AUSPICIOUS CALLIGRAPHY

Chinese New Year decorations generally convey an auspicious greeting. Many of the Chinese calligraphy posters show Chinese idioms. Sometimes, instead of one rectangular piece of red paper with the idioms, we have two which is referred to as couplets.

The colour of gold is the accompanying colour for these red pieces of paper. I am sure the reason why red and gold is favoured are already obvious. Then one popular decoration seen in many Chinese houses is the red diamond-shaped posters with the character 福 (pinyin: fú), or "auspiciousness" which are displayed around the house and on doors. This sign is usually seen hanging upside down, since the Chinese word 倒 (pinyin: dao), or "upside down", sounds similar as 到 (pinyin: dào), or "arrive". Therefore, it symbolizes the arrival of luck, happiness, and prosperity.

Nowadays, all these auspicious idioms are mass produced and printed using machines. Last time, the stuff was written by a calligrapher on a red piece of paper using brush and Chinese ink. I am told that the one that is handwritten is better eventhough it does not look as good as the commercial ones. Why? It is because the writer would inscribe it with auspicious blessings. The very words they write are thought to embody the idea involved, invoking a magical sense of what is desired. When the calligrapher writes a word he is in a way bringing it to life as his intent goes into what is written.

There are quite a number of Chinese families in Malaysia who still post these festive posters and couplets to their doors and walls, not only to bless the home, but also to offer good feelings to all who enter. A common pair of spring couplet reads: "Heaven adds another year of time, and people add another year of life; Spring comes to the world, bringing best wishes to the doors" (天 增歲 月 人增壽, 春 滿 乾 坤 福 滿 門).

See I have posted pictures of the members of Fahrenheit holding the Fei Chun which carries many of the popular wishes for this festive season. As can be seen in the first three pictures, the guys have written their own wishes on red paper. I guess the calligraphy in the last two pictures are done by experts as the writing is expertly done. Besides the good wishes, I am sure looking at the boys would also be pleasing to ones eyes. Oops!!! I really mustn't call them boys as three of them are over 27 years old. This year Chun will be 29, Calvin, 28 and Jiro, 27. Aaron will only be 22.