(Seria, 7th) The Chairman of Kuala Belait Fuzhou Association, Huang Linming, stated, “Literature carries morals; writing articles is a great endeavor for the nation and an everlasting, grand enterprise. Indeed, it is a monumental matter that is passed down through the ages.” Quoting Du Fu’s famous saying, “Writing is a matter of all ages, only the heart knows gains and losses,” he emphasized that only the writer can truly understand the emotional journey behind writing.
Huang Linming shared that while reviewing the submissions, he was touched by the essay “The First Word I Learned: ‘漠’” by fourth-grade student Chen Xuan. It also reminded him of the first Chinese character he learned—“人” (person). He laughingly said, “Although the character ‘人’ only consists of two strokes, it carries profound meaning. To write it well, there is much to consider.” This, he said, is the core significance of holding writing competitions: to comprehend the grandeur of Chinese characters and the vastness of cultural heritage.
He expressed that many senior figures present had deep literary attainments; they tirelessly run schools and promote calligraphy, all for the sake of cultural transmission and continuity. Every effort made leaves its mark along the river of life.
Huang Linming also mentioned that Chinese Ambassador to Brunei, Xiao Jianguo, excels not only in calligraphy but has a profound grasp of poetry, especially fond of citing lines from Wang Wei, such as “When reaching the end of the water, sit and watch the clouds rise” and “After fresh rain in the empty mountains, the weather turns autumnal in the evening.” These come at his fingertips and evoke boundless artistic conceptions. He said, “Let us, through such cultural activities, learn from each other and spark new vitality, so that our investment in cultural heritage will reap rich rewards.”
In conclusion, on behalf of the committee of the 7th Nationwide Chinese Writing Competition in Brunei, he thanked principals, instructors, judges, and parents for their active participation. He noted that as a co-organizer, the biggest gratification is seeing the event run smoothly and successfully.
“This would not be possible without the thoughtful planning of the committee, collective efforts, and the active support from schools. We firmly believe that through everyone's efforts, students’ interest and potential in writing can be stimulated, so that seedlings may thrive in a nurturing environment, becoming outstanding Chinese offspring and future pillars of our nation.”