Thirteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

This paper examines the broader social and cultural implications of works of Chinese calligraphy that are embedded in charity organizations in Hong Kong. This specific type of calligraphy exists as engraved couplets and tablets, for example, as signs highlighting the cultural, historical significance of charity organizations in Hong Kong. The calligraphic works under examination will be treated as public art, instead of the products on private display in artists’ studios that were examined in conventional art historical researches. In this specific category of calligraphy, matters of aesthetic choice are obviously intermingled with consideration for the various functions of public venues and for the social, cultural, and historical contexts involved. The paper, with its interdisciplinary approach, therefore sheds light on significant aspects of the social and cultural developments that are reflected in these calligraphic works with their specialized formats in their architectural setting.