Yong Cheong Thye is a Singaporean calligrapher who graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1966. In 1967, he began studying under renowned calligrapher Tsue Ta Ti, whose guidance shaped his approach to Chinese calligraphy and artistic practice. Yong gained national recognition after winning first prize in Chinese calligraphy competitions in 1976 and 1977. He has since presented his works internationally, participating in exhibitions across Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania, and promoting Singaporean art through his calligraphy.

This calligraphy presents a four-line verse incorporating and adapting lines from classical Chinese poetry. The verse is rendered in clerical script, arranged in vertical columns and read from right to left, while the same text is repeated in smaller cursive script along the left side, creating a visual dialogue between two distinct modes of Chinese calligraphy. The verse reads:

Water holds green lotuses, while gold lies within the sand;
A figure rests against the ancient rampart, immersed in deep meditation.
Flowers bloom and wither, unseen by anyone;
Only when the yellow sands are blown away does the gold reveal itself.
 

The verse juxtaposes images of contemplation and the changing cycles of nature with the metaphor of gold concealed within sand. The closing line suggests that value is revealed through time, refinement, and perseverance, introducing a broader reflection on impermanence and the discovery of what lies beneath the surface.