Gan Kee Leong (Yan Lu) 颜绿

Gan Kee Leong (Yan Qilong, 1907 - 1982), better known as Yan Lu, was born in September 1907 in Anhai Town, Fujian Province. In 1926, he attended the School of Arts Education at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, but later moved to the Arts Faculty of the Shanghai University of Arts. He graduated from the university in 1930.

A teacher for most of his life, Gan had taught in China for 18 years before he came to Singapore in 1948. He tried several jobs but finally settled for teaching again. He taught Chinese language and Geography in Chung Cheng High School for 23 years. He was once a lecturer of the Nanyang University, teaching its pre-university students geography.

After retired from Chung Cheng High School, he taught at Sanyu Adventist School for 5 years before total retired from working life in 1975.

He practiced calligraphy since young. He learned to use the brush with a five-kilogram weight on his forearm and an egg under his wrist when his was a small boy. This training method kept his hand steady and his wrist flexible. When he was teaching in a village school in Anhui far away from his home, he worked with his brush every night to while away the time. This solid foundation has enabled him to keep his forceful strokes through his 40-odd years in Singapore despite lack of frequent practice.

He preferred lively, natural strokes, and belonged to the stele calligraphy school, as he was much influenced by the ‘Shimen Inscription’ and ‘Zhang Menglong Tablet’. He wrote in xing style, which resembles a walking man, and developed a unique style of executing rounded corner of the strokes. His calligraphy is judged to be natural and unforced, moving leisurely with rare appearance, like floating clouds and flowing water.

A quite man by nature, Gan did not conduct any art classes except a few enthusiastic students who came to him. He taught in the Chinese Calligraphy Society of River Valley Government Chinese Middle School (the predecessor of River Valley High School). He was also appointed Advisor of the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore in 1973. Two books on his calligraphic works were published in 1980 and 1983 respectively by the Society.

Tan Swee Hian (Chen Ruixian) and Khoo Seng Kong (Qiu Chengguang) are two of his students that are active and well known artists in Singapore.

He went back to China in May 1981 and passed away in September 1982.

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颜期隆，或较为人知的颜绿，1907年9月生出生于福建安海镇。1926年赴上海美术专科学校读美术教育系，后来，又转入上海艺术大学文学系。1930年毕业于上海艺术大学。

颜绿一生几乎都在教书。在中国教了十八年书后，于1948年来新加坡。在从事不少行业后，最后还是回到教书工作。任教于中正中学有23年之久。他也担任过南洋大学先修班地理讲师。

中正退休后，在三育中学服务五年，至1975年才完全从工作中退休下来。

他从小就练习书法。还是小孩时，他以五公斤重物绑在前臂与以手腕握鸡蛋来练笔。这种训练方法使到他的手稳重而腕灵活。当他在安徽的一个远僻的小乡村教书时，他每晚就以书法来打发时间。这深厚的基础令他在新加坡四十多年一直保有强劲的笔力，虽然疏于练习。

他喜爱生动自然的笔划，属于碑派，因为深受《石门铭》与《张猛龙碑》的影响。他学的是行书，犹如一人走路，并形成独特的圆转笔划。他的书法被认为自然轻松，飞逸奇姿，如行云流水。

他的本性寂静，除了几个热心书法学生向他讨教外，他并没有开班授徒，只在立化政府华文中学（立化中学前身）的书法学会教导书法。他于1973年出任中华书学研究会的顾问。著有《颜绿翰墨集》（中华书学研究会第十种出版物，1980年9月版）、《颜绿遗墨》（中华书学研究会第廿二种出版物，1983年9月版）。

当今在新加坡艺坛活跃与著名的艺术家陈瑞献与邱程光都是他的学生。

1981年5月回中国，1982年9月病逝。