We joined the Spring World Unite Festival with a Captivating Calligraphy Session
On the 13th of March 2025, the Leeds University Union hosted a brilliant Chinese Calligraphy Workshop as part of the Spring World Unite Festival. The event, held from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, welcomed nine participants who were eager to explore the art of Chinese calligraphy. The session was hosted by four members from the Business Confucius Institute at the University of Leeds: Yingying Bai, Junyi Chen, Qingyuan Yang, and Jing Ye.
The workshop began with a warm welcome from Junyi Chen, who introduced the participants to the Chinese calligraphy. To ensure an authentic experience, the instructors provided all the necessary tools for traditional Chinese calligraphy, including Maobi (brushes), Zitie (copybooks), Yantai (inkstones), and ink. The participants were guided step-by-step on how to use these tools effectively. The instructors demonstrated the proper way to hold the Maobi and shared techniques to create beautiful strokes. Participants were then encouraged to practice copying Chinese characters from the Zitie, with the instructors offering personalised guidance to help them improve their technique.
Once the participants grew more comfortable with holding the brush and creating basic strokes, the session took a more personalised turn. The instructors helped some of the participants, who have not learned any Chinese before, create a unique Chinese name, carefully selecting characters representing good meanings, e.g. 爱 (love), 明（bright) , etc. They explained the meaning and significance of each character, adding a deeper cultural connection to the activity. The highlight of the workshop was when the participants attempted to write their newly chosen Chinese names themselves, putting their newfound skills into practice.
The response from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed their fascination with the artistry and precision of Chinese calligraphy. The hands-on nature of the workshop allowed everyone to engage deeply with the art form, leaving them with a sense of accomplishment and a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.
The event was part of the Spring World Unite Festival which "celebrates the diversity of Leeds. To capture the breadth of cultures in Leeds, the festival offers a great selection of activities, including singing, dancing, language exchanges, workshops, food, academic presentations and discussions. Each event encourages you to consider differing perspectives on a variety of topics relevant to internationalisation."
