believes that these festivals promote Chinese culture to the world while providing foreign poets with a profound understanding of China.

He emphasizes that most poets are sensitive individuals with unique perspectives. Many visiting poets have been deeply moved by China's rich ethnic cultures and its transformation since the reform and opening-up era. The Qinghai Lake International Poetry Festival has seen participation from poets from nearly 40 countries in its first edition and 45 countries in its second edition. Jidi Majia anticipates further connections and a more authentic portrayal of China with upcoming festivals.