Behind The Red Characters, Chinese Calligraphy Requires High Discipline

By Bernama Lifestyle Reporter

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- Behind the festive celebration of the Chinese New Year with red paper decorations displaying characters symbolising prosperity and well-being, Chinese calligraphy actually demands high discipline, perseverance and continuous practice.

Every stroke of the brush forms a character, but it is not just a hand movement; it requires breath control, body balance, and sensitivity to the structure of the writing because a small mistake can affect the entire composition.

The Federation of Calligraphy Society Malaysia president Ng Swee Kheng said that mastering the art requires consistent training and long-term commitment, as each character has its own structure and technique.

“Calligraphy needs to be practised regularly. If you don't write for a long time, your hand becomes less skilled. I have been learning it since I was 15 years old, and until now, I still spend four to five hours a day practising," he told Bernama when met at the Chinese Calligraphy Demonstration Session during the 2026 Titih Pusaka Festival, organised by the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) recently.

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He said the discipline of training is important to ensure calligraphy art continues to be preserved and remains relevant among the multicultural society in Malaysia.

He said this positive development is seen through the organisation of the Kuala Lumpur World Calligraphy Carnival 2024 and the 2026 National Huichun Calligraphy Convention earlier this month, which brought together thousands of calligraphy enthusiasts from various backgrounds.

"Our goal is to make the art of writing, whether Chinese, Roman, Jawi or Tamil, a shared heritage for all Malaysians," said Ng, who has over four decades of experience in the field.

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Following the enthusiastic response, Ng said his team plans to organise a special exhibition in conjunction with the country’s 70th National Day celebration to showcase the diversity of calligraphy art as a symbol of national unity.

"I want all races to come together to write the independence theme because calligraphy no longer belongs to just one race, but reflects the spirit of Malaysia," he said.

He said that Chinese calligraphy in Malaysia now has its own identity as local elements such as batik and Malay poetry have also been incorporated into the works.

"I once translated the poetry of the late National Laureate Datuk Usman Awang into Chinese and wrote it in the form of calligraphy to be introduced abroad.

"When exhibited in China, they asked why this style is different from the writings of the Qing or Tang dynasty. I explained that it is a translated Malay poem and that is Malaysia's identity," he said.

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Meanwhile, Gunasegar MKK Wologanathan, 61, a participant at a workshop, said his participation provided an opportunity to explore different cultural arts.

"This is my first time trying Chinese calligraphy and I am happy to learn a new art. In my opinion, calligraphy can be learned by everyone and serves as a medium for mutual understanding of cultures," he said.

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A student from the Malaysian Institute of Art, Amina Alia Mohd Syukri, 21, said that calligraphy should be preserved because it has high heritage and esthetic value.

"When I was a child, I was really interested in calligraphy because I studied at a Chinese school. When I saw there was a workshop, I felt like trying it again after having left it for a long time," she said.

-- BERNAMA