GUA MUSANG: Chinese calligraphy is an important element to symbolise joy and luck.
It can also be used as a decoration on the left and right sides of doors or buildings during the Chinese New Year celebration.
Liew Koon Yan, 54, said the Chinese New Year would not be complete if decorations of calligraphy did not adorn the walls and doors of houses, temples and other buildings.
Koon Yan, a teacher at SMK Tengku Indra Petra 2, said she teaches calligraphy to younger members of the Chinese community.
“The art of calligraphy is written with Chinese ink and a brush on red paper that symbolises festivity or ‘ong’ (luck).
“Although we are living in modern times, there are still Chinese youths, mainly schoolchildren, who are keen on traditional Chinese culture and want to learn the art,” he told Bernama here.
Elaborating further, Koon Yan said each word written not only symbolised the art but also had a meaning and prayer to mark the beginning of something vibrant.
These calligraphy writings usually have between one and seven different words, he added.
Koon Yan’s student, Belle Ng Pui En, 12, said she learned calligraphy at the age of five together with her friends Soo Yee Han and Liew Yu Xi, all pupils at SJKC Gua Musang.
“Every year, the three of us volunteer to do calligraphy art for temples, indirectly training ourselves to be calm and patient. I hope more of the young will continue to preserve and learn the art of calligraphy,” she said.