Wee Beng Chong is one of Singapore's most versatile artists, producing exceptional works ranging from calligraphy, seal carving, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media works, oil and Chinese ink painting. His formal art education began in 1955 when he enrolled in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and was introduced to a variety of genres of art. Besides building a strong foundation in Western art, the artist also picked up seal carving and Chinese ink painting under the tutelage of See Hiang To. Later in 1964, Wee studied sculpture at École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, adding sculpture making to his impressive list of art skills.

Wee’s teacher See Hiang To was an eminent calligrapher, seal carver, Chinese ink painter and one of NAFA’s pioneer instructors. Born in Fujian, See moved to Singapore and took up significant roles in the art community as an advisor in several art societies. NAFA’s Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Library houses the Shi Xiang Tuo (See Hiang To) Collection, donated by the son of the late pioneer artist. This collection comprises rare and valuable out-of-print Chinese books on arts and literature, some of which are three centuries old. Wee initially produced this artwork in calligraphy in 1999 to pay tribute to See’s contributions to art in Singapore and his family’s valuable donation to the academy. In the following year, he made the calligraphy into a plague which is now displayed outside the Shi Xiang Tuo room in the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Library.