On January 11, 2022, the Confucius Institute at the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje organized a successful online calligraphy competition titled ” Brush/Pen Calligraphy. ” The purpose of the competition was to provide a platform for students to showcase their Chinese language skills and talents. It also aimed at enhancing students’ love and understanding of Chinese culture.
The contestants recorded videos as their competition submissions. The judging panel evaluated the video submissions, and the organizer announced the final results. A first, second, and third prize were awarded.
The first prize was awarded to Viktorija Popovska for her skillful ink brush calligraphy of Meng Haoran’s famous poem “Spring Dawn (春晓)”. She received unanimous praise from the judges for her fluid, precise brush strokes and exquisite symmetrical characters. Viktorija is a long-time student of the Chinese language and culture.
Gjore Gjelev’s calligraphy entry of the poem “Qingping Diao (清平调·其一)” by Li Bai secured him the second prize. His work had a clear layout, and characters were written with ease in a fluid motion, revealing the contestants’ confidence and unaffected manner.
Kristina Nikolova, who has only studied Chinese for four months, received the third prize. She entered a pen calligraphy of Li Bai’s poem “Silent Night Thoughts (静夜思)”. She displayed an elegant and delicate calligraphy style, standard and ample shaped Chinese characters. Each meticulous pen stroke revealed her commitment and passion for Chinese calligraphy. Her entry was also highly appreciated by the judges.
This activity increased the students’ enthusiasm for learning Chinese and contributed to their extracurricular activities. It also enhanced the students’ reading and writing skills, and deepened their understanding of the history and culture of Chinese calligraphy. This competition further advanced the relationship between China and North Macedonia.