Eileen Chong
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eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Eileen Chong
@eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
350 followers 280 following 320 posts
Poet. Author of 11 books, most recently
🌸 We Speak of Flowers (UQP, 2025) 🌸
eileenchong.com.au (she/her) 🍉
Posts Replies Media Videos
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Very excited to be the first featured guest on the official WeChat channel of the Australian Consulate in Shanghai—click through for WeChat link. Translation available + video is in English.

mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Huzyd8wqFt...
A screenshot of the official WeChat channel of the Australian Consulate in Shanghai featuring Eileen Chong
November 19, 2025 at 1:48 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Today’s reads 😍
A photograph of three books: Grace Yee’s Joss: A History, Bei Dao’s Sidetracks (translated by Jeffrey Yang), and Evelyn Araluen’s The Rot. There is also a calico cat sniffing at a red mug of matcha latte
November 17, 2025 at 4:01 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
I’m going to miss the Scottish Chinese poet Sean Wai Keung as he ends his residency at Varuna—such kinship! We are both Hakka; we both write about food, identity and migration; we both love eating with others (of cos). Read his poetry pls 🥟
A photograph of Sean Wai Keung and Eileen Chong posing with ice creams The cover of sikfan glaschu, a book of poems by Sean Wai Keung with three porcelain dumplings arranged on it
November 16, 2025 at 10:47 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
It’s been amazing sweetie 🫶🏼
Eileen Chong is wearing a cotton qipao in a black and white flower pattern and holding up a sign with her name in English and Chinese. She has taken a selfie. Eileen Chong is taking a photo of her reflection in a round mirror. It shows her in a cotton qipao in a pattern of black and white flowers. She is wearing four brooches that spell out the word POET. A photo of Eileen Chong wearing black and white Mary Janes. The photo shows only her calves and feet and part of her dress.
October 24, 2025 at 12:55 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Why yes I am a poet 😆
An exquisitely carved nephrite brush pot, depicting scenery of trees and lakes A grouping of four objects for a scholars table: a nephrite brush rest in the shape of a mountain, a brush with a nephrite accent below the hairs, a nephrite ink stone and a plain nephrite brush rest Another exquisitely carved object: a brush washer made out of possibly jadeite with interesting carvings of animals An exquisitely carved, very lifelike looking dog who is lying down with his front paws crossed. It appears to be mounted onna wooden stick which is meant for weighing papers down.
October 17, 2025 at 4:03 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
I’ve been collecting jade for over 30 years, so to see this collection in the Shanghai History Museum is a culmination of many long-held dreams.
A photograph of Eileen Chong standing in front of a sign that says Chinese Jade An exquisitely carved piece of nephrite jade depicting a pavilion at the base of a mountain Another exquisitely carved piece of nephrite jade depicting a gathering of eight members of the literati in a mountain setting A piece of nephrite jade carved in an open work manner, depicting flowers and a dragon
October 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Such a joy to read poetry to students at the Shanghai Community International School today 🌟
A photograph of the exterior of two buildings of the Shanghai community international school A photograph of a row of different countries’ flags outside a school office A photograph of Eileen Chong sitting on a chair in front of a class of students A selfie of Eileen Chong holding up a Little Miss Giggles book titled 笑呵呵小姐
October 16, 2025 at 11:51 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
This city—this magic city—✨
An exterior shot of the China pavilion for the Expo which has now been repurposed for the China Art Museum An interior shot of three immense Buddha statues at Jing’An temple. There is a stunning dharma wheel embedded in the ceiling A shot of a pavilion in a Chinese garden as seen through the entrance to a rockery A photograph of the skyline of the Bund in Shanghai at night with the buildings all lit up.
October 11, 2025 at 10:51 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Just me, the poet Eileen Chong, writing poems in a cafe in the building where the novelist Eileen Chang lived 😱😱😱
The exterior of an apartment block built in a 1930s on a street in Shanghai China A bronze plaque detailing the life and work of the novelist Eileen Chang A table with chairs next to an oil painting A photograph of Eileen Chong sitting at a desk in the Eileen Chang Cafe. She is smiling at the camera her laptop is open in front of her.
October 1, 2025 at 9:56 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Beautiful Huangyan in Taizhou, Zhejiang
A photo of a modern city from the point of view of a small boat on a river. A photo of a footbridge across a river. There is a mother and daughter by the water fishing.
September 22, 2025 at 10:30 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
My new baby 🐱 she has the same haircut as I do 😂😂😂
A tabby and white kitten meowing on the other side of a glass door The same cat rolling over on the ground to show her belly A very cute cat cradled in someone’s arms. The pattern on its forehead looks like it has a fringed hairstyle. Eileen Chong is cradling the kitten in her arms. The kitten looks happy and relaxed.
September 20, 2025 at 5:07 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Shanghai has my heart because the people have my heart. 💗 with the esteemed writers Ms. Yin Huifen and Mr. Lou Yaofu, aka my new mum and dad, in Jiading
Eileen Chong is posing for a photograph with a beautiful older woman and a cute older man. They are standing in front of a bookshelf filled with their books. A photograph of a canal with trees on either side there is a small boat on the right near some steps and a man is sitting on the boat, turned around to look at the camera
September 20, 2025 at 4:54 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Stylish men of Shanghai 😍😍😍
An old man in traditional Chinese jacket and pants is holding a paper fan. He is also wearing a red fedora. He looks very stylish An older gentleman seated on a chair at a cafe a plaid flat cap, a striped shirt, plain trousers, and very cool shoes. He is also wearing a stylish watch a gold bracelet and he is smoking. An elderly gentleman standing in he is wearing a a khaki beret that matches his khaki pants, a blue shirt and a silk scarf knotted around his neck, brown loafers and a black belt with an interesting buckle. A middle-aged gentleman seated at a cafe he is wearing a short sleeve shirt printed with a very interesting pattern of stripes colours and dots. He is also wearing a pair of seersucker shorts, black loafers and he is holding a pipe. He is also wearing vintage looking round lensed sunglasses.
September 19, 2025 at 11:47 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
We also visited the site of the Uchiyama Bookstore which was a frequent haunt of Lu Xun’s. This is a bookshop still, 1927. When the staff heard that I was a writer they welcomed me home (‘你回家了‘) and gifted me a book of poems in Chinese. I was so touched I cried.
A sign outside the 1927 bookshop stating that it was the former site of the Uchiyama Bookstore. A photograph of the second room of the 1927 bookstore preserved to showcase some first edition books and artefacts of Lu Xun. A photograph of a table with traditional cane chairs and a tea-set on the table. In the background on the shelves are copies of Lu Xun’s books and periodicals. A photograph of Eileen Chong standing holding a book of poems gifted to her by the bookshop.
September 14, 2025 at 4:10 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
The writings of Lu Xun have been a touchstone for me throughout the years. To be at the site of his grave was overwhelming. A literary pilgrimage come true.
Eileen Chong is posing in front of a sculpture of the Chinese writer Lu Xun. She is pretending to smoke a cigarette because the writer has been captured smoking his signature cigarette. A photograph of a postcard of the cover of the Chinese writer Lu Xun’s book, 野草, Wild Grass. A photograph of a garden in which a bronze statue of the Chinese writer Lu Xun has been erected. It is his grave memorial site. A photograph of the actual grave of Lu Xun.
September 14, 2025 at 4:04 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
@yilinwriter.bsky.social and I have been friends online for 5 years. We finally got to meet in person this week in the magical city of Shanghai. Here we are in the garden of the Lu Xun museum reading poetry together. 💕
Eileen Chong the Australian poet and Yilin Wang the Canadian translator are sitting on a bench in a garden. Yilin is holding up a copy of her book, The Lantern and the Night Moths.
September 14, 2025 at 3:57 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Shanghai, city of cats 😍😍😍
A black and white tuxedo cat lying on the ground. It is very cute A white cat in a bookshop. Eileen holding a tabby cat and taking a selfie Eileen holding a large tabby and white cat and taking a selfie
September 11, 2025 at 10:23 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Eating my paternal grandmother’s favourite fruit in the land of her birth. 🫶🏼
A plate on which small persimmons are arranged in a pyramid.
September 10, 2025 at 1:16 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Shanghai Writing Program 2025 officially opened yesterday. So happy to be here in the land of my ancestors sharing my poetry and meeting other writers. 💕
September 4, 2025 at 11:38 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
It’s really strange but Shanghai feels so familiar to me because it really reminds me of Singapore in terms of landscape, architecture, urban layouts, etc. I thought it would feel much more foreign to me. But it feels like my very cells know I’m in the land of my ancestors. It’s hard to explain this
Two colonial style buildings with ornate facades in Shanghai, China. There is a modern skyscraper in the background. A post with street signs in four directions, showing directions to The Bund, Yu Garden, People’s Square and China Post A side street in Shanghai, China The exterior of a very grand looking building in the colonial style in Shanghai, China.
September 3, 2025 at 9:56 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
Shanghai is trying to tell me something something
A photo of a sign on a building. The English text reads ‘GYM POET’
September 1, 2025 at 4:40 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
My hairdresser: Do you have any inspiration photos for your haircut?

Me: Yes!!!
A photo of a Popmart vinyl-faced plush toy, Pucky, in its iteration as a huge red and white spotted mushroom.
August 26, 2025 at 7:52 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
You've been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you.

Yeah I’ll be right
A photograph of the various main cast members of Sneaky Pete, a TV show
August 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
‘Petals on a wet, black bough.’
Several sprigs of golden wattle in bloom caught in a gap of a public bench which is wet with rain. The yellow flowers are hanging upside down and very vibrant.
August 21, 2025 at 2:01 AM
eileenchongpoet.bsky.social
I love teaching poetry 💕 thank you to schools who have me! It’s wonderful to touch young minds with the magic of words.
A photograph of an empty school hall lined with rows of chairs.
August 21, 2025 at 12:04 AM