Chinese calligraphy sees renewed interest in Malaysia, especially among seniors

More seniors are turning to the traditional art form to cultivate mindfulness and refine their skills. Advertisement Asia Chinese calligraphy sees renewed interest in Malaysia, especially among seniors More seniors are turning to the traditional art form to cultivate mindfulness and refine their skills. Malaysian contemporary artist Long Thein Shih has turned to traditional Chinese brush painting to capture the spirit of the fiery horse, this year’s zodiac animal. New: You can now listen to articles. This audio is generated by an AI tool. Melissa Goh Calvin Yang Melissa Goh & Calvin Yang 18 Feb 2026 11:17AM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST KUALA LUMPUR: What began as curiosity became a renewed embrace of his cultural roots for Malaysian contemporary artist Long Thein Shih.In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the 80-year-old, who practises at community and cultural hub REXKL, has turned to traditional Chinese brush painting to capture the spirit of the fiery horse – this year’s zodiac animal.“Every Chinese New Year, the whole place is full of Chinese people doing Chinese calligraphy. I thought I would try it just for fun,” said Long.“I am Chinese; I studied in Chinese; I grew up in a Chinese environment. This is a way to come back to my roots – we get to reconnect.” Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief An automated curation of our top stories to start your day. This service is not intended for persons residing in the E.U. By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from Mediacorp and Mediacorp’s partners. Loading Long is not alone in this rediscovery. Chinese calligraphy and traditional brush painting are enjoying a revival in Malaysia, particularly among older adults seeking mindfulness and a way to refine their artistic skills. FINDING FOCUS THROUGH ARTPractitioners say that in an increasingly fast-paced world, the deliberate, unhurried strokes of ink on paper offer a rare chance to slow down.They believe the benefits of calligraphy and brush painting extend well beyond artistic expression.The process demands full concentration, said Chinese brush painting teacher Chong Buck Tee.“When you learn Chinese painting, such as drawing horses, it can help stabilise our mood, as well as lower our stress and anxiety levels because we are so focused on our drawings,” he added. “In the long run, it improves our well-being.”Chinese calligraphy teacher Tan Lee Chin, a former headmistress, said the art form is particularly well suited for seniors.“In order to practise the art, you need to stay calm,” said Tan, who now teaches other senior citizens at a recreational club in Kuala Lumpur.“If you are frantic, there is no way you can practice calligraphy. So if you can spare an hour, empty your mind and focus whole heartedly on calligraphy, it’s very beneficial to your health,” she added.Beyond mental clarity, Tan highlighted the physical element involved.“When we move our brush, we are using strength from our entire body and not just from our hand and wrist. The flow of the energy is from the whole body,” she said. Practitioners say that in an increasingly fast-paced world, the deliberate, unhurried strokes of ink on paper offer a rare chance to slow down. PAINTING WITH PURPOSEDespite decades of experience, practitioners say mastery remains an ongoing pursuit. This comes as each subject presents its own challenges.Describing the difficulty of painting a horse – a popular subject this Lunar New Year – Chong said: “The toughest part is to get the shape and the composition right, in particular the legs and also to bring out the spirit of the horse. The toughest bit is to portray the vitality of the horse.”Yet, it is precisely this challenge that keeps artists returning to the brush.Chong hopes more people will be inspired to take up Chinese brush painting and discover its rewards for themselves.“For painters like us, we get immense satisfaction when we manage to paint what we have in mind,” he said. Source: CNA/ca(dn) Newsletter Morning Brief Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief An automated curation of our top stories to start your day. Sign up for our newsletters Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Subscribe here Get the CNA app Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Download here Get WhatsApp alerts Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app Join here Related Topics calligraphy art Lunar New Year Advertisement Also worth reading Content is loading... 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