The chairman of the “21st Macau Students Chinese Penmanship Competition” (第二十一屆澳門學生中文硬筆書法比賽), Choi Ka Hei (徐嘉希), told The Macau Post Daily in Hou Kong Middle School yesterday that this year’s competition aims to promote the importance of cherishing relationships between family and friends, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
The one-day competition held yesterday was hosted by the General Association of Chinese Students of Macau and supported by the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), Little Green Workshop, Guardforce (Macau) Ltd., and Vitasoy (Macau) Ltd.
Choi said that the topic for this year’s competition was entitled “Cherish” because the association wanted to promote the message of valuing relationships with friends and families. Choi pointed out that students would remember the time they spent with their loved ones as they write.
Choi also noted that the competition’s intention was to promote the culture of Chinese calligraphy writing. He added that the competition acted as a platform for students who were interested in Chinese calligraphy to demonstrate their potential and abilities in penmanship.
According to Choi, there were about 1,500 students who joined the competition this time, adding that the number of participants had decreased from previous years due to the pandemic.
When asked how the association would further promote Chinese calligraphy to Macau residents, Choi noted that competitions are held annually, adding that the pandemic did not stop the association from hosting or promoting such events. He said that if the association held any online events based on Chinese calligraphy in the future, people could submit their work to the association online. Furthermore, when asked if the association would jointly hold events on Chinese calligraphy with Hong Kong and the mainland, Choi said that the association was not sure if a joint event would be held in the near future. However, Choi said the association hoped that events and competitions related to Chinese calligraphy could be further promoted.
“21st Macau Students Chinese Penmanship Competition” Chairman Choi Ka Hei (徐嘉希) poses on the Hou Kong Middle School campus in Estrada de Ferreira do Amaral. Photo: Ula Cheang
