Chinese calligraphy symbol of festivity, luck
MUSANG CAVE: Chinese calligraphy writing is one of the important elements for the Chinese community that symbolizes festivity and luck by sticking it on the left and right side of the door of a house or building as a decoration in conjunction with the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Liew Koon Yan, 54, said the celebration of the Chinese New Year is not complete without decorations on the walls and doors of houses, temples and premises that are inhabited if they are not decorated with calligraphy.
She who is also a teacher at Tengku Indra Petra 2 National Secondary School (SMK) chose to teach the young people of the Chinese community to learn the art of writing as an annual routine in conjunction with the festival.
“This art of calligraphy is written with Chinese ink and brush, using red paper that symbolizes festivity or brings ‘ong’ (luck).
“Even though the present age is modern, there are still young Chinese, especially students and school students here, who have an interest in the traditional art of Chinese culture,” she said when met by reporters, here today.
Commenting further, Koon Yan said that every word written not only symbolizes their cultural art, but also carries a meaning and a prayer that symbolizes the beginning of a new spirit, prosperity and profit will be gained in life that these calligraphy writings usually have between one and seven different words.
Meanwhile, a Koon Yan student named Belle Ng Pui En, 12, said she has been learning the art of calligraphy for the past five years with two of her peers, Soo Yee Han and Liew Yu Xi, who are also students at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Gua Musang.
“Every year the three of us will voluntarily make some calligraphy art to hang in the temple area, indirectly training ourselves to be calm and patient to make beautiful writing sketches. I hope this art of calligraphy writing will continue to be preserved and learned by all young people especially the Chinese,” she said.
