"Turns out I'm a Sheep!" After learning her Chinese zodiac sign, Malaysian girl Ezulin picked up a calligraphy brush and began writing the character "羊" (sheep) stroke by stroke, following the template on the paper. Beside her, Azira, whose zodiac sign is the Dragon, studied the complex traditional character "龍" for a long time before carefully beginning to trace it.
This is a scene captured by a reporter recently at a cultural event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After successfully writing the Chinese character "龍" (dragon), Azira proudly showed her work to the audience with a sense of accomplishment.
Azira told reporters that, like China, Malaysia's diverse ethnic groups each preserve their own calligraphy traditions. She believes it is vital for cultural heritage preservation to give the younger generation opportunities to experience different cultures. "Languages and forms may differ, but the feeling of picking up a brush remains universal," said Ezura.
17 is UNESCO's International Day for Intangible Cultural Heritage. As the day approaches, reporters who visited the site deeply felt that on this multicultural land in Malaysia, cultural traditions from different nations and ethnic groups continue to be passed down through generations, while constantly blending through cross-cultural exchange and modern innovation.
Recently, at the Global Civilization Initiative High-Level Forum and the Confucius-Islamic Civilization Cultural Festival held in Kuala Lumpur, a unique calligraphy work drew significant attention: Malaysian Chinese calligrapher Wang Weizong presented the Malay traditional poem "Pantun" using ancient Chinese seal script, while Malay artist Ustaz Abdul Baqi rendered it in Jawi script.
Pantun is a traditional Malay poetic form inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Zhuanshu (Seal Script) is an ancient Chinese calligraphic style, while Jawi serves as a vital medium for preserving the history and literary traditions of the Malay world.
"We want to see if the rhythm of ancient artistic languages can understand each other," says Wang Weizong. This approach helps people from different cultural backgrounds discover unexpected resonance when appreciating art.
Reporters found that in Malaysia, traditional culture is finding new expressions in modern life. Royal Selangor, a Malaysian pewter brand with over 100 years of history, incorporated Chinese cultural elements such as the 12 zodiac animals and cranes, along with traditional Malay gold-embroidered fabric patterns, into its contemporary pewter designs for the latest collection.
"Tradition is the 'root' of our culture and a source of inspiration. If it remains stuck in the past, young people will struggle to connect with it," said Mei Yi Ye, a Malaysian designer involved in the project. "Integrating traditional cultural elements with modern design isn't just about formal innovation; more importantly, it allows tradition to enter modern life and continue to thrive."
According to Dato' Seri Dr. Chong Jun Wen, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, intangible cultural heritage is "living heritage" that connects people with their cultural roots. "In the context of rapid social change, preserving cultural traditions requires creating opportunities for more people, especially the younger generation, to perceive, experience, and learn about traditional culture."