Abstract

Traditional researches on Chinese calligraphy tend to emphasize the analysis of stylistic lineages and the artistic aspect of works of calligraphy. By contrast, the purpose of this paper is to examine how Chinese calligraphy was practiced in Hong Kong in the twentieth and pre-twentieth century, and the historic and societal circumstances in which works of calligraphy were produced. Based on a thematic framework, the work examines pertinent issues in Hong Kong calligraphy including 1.) Chinese intellectuals’ encounter with the West; 2.) The propaganda of the revolutionaries; 3.) The pride of Qing dynasty’s “left-over subjects”; and 4.) From erudition to contemporary life. Calligraphic works under examination are viewed as both art objects and vehicles projecting a strong sense of social and cultural identity.