Some might regard Chinese arts are reserved only for the elites. However, Tobby Yeung, a second-year student from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, sees it differently. A two-time award winner of the Au Kin Kung Memorial Calligraphy Competition, she often expresses her feelings through calligraphy, and her works often include lyrics from ballads. She believes that the vitality of calligraphy does not lie merely in pure technique but also in the artist’s state of mind, which becomes a part of the piece.

Q: When did you first get in touch with Chinese art? Could you share your learning process?

My first exposure to Chinese art came in third grade. At that time, I spotted a quaint shop in Kennedy Town, which was Mr. Cheung Sing Hung (Yo Shing)’s workshop. I was captivated by the beauty of the artworks displayed inside and wanted to learn. Yo Shing was a sculptor specialising in inscribing calligraphy with wood engraving. So, I first learned character carving. Since the content carved was calligraphy, my aesthetic focus shifted to the forms of characters. I was often amazed by the beauty of others’ handwriting, which led me to study calligraphy. As I was still young then, Yo Shing primarily guided me by fostering interest.

Starting in Secondary One, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, I practiced calligraphy occasionally in my spare time for several years. It wasn’t until Secondary Four that I began systematic calligraphy training. That year, I was under great academic pressure and hoped that calligraphy could provide some relief. By chance, I discovered the work of a calligrapher and seal carving artist Mr. Tso Cheuk Yim online. His works surprised me – Chinese calligraphy doesn’t have to be confined to classical poetry after all? Mr. Tso’s works are playful and witty. For example, he carves seals with cartoon-themed content and writes pop song lyrics in calligraphy. That’s why I’ve continued learning from him to this day. Mr. Tso is currently a part-time lecturer in the CUHK Department of Fine Arts. His teaching style follows a traditional approach, requiring me to copy ancient calligraphy copybooks to build a solid foundation.

Besides calligraphy, Tobby also studied Chinese seal engraving, painting and poem writing. Some of her works are listed above: Copying Zhao Mengfu’s writing of Ode to the Goddess of River Luo (upper left), Seal of Solitude (bottom left) and Self-written Qilu (right).

Q: What draws you to Chinese calligraphy? What does it mean to you?

My love for calligraphy is quite intuitive. When I first started learning calligraphy, Mr. Tso asked me to choose an ancient copybook to practice. I was instantly drawn to Chu Suiliang’s regular script piece Eulogy on the Chronicle of Ni Kuan, which radiated an elegant, gentle and classical charm. Since then, I’ve mainly imitated his style and copied The Emperor’s Preface to the Sacred Teachings. Later, Mr. Tso selected Zhiyong’s Thousand-Character Essay in Standard and Cursive and Zhao Mengfu’s semi-cursive Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River for me to copy. At first, I wasn’t used to them, but after writing more, I found that they suited my own handwriting style, and I grew to love them.

I’m an introverted person and tend to get nervous when conversing with others. Calligraphy then serves as a substitute, as if saying, “If I can’t speak well, I’ll write it down.” It’s fascinating when others can sense my emotions through my works. Some may approach calligraphy in a pedantic way, fixating on character forms and the ink marks. But I believe calligraphy loses its vitality when detached from content. So, when I write, I choose the content according to my mood. Also, because I enjoy listening to music, I often use lyrics of pop songs.

The calligraphy work Shade was inspired by the song by Mr. Terence Lam, a Hong Kong singer.

Q: Could you share your experience of participating in calligraphy competitions? What have you gained?

My first competition experience dates to Secondary Four, when I took part in a competition with a piece based on a Ci by Li Qingzhao. Later, on Mr. Tso’s recommendation, I also participated in the “Xiling Cup Calligraphy, Painting and Seal-carving Creation Competition” organised by the Hong Kong Xiling School. In addition, I took part in the Au Kin Kung Memorial Calligraphy Competition organised by Chung Chi College. Mr. Tso was among the prize-winners of the inaugural competition, and it was also he who encouraged me to join. I was fortunate enough to receive awards in both the fifth and this year’s (sixth) competitions.

As my experience grew, I discovered that copying classical calligraphy for practice and creating works for competitions are entirely different experiences. In daily practice, I just write casually. In contrast, when creating works for competitions, I need to master the style I’m imitating and weave it into classical or even popular phrases. Moreover, I must finish the work before the deadline, which is a great practice.

Competitions also provide opportunities to learn from peers. In the recent exhibition of awardees and judges of the Au Kin Kung Memorial Calligraphy Competition, I saw the work of another CC student. The self-designed mounting resembled the pages of an ancient volume and looked remarkably elegant. I asked him about the production method.

Q: Could you introduce a work of yours in the exhibition of the Au Kin Kung Memorial Calligraphy Competition? What’s the background of its creation?

My work Shade, which features a song by local singer Terence Lam. Having worn glasses since I was young and being rather poor with words, I tend to gently touch my round black frames whenever I do not know what to say, as if giving my silence a buffer. Therefore, I really resonate with the lyrics “It’s not just a style, pretending to be calm, hiding the expressions that do not fit in this world”. The line “The glasses are tinted because I’m hypersensitive to the world, not wanting to see too clearly” also has a similar meaning – life rarely goes our way. When we confront a harsh reality, the truth can be unbearable. Silent blurring and detachment, a “weak denial”, may be the only way for living.

To echo the message of the song and add a bit of playfulness, I specially arranged the entire lyrics in the shape of a pair of glasses. Interestingly, during the mounting process, some of the ink blurred. I felt ashamed at first, but then I thought it just echoed the lyrics, “not wanting to see too clearly”. I chose to see it as a stroke of fate instead of damage, and so I decided the piece was still fit to be shown.

Student Reporter Leung Nga Wing