Dr Tan Tsze Chor’s early education in China laid the foundation for his knowledge of Chinese poetry and calligraphy. He boldly broke away from tradition by using coloured ink and adopting several different scripts within a single piece of work. His writing has a strong sense of ornamentation due to their colours, combination of scripts and sometimes, the use of patterned paper or silk. Zhuzhici is a poetic form popular in the ancient Sichuan area. This poem speaks of a sentimental soul tinged with melancholy. Dr Tan's works dated after 1979 often contained sad poems. This could be due to his beloved wife's demise in 1975.
