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Vice Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphy Society Of Singapore Anthony Ho Uses His Calligraphy To Do Good”
28 Feb 2021
On February 28, 2021 (Sunday), Shin Min Daily News reported ” Vice Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphy Society Of Singapore Anthony Ho Uses His Calligraphy To Do Good”.
There are thousands of ways to do good. Anthony Ho, who has served in Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore for more than 40 years, uses traditional art to do good by giving ex gratia lectures and calligraphy art. He said frankly: “If you don’t have money, you can contribute effort!”
Anthony Ho is the vice chairman of the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore and has served in the society for more than 40 years. He is also the vice chairman of the Singapore Arts Federation, Singapore Cultural Studies Society, and vice chairman of the Calligraphy Institute. Anthony Ho, who is now 80 years old, leads an active life despite his advanced age.
“We have a saying in calligraphy: Doing good is most enjoyable. This is also the wisdom of life. Calligraphy is a kind of self-cultivation, and also a form of self-entertainment. But if it can help more people, it is also a good thing.”
Anthony Ho, who used to be a teacher, retired 20 years ago. But in the past 20 years, he has actively devoted to charity. He also contributes his energy to the various societies he serves.
“Whichever associations or places needs my help, I will do my best to help by doing what I can, such as giving lectures, doing demonstrations, donating calligraphy and painting, doing art pieces for donors, etc.”
Anthony Ho said that if you have money, you can contribute more. But he laughed and said that he didn’t have much money, so he would try his best to contribute energy as much as possible. “If I can help, why not do that which I can?”
When asked what are the groups that Anthony Ho has helped most in the past few years, he replied it is Sian Chay Medical Institution and Thong Chai Medical Institution. This has to do with him seeing an impoverished patient obtaining medicine at this place one day.
Anthony Ho recalled he was waiting to collect medicine in the institution, when he saw an old man searching through his pockets to pay for his medicine, but he didn’t have any money.
“The old man asked the counter staff whether he could buy lesser medicine as he didn’t have enough money. I was very sad when I saw this.”
It is precisely because he has witnessed the helplessness of disadvantaged groups of society, hence this has become Anthony Ho’s driving force to continue to do good.
“Though I have retired twenty years ago, I have spent these 20 years actively working without a salary, but I am very happy. I did not plan this but in this way, I write calligraphy as a pastime in my retirement and continue to make a little contribution to society.”
There is no end to learning. During the pandemic, I learn to use the mobile phone to surf the net.
In the past year, the pandemic has disrupted everyone’s lives. Anthony Ho lamented that for all his life, this is the most unprecedented challenge he has seen facing mankind. Everyone’s life has been affected.
“I have been following the government’s regulations and rarely go out these days, unless it is important. When I have to go out, I return quickly. Because I have been going out less, I have more time to read and write.”
Besides honing his area of expertise, Anthony Ho has also learned to use his mobile phone to surf the net.
“I used to be a little scared about learning to use my mobile phone to surf the net, but now that I have a lot of time, and I have heard young people say that there are many useful materials on the net, I have started to learn. I can now find traditional art concepts through my mobile phone.
There are also many dictionaries on mobile phones, so you don’t need to look through physical ones. ”