Initiated in 2012 by type designer Adonian Chan—partner and design director of Trilingua Design—this project uses design thinking to analyze the history, culture, and creative spirit of Bei Wei calligraphy, its vernacular applications in Hong Kong, and the creative journey of reinterpreting Hong Kong Bei Wei through contemporary typeface design.

In the summer of 2018, Chan teamed up with design editor Ire Tsui to publish Zansyu: A Study on Hong Kong Beiwei Calligraphy and Type Design. The book chronicles the origins and artistic value of the Bei Wei style, tracing its lineage from the Northern and Southern Dynasties stone steles and Qing dynasty calligrapher Zhao Zhiqian to the calligraphy that dominated Hong Kong street signage from the 1940s through the 1970s.

It documents the calligraphy of local masters Au Kin-kung and So Sai-kit, alongside real-world examples of Bei Wei lettering across different eras throughout Hong Kong's streets and daily life. It also features the first-ever exclusive interview with Yeung Kai, the master behind the iconic Bei Wei lettering seen on Hong Kong’s trucks.