KOTA KINABALU: Maybelle Meryl Maurice is a Primary Six pupil from a mostly native Kadazan family background, who recently emerged first in a Chinese calligraphy competition held online nationwide.

       Despite being just a quarter Chinese (her mother is of native Kadazan and Chinese parentage while her father, a Kadazan), it did not stop her from falling in love with the language and also doing well in the subject.

       "I love the Chinese language as I find it, especially Mandarin, beautiful to my ears when listened to and when spoken in," said the 12-year-old who studies in SJK(c) St Peter’s school, Telipok.

       The elder of two siblings said studying in a Chinese vernacular school and having a half Chinese mother probably helped unearth her love for the Chinese language and culture.

       It also helped uncover Maybelle’s talent in Chinese calligraphy, and recently, helped her beat 17 finalists of the Chinese Bridge (Chinese Proficiency Competition) for Malaysian primary school students held online nationwide on June 11.

       She will also be representing Malaysia in the international level of the second Chinese Bridge Competition together with the runner up.

       "For me, Chinese calligraphy is like art and I love doing art as well," she said, adding she started learning Chinese calligraphy when she was eight in school.

       Calligraphy is a form of artfully writing Chinese characters using a brush and ink, and was once viewed as the supreme visual art form that could also show cultivation, upbringing and status during the ancient times, more valued than painting or sculpture.

       In school, Maybelle usually gets above average grades for her Chinese subject while at home, she speaks English, Malay, Mandarin and Kadazan.

       She said like many of her friends and cousins, she loves listening to songs online and watching dramas, but unlike those who choose Korean pop or English songs, she prefers Mandarin songs.

       Her father, Maurice Miki, a teacher, said although he does not understand Chinese or calligraphy, he always supported and gave encouragement to his daughter to pursue what she loves.

       "From the start, I knew she would win some of the top spots in the competition because she always comes home with awards whenever she joins any state contests," said the 42-year-old.

       He said it was however still a surprise when she emerged the winner in the latest competition.

       Maurice thanked his wife, a homemaker, for guiding and teaching their daughter the little she knows about Chinese and calligraphy, as well as Maybelle’s teachers for taking time and effort to train and trust in her talents.

       He said any language in the world was beautiful, as long as the person who used it did not abuse or disrespect it in any way.

       He also felt that in today’s time and era, one would only benefit if they were multilingual.

       The Chinese Bridge competition was hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia and organised by the Kongzi Institute of University of Malaya.

       During the competition, participants were required to showcase their talents by either singing, doing calligraphy, dancing, allegro and so on.

       The contents of the competition also included language and culture knowledge test and speech quiz.

       Earlier during the opening ceremony of the competition, Education Counsellor of the Embassy, Zhao Chang Tao said that the Chinese civilisation has a long history and splendid culture of over 5,000 years.

       He said Mandarin was a commonly used language in the world where more than a billion people understand and converse in.

       He said people would be able to learn songs, Chinese cuisines, understand more of the cultures and history and folk customs by learning the language.

       Prof Yong Zulina, vice chancellor of the University of Malaya (International Affair), said the Chinese Bridge competition is a platform to promote language and cultural exchange between China and Malaysia.