On January 24, 2018, the Laba Festival (regarded as the prelude to the Chinese Spring Festival), the activity Spring Festival Couplets Delivering was held in campus, organized by SUSTech and Shenzhen Calligraphers Association. The activity has invited 12 famous calligraphers to write Spring Festival couplets for the faculties and students of SUSTech, which attracted hundreds of participants. Guo Yurong, the Chairperson of University Council, Chen Shiyi, the President of SUSTech, and Li Fengliang, the Vice-Chairman of University Council also took part in the activity.

Pasting Spring Festival couplets is one of the traditional customs during the Lunar New Year festival in China. “Spring Festival couplets writing activity combines traditional custom and calligraphic art together which embodies SUSTech’s determination to create art and culture atmosphere in campus,” said Gu Yurong.

Participants could choose their favorite lines of poetry and calligraphers would write for them on site. The most popular character is “Fu” (福), which means happiness and good future. People like pasting the “Fu” upside down on their front door. One of the calligraphers, Chang Hongcai, who has been immersing in calligraphic art for over 40 years noted, “I am impressed by the warm welcome of the participants, and I hope I can send my best wishes to them with my calligraphy.” 

President Chen Shiyi and Vice-Chairman Guo Fengliang also wrote Spring Festival couplets for faculty members and students. The first student receiving the “Fu” from President Chen expressed his excitement, “ I am going to take it back to my home and share the wish with my family.”

As a prelude to celebrating Spring Festival, the activity lasted for 2 hours and more than 400 pairs of Spring Festival couplets was given to the participants. This is the second time that SUSTech hold this Spring Festival couplets Writing activity, and it is not only a best wish to faculties and students, but also a part of campus culture.