Improving the effectiveness of primary-school calligraphy education is urgent in today’s context of cultural globalisation and the renewed emphasis on calligraphy aesthetic education in China. Yet calligraphy is often marginalised as an elective; teachers’ backgrounds are diverse; pupils’ motivation is frequently low; and meaningful outcomes require long-term engagement. Sustaining upper-primary pupils’ intention to continue learning calligraphy is therefore a key challenge.

Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, this study tested whether satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) predicts intention to continue learning calligraphy through different motivational regulations. The current study surveyed 531 Grade 4–6 pupils from four primary schools in Guangzhou, China, using the Basic Psychological Needs in Calligraphy Class Scale, the Calligraphy Learning Motivation Scale, and a self-developed Intention to Continue Learning Calligraphy Scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and structural equation modeling were conducted.

Autonomy and competence satisfaction significantly and positively predicted continuation intention, whereas relatedness satisfaction showed no independent effect. Autonomy satisfaction increased intrinsic motivation and identified regulation and decreased external regulation and amotivation; competence satisfaction positively predicted identified regulation. Mediation analyses indicated that need satisfaction mainly strengthened continuation intention by enhancing identified regulation and by reducing external regulation and amotivation.

These findings clarify SDT internalisation pathways in a distinctive Chinese calligraphy education context and inform need-supportive practices to sustain pupils’ long-term engagement.