Chinese calligraphy artist continues to inspire despite illness

Amy Chin, who has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, is intent on creating calligraphy for as long as she can. (Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)

KUALA LUMPUR: During the Lunar New Year, red lanterns and oversized pineapple-shaped ornaments are commonly seen in households with a pair of Chinese characters called “Chunlian”.

Also known as spring couplets, these are typically displayed on either side of door frames, often accompanied by auspicious sayings or well wishes for the homeowner over the coming year.

Presented in a classic calligraphic style, one might imagine  creators of such works to be older men with long, glorious beards. But Amy Chin is an artist who breaks this stereotype: the 47-year-old is adept at Chinese calligraphy, a childhood pastime that has now become her passion.

Another astonishing fact about Chin is that she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in her 30s. The chronic disease causes inflammation in the body and commonly comes with pain in one’s joints.

“Because of my diagnosis, I know I don’t have much time left to enjoy writing calligraphy as freely as I want. So, I want to do this while I’m still able to,” she shared when met by FMT Lifestyle at a bazaar recently.

Chin says calligraphy has allowed her to feel a sense of purpose again. (Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)

The condition afflicts her with such pain that there have been times she couldn’t even twist open a bottle cap or get out of bed. With subsequent hospital visits and medication following her diagnosis, she was eventually asked to leave her job to focus on her recovery.

This was devastating for Chin, who said she felt “unlucky” as she was in the prime of her life and wanted to focus on her career. It was her sister who encouraged her to find a hobby – something she loved doing to “hold on to spiritually” – which is how she rediscovered her love for Chinese calligraphy.

“My mum used to ask me to copy certain sentences over and over again as punishment for being a mischievous child,” Chin recalled with a laugh. “Over time, I fell in love with writing and calligraphy, but I gave it up after my schooling days.”

Decades later, she picked up her brush, reawakening a talent long dormant and discovered she still enjoyed it: even more so, since the act of creating these beautiful, stylistic pieces gave her a renewed sense of purpose.

“I think finding myself through this pastime again is like the saying: ‘When God closes a door, he’ll open another for you somewhere’.”

This gorgeous picture is made by combining Chinese calligraphy and paper quilling. (Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)

In 2018, encouraged by feedback from her friends and family after sharing her new artworks with them, Chin founded Fun UU, a social media platform where she showcases and sells her creations.

She has even discovered a way to make her craft stand out from others by incorporating calligraphy with paper quilling – the art of rolling, shaping and gluing colourful papers to create an intricate and decorative design.

The end result is an eye-catching combination of gorgeous brushstrokes and vibrant paper-art that offers a unique take on a traditional art form. Given her condition, Chin’s penmanship is impressive and awe-inspiring.

“In this digital age when a keyboard and computer are used for everything, I want to help spread the beauty of Chinese calligraphy to younger generations through my artwork,” she added with a smile.

Chinese zodiac-themed postcards created by Chin for the Lunar New Year. (Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)

Soberingly, Chin has accepted that her condition will worsen as she ages. Even today, her joint pains stop her from creating large Chunlian, forcing her to delegate such orders to her husband and business partner while she focuses on smaller-sized works.

Still, she maintains a positive outlook and relishes the fact that she can continue to work on beautiful decorative pieces for Chinese New Year.

“As long as I can still write with my ‘maobi’ (ink brush), I’ll do it until my fingers can’t support my hobby any longer,” she concluded.

Learn more about Chin’s participation in upcoming bazaars by following Fun UU on Facebook and Instagram.