Each year, Columba Chinese students participate in the New Zealand soft-pen and hard-pen Calligraphy competition organised by Confucius Institute.

The Calligraphy competition includes two categories: soft-pen Calligraphy and hard-pen Calligraphy. Soft-pen Calligraphy is widely known as a traditional Chinese form of writing with a brush and ink. There are five basic script styles in Chinese soft-pen Calligraphy. Year 5 – 12 Chinese students have learned “Regular and Seal Scripts”. These two styles of writing are the most widely recognised styles.

Hard-pen calligraphy started to develop in the 1900s when fountain pens were imported into China from the west. Nowadays, hard-pen calligraphy is the writing art of making beautiful or elegant handwriting by pen. Year 4 – 12 Chinese students have written a Chinese poem in hard-pen to participate in the hard-pen calligraphy competition.

Well done to all Chinese students. All the best for your competition - we are looking forward to hearing the good news in October. The winners will be announced at Chinese Prize Giving at Columba College on 26th October.