On June 16th, at the invitation of the James Joyce Centre, Ambassador Zhao Xiyuan and Madam Li Yi, together with ambassadors from other countries to Ireland and officials from Dublin, attended the Bloomsday celebration at Belvedere College S.J. in Dublin.

Bloomsday is an annual celebration held on June 16th to commemorate James Joyce's novel Ulysses, which is set on that specific date in 1904. It is named after the novel's central character, Leopold Bloom. Joyce's studying experience at the Belvedere College was applied many times in his writings. In 2012, President Xi Jinping, then Vice President of China, visited the Confucius Classroom at Belvedere College.

Every June 16th, literature lovers hold various festivities in Dublin, Ireland, and elsewhere including China, through readings, performances, and re-enactments of scenes from the book, often with participants dressed in Edwardian attire. With the coordination of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Ireland, the three Chinese versions of Ulysses that have been published, were donated to the National Library of Ireland, the James Joyce Centre and the Museum of Literature Ireland for collection.