On 13 September, the teachers from ANU Research School of Biology currently teaching in SDU-ANU Joint Science College (JSC) experienced Chinese calligraphy in the classroom for teaching and practicing traditional Chinese culture in Beiheng Building, which was aimed to enhance the cultural exchange between the teachers of JSC and ANU and promote the fine traditional Chinese culture. A/Prof. Jia Qianchu from Art College, SDUW was invited to teach in person. Vice Dean Chang Xiaomei and relevant staff from JSC participated.
Starting with “Scholar’s Four Jewels”, an expression used to refer to a brush, an ink stick, paper and an ink stone, the key instruments in Chinese calligraphy, Jia Qianchu briefly introduced types of brushes, materials and various kinds of calligraphy paper. He then demonstrated to the ANU teachers how to hold, grip and manipulate the brush before guiding them to practice writing from basic strokes to compound ones. He chose the typical Chinese character “福(Fu)”, blessing, good luck and fortune, as an example to teach them the writing technique with demonstration and meanwhile explained that in the Chinese lunar New Year, the most important traditional festival in China, the Chinese people usually write it to convey their good wishes for the new year and coming spring season.
While experiencing Chinese calligraphy, the participants from both sides had a cordial exchange of ways, occasions and expressions of blessings based on different cultural backgrounds. Instructed by Jia Qianchu, all the five ANU teachers wrote a “福(Fu)” by themselves stamped with their personal seals. They fully enjoyed themselves in this activity, finding it fitting to learn Chinese calligraphy in China and receive “福(Fu)” as a gift written by the teacher in person to each in their spring season back home.
As the foremost of the quintessence of Chinese culture, Chinese calligraphy carries forward and promotes the traditional culture. The Joint Science College has always attached great importance to the cultural exchange in conducting the cooperative education. This event has not only helped to showcase the profound cultural foundation of Shandong University and enhance the cultural literacy of the JSC faculty, but also enriched the leisure life of the ANU teachers teaching in JSC and helped them to appreciate the unique charm of fine traditional Chinese culture so as to spread Chinese culture and deepen the SDU-ANU friendship. What’s more, it has better presented Shandong University and the Joint Science College to the world while telling Chinese stories well.
