Flying with poetic grace

Ma Baoli is seen in the cockpit in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

DALIAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Captain Ma Baoli, 35, has a great passion for Chinese classical poems. From 2018 onwards, Ma has been participating in the Chinese Classical Poetry Quiz Show every year, and won the championship this year.

Ma's love for Chinese classical poems was nurtured by his father since childhood. As a graduate of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Ma joined the Dalian branch of China Southern Airlines and was promoted to captain in 2016.

Ma's passion for poems adds a lot of poetic charm to his work. Traveling through the sky, he recites poems to greet passengers, thus he is known as "poetic captain" by Chinese netizens.

Ma Baoli leaves for the airport in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Ma Baoli (front) plays a spring themed ancient poetry citing game with passengers during a flight from Dalian of northeast China's Liaoning Province to Guangzhou of south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Ma Baoli plays a spring themed ancient poetry citing game with passengers during a flight from Dalian of northeast China's Liaoning Province to Guangzhou of south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Ma Baoli is seen in the cockpit in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Ma Baoli writes Chinese calligraphy at home in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 3, 2023. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)

Ma Baoli reads books at home in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 3, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Ma Baoli patrols around the airplane before takeoff in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Ma Baoli (2nd L) plays a spring themed ancient poetry citing game with passengers during a flight from Dalian of northeast China's Liaoning Province to Guangzhou of south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Ma Baoli (2nd L) plays an ancient poetry citing game with his children at home in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 3, 2023. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)

Ma Baoli (L) discusses work arrangement with his colleague in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)

This undated file photo shows Ma Baoli (1st R) posing for a group picture at the recording of the Chinese Classical Poetry Quiz Show. (Xinhua)■