Compiled by C. ARUNO and ALIZA SHAH
A calligraphy piece by Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok (pic), who is known to be a calligraphy enthusiast, managed to raise HK$1mil (RM603,578) at a charity event recently, reported China Press.
The 56-year-old uploaded a video online showing him penning the words “bao chi” and “an liang” (roughly translated to “nurture the young” and “peace”) in cursive script.
From the video, Kwok could be seen completing the piece with several swift but precise brush strokes – an indication that he was a master of the artform.
The piece reportedly helped raise funds for the Society for the Protection of Women and Children.
“It managed to raise around HK$1mil. It brought me joy and comfort to know I could help others with something I enjoy doing. It gave this passion of mine a deeper meaning,” he said.
The video also showed Kwok showing up at a kindergarten to serve as a calligraphy tutor to preschoolers for the day.
Kwok is said to have been an ambassador for the society since 1997.
He is known as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Hong Kong pop music and has released more than 30 music albums in his career.
> A school in China’s Sichuan province attracted online attention after it chose the unconventional way of rewarding honours students with raw pork, reported Sin Chew Daily.
According to local news reports, the school held a “return to school” ceremony on Sept 30 to present awards to students who scored well in the previous semester.
However, apart from the usual banners, certificates and trophies, video footage of the ceremony showed students queueing up on stage to be presented with pork as a reward for their achievement.
Internet users pointed out that in the group photo with the teachers, none of the students holding the raw pieces of pork was smiling.
“If I were to receive a piece of pork, I’d also have a deadpan expression,” a netizen wrote.
When interviewed, a staff member at the school revealed that the tradition began three years ago and that this year, they gave out 91 pieces of pork.
He said it was a very practical gift for both teachers and students.
On the Internet, opinion was divided on the matter.
While some made fun of the gift, others agreed that it was more practical than a trophy or certificate.
“Compared to a piece of paper (certificate), rewarding them with a piece of meat is much more practical,” one Internet user wrote.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
