Introduction
Guangdong Province, China
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Artist Ngan Siu-Mui was commissioned by the Naling Village to create the calligraphy couplets that are appearing inside and outside of the gate at the entrance of the village.
[See below for details]
"Originating during the Five Dynasties, and flourishing during the Ming and Qing dynasties in particular, couplets have a history of more than a thousand years and remain an enduring aspect of Chinese culture." [Wikipedia]
For more about chinese couplets, see ⮚ Wikipedia
Naling is a village embed in Nature with a history of more than 600 years; it is located in Haiyan Town, Taishan City, Guangdong Province, China. The Naling people are mainly surnamed "Yan" ("Ngan" in Cantonese) and this surname is carried by more than 75% of the total population of the village. Ngan Siu-Mui belongs to that group.
There is a couplet on the large square pillars on both sides of the gate of Naling Village, which fully reflects the affectionate praise and sincere admiration from the people of Naling for the sages who, throughout centuries, had brought honor on the Yan surname.
The Naling people are fully aware for instance of the work of Yan Hui 1 in the rehabilitation of the sage Confucius's virtues for the profit of future generations. The same can be said about the strong and outstanding temperament of the sage Yan Zhenqing 2 regarding the integration of culture and art.
The Naling villagers are thus keen to pass on to future generations the lofty virtues and profound cultural attainments of the sages carrying the surname Yan [Ngan]. It is then not too surprising that Naling has chosen Ngan Siu-Mui 3, an eminent calligrapher, to create the Naling Village Gate Couplets.
2 Yan Zhenqing was a leading calligrapher and a loyal governor during the Tang Dynasty.
3 Naling is the native village of Ngan Siu-Mui's ancestors.
The Naling Village Gate Couplets
by Artist Ngan Siu-Mui
The Couplet at the entrance of Naling Village (outside)
at the Entrance of
Naling Village,
Guangdong Province,
China
▴ [Enlarge]
[Reading from right to left]
- The right part of the couplet:
- Small characters 丁酉年秋月吉日
"2017, Autumn, Auspicious Day" - Eight big characters 那水源远繁荣昌盛
"The Rivers of Naling Village Are from Far Away Sources; Richness and Properity"
- Small characters 丁酉年秋月吉日
- The left part of the couplet:
- Eight big characters 陵峰秀叠物阜民豐
"The Mountains of Naling Village Overlap Strikinly; Abundance and Good Life" - Small characters (signature) 那陵女子顏小梅書
"Lady of Naling, Ngan Siu-Mui's Calligraphy"
- Eight big characters 陵峰秀叠物阜民豐
The Couplet inside the Naling Village Gate
inside the Gate of
Naling Village,
Guangdong Province,
China
▴ [Enlarge]
[Reading from right to left]
- The right part of the couplet:
- Small characters 丁酉年秋月吉日
"2017, Autumn, Auspicious Day" - Twelve big characters 那水源曲阜子淵聖訓流萬載
"The Rivers of Naling Village Flow from Qufu City; Yan Hui's Precepts Flowed for Thousand Years"
- Small characters 丁酉年秋月吉日
- The left part of the couplet:
- Twelve big characters 陵峰始南雄真卿瀚墨傳千秋
"The Mountains of Naling Village Emerged from Nanxiong City; Yan Zhenqing s Calligraphy Lasted Thousand Years" - Small characters (signature) 那陵女子顏小梅書
"Lady of Naling, Ngan Siu-Mui's Calligraphy"
- Twelve big characters 陵峰始南雄真卿瀚墨傳千秋
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