Archive for month: June, 2021

“2021 New Year Calligraphy Competition in Hong Kong and Macau”, organized by the Calligraphy Education Research Association of Macau and co-organized by the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) at the University of Macau (UM), was held at the Exhibition and Multifunction Hall at the Cultural Building (E34-G016) at the UM  from 23 June to 30 June. Meanwhile, the award ceremony for this competition was held on 23 June in the E34 lobby. Winners attended the ceremony and received their certificates. The award presentation ceremony attracted more than a hundred students, teachers, and parents to participate.

Prof. Zhu Shoutong, the Director of the CCHC, quoted “national writing itself is art, which is remarkable” in his speech. Combined with the saying “respect the clothes first, then the people”, he added a little twist and pointed out that we shall “respect the words first, then the people”. This saying showed that calligraphy indeed brings an influence on people and society, and also indicated the relationship between calligraphy and Chinese culture and its importance. Finally, Prof. Zhu stated that Macao’s society pays great attention to calligraphy education. Not only schools but also many associations in the society also pay attention to the development of calligraphy in Macao and support the education and popularization of calligraphy through various activities.

With the aim of “enhancing teenagers’ interest and attainments in calligraphy”, the competition was divided into senior secondary school, junior secondary school, junior primary school, junior primary school, and open groups, with approximately 600 participants. This competition provided a chance for young people from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao to use calligraphy, the quintessence of Chinese culture, to write Spring Festival couplets in combination with traditional Spring Festival activities when Chinese New Year approached. This could help to show the Chinese cultural temperament of the young people of the three places, and promote the excellent Chinese culture at the same time.

Furthermore, it is hoped that young people will be encouraged to practice calligraphy frequently so that the calligraphy skills and the history of calligraphy in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao can become one of the ways of cultural exchanges among contemporary young people. Therefore, the winning works of calligraphy will be exhibited by means of traveling display, allowing young people and citizens of the three places to observe each other, so as to cultivate young people’s interest in Chinese calligraphy and enhance the artistic level of calligraphy writing, and also facilitate young calligraphers to enter the world.

Prof. Li Defeng, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Prof. Zhu Shoutong, the Director of the CCHC, Prof. Lam Iok Fong, the Director of the Centre for Macau Studies, Dr. Ng Lee Fan, the President of the Macau Collector Association, Dr. Hou Mok Tin, Ms. Lei Pou Tin, the Principal of  Escola Pui Tou, Mr. Wong Tak Chon, the Principal of Escola Tong Sin Tong, Mr. He Cheng, the Principal of Escola Kao Yip, representatives from Escola Xin Hua, Mr. Dean and Ms. Loi Kit Heong, the Directors of the Tiger Education, Mr. Ku Sio Wa and Mr.Chong Kam Seng, the Vice Presidents of the Associação Nacional dos Calígrafos de Macau, and Prof. Kung Bo Mei, the Chairman of the Calligraphy Education Research Association of Macau, participated in the award presentation ceremony.

As the leader of the team, Professor Zhu Shoutong, Director of the Centre for Chinese History and Culture, and more than 10 local college students from the University of Macau participated in the “Macau Jiangsu University Students Sunshine Growth 2021 Cultural Camp” from 5^th June to 10^th June 2021. They visited Nanjing University and the Jiangsu University and inspected various historical and cultural education bases in Nanjing and Zhenjiang. More than 30 leaders and celebrities, including Mr. Wu Hui, the Deputy Director of the Coordination Department of the Liaison Office of the Central Government, Ms. Liang Li, the former Director of Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Special Administrative Region Government, Mr. Cen Zhanping, the President of the Macau Jiangsu Friendship Association, and nearly 50 students from various universities and colleges in Macao participated in this meaningful activity. Mr. Cheong Hok Sam, the Section Head of the Student Resources Section of the University of Macau, also participated in this inspection.