Buy a Right Thought calligraphy wall scroll here!
Personalize your custom “Right Thought” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “Right Thought” title below...
1. 1. Right Understanding / Right Perspective / Right View / Perfect View
2. 2. Right Resolve / Right Thought / Right Intention / Perfect Resolve
3. 6. Right Effort / Right Endeavor / Perfect Effort
4. 7. Right Mindfulness / Right Memory / Perfect Mindfulness
5. 8. Right Concentration / Perfect Concentration
6. Koan
7. Bushido / The Way of the Samurai
8. Courage to do what is right
10. Far-Sighted in Deep Thought
11. Holding Flowers with Subtle Smile
13. Idea / Concept
14. Idea / Thought
15. Consideration / Thought / Ikko
17. Inspiration
18. Kirin / Giraffe / Mythical Creature
19. Listen to Your Heart / Follow Your Heart
22. Mind Body Spirit
23. Mindfulness
25. Morality of Mind
27. No Fear
28. All Tenets of the Noble Eightfold Path
29. Omoi / Desire
30. Pluto
31. Purity of Mind
32. Reincarnation / Transmigration of Souls
33. Samadhi
34. Shiatsu-Do
35. Respectful Heart
36. Star
38. With all the strength of your heart
39. Tea Fate
41. Tiger Rumor
44. Resolute Mind
45. Seeking Mind
46. Fundamental Principles of Tai Chi Chuan
47. Jung Sim Do
Samyag Dristhi / Samyag Drsti / Samma Ditthi
正見 is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism. Right View, along with the Right Thought, constitutes the path to Wisdom.
To get to the correct view of the world, you must first understand and follow Four Noble Truths.
Note: This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Noble Eightfold Path
Samyak Samkalpa / Samma Sankappa
正思唯 is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism. Right Thought, along with the Right View, constitute the path to Wisdom.
In Buddhism, Right Thought, in simple terms, means to free yourself from having ill will towards anyone or anything. It also suggests that you remain harmless to other living creatures.
This can also be defined as “Resolve in favor of renunciation, goodwill, and non-harming of sentient beings.”
There is an ancient/alternate version of the third character for this selection. You can see that alternation third character to the right. If you want your selection to use that older character, just click on the character to the right, instead of the button above.
Note: This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Noble Eightfold Path
Samyag Vyayama / Samma Vayama
正精進 is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism. Right Effort, along with Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration, constitute the path to Concentration or Perfect Thought.
The proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake in each moment, the effort to overcome laziness and defilement, and the effort to make each activity of our daily meditation. This concept is about pursuing wholesome things that promote good karma.
Another definition: Cultivation of what is karmically wholesome and avoidance of what is karmically unwholesome.
This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Noble Eightfold Path
Samyak Smriti / Samyak Smrti / Samma Sati
正念 is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism. Right Mindfulness, along with Right Effort and Right Concentration, constitute the path to Concentration or Perfect Thought.
Right Mindfulness is about remaining focused on one's body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities. It's also about being ardent, aware, and mindful, and supposes that you've already put aside worldly desire and aversion.
Monk Bhikkhu Bodhi described this as “The mind is deliberately kept at the level of bare attention, a detached observation of what is happening within us and around us in the present moment.” When practicing right mindfulness, the mind is trained to remain in the present, open, quiet, and alert, contemplating the present event.
Another definition: Ongoing mindfulness of body, feelings, thinking, and objects of thought.
This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Noble Eightfold Path
Samyak Samadhi / Samma Samadhi
正定 is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism. Right Concentration, along with Right Effort and Right Mindfulness, constitute the path to Concentration or Perfect Thought.
Right Concentration has to do with leaving behind sensuality, unwholesome states, as well as pleasure and pain. 正定 is a complex idea, but once you have achieved the shedding of worldly sensation, you can truly concentrate and find a higher level of awareness.
Another definition: Concentration of mind that finds its high point in the four absorptions.
This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Noble Eightfold Path
In the Buddhist context, 公案 is a Zen question for meditation.
From the Buddhist dictionary, this is:
Problems set by Zen masters, upon which thought is concentrated as a means to attain inner unity and illumination.
The secular meaning of this word can mean a judge's desk, a complex legal case, a contentious issue, a dossier, a case record, public laws, regulations, or case law.
武士道 is the title for “The Code of the Samurai.”
Sometimes called “The Seven Virtues of the Samurai,” “The Bushido Code,” or “The Samurai Code of Chivalry.”
This would be read in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja as “The Way of the Warrior,” “The Warrior's Way,” or “The Warrior's Code.”
It's a set of virtues that the Samurai of Japan and ancient warriors of China and Korea had to live and die by. However, while known throughout Asia, this title is mostly used in Japan and thought of as being of Japanese origin.
The seven commonly-accepted tenets or virtues of Bushido are Rectitude 義, Courage 勇, Benevolence 仁, Respect 礼(禮), Honour 名誉, Honesty 誠, and Loyalty 忠実. These tenets were part of oral history for generations, thus, you will see variations in the list of Bushido tenets depending on who you talk to.
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here
見義勇為 means the courage to do what is right in Chinese.
This could also be translated as “Never hesitate to do what is right.”
This comes from Confucian thought:
Your courage should head in an honorable direction. For example, you should take action when the goal is to attain a just result as, without honorable intent, a person’s gutsy fervor can easily lead them astray.
One who flaunts courage but disregards justice is bound to do wrong; someone who possesses courage and morality is destined to become a hero.
Some text above paraphrased from The World of Chinese - The Character of 勇
See Also: Work Unselfishly for the Common Good | Justice | Bravery
In Zen Buddhism, 本心 means “original mind” or “original heart,” which refers to one's Buddha-nature present from birth.
This can also be translated as true feelings, real intention, one's own heart, one's right mind, one's senses, one's conscience, or fundamental mind.
Note: 心 can mean heart or mind - thought in ancient Asia to be the same organ.
深謀遠慮 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean proverb that means “deep plans and distant thoughts,” “to plan far ahead,” or “far sight and deep design.”
An idiom for heart-to-heart communication
拈華微笑 is a Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Buddhist title that relays the idea of “heart-to-heart communication,” or “thought transference.”
The literal translation is, “holding a flower and subtly smiling,” or “the holding of a flower with a subtle smile.” It is the visual act and emotion that communicates more volume than words can say.
心 would often be translated as “heart.”
However, because it was believed in Chinese culture for thousands of years that your consciousness and thoughts came from the big red organ in the middle of your chest, it also means “mind” or “spirit” and sometimes even “soul.”
In Korean, beyond heart, mind, and spirit, this character can mean moral, nature, mind, affections, intentions, core, and center. In fact, it is used in Chinese to mean “center” as well but only with another character in front of it. For instance, “medical center” or even “shopping center.” Separately and alone, it will not be read with that “center” meaning unless thought of as “the center of your soul.”
理念/理唸 means idea, notion, concept, principle, theory, philosophy*, or doctrine in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
This word is OK for a wall scroll, although it's more commonly used as an oral/informal word in Asia.
* This is not the title for philosophy but rather is about having a certain philosophy or approach to something.
意見 means idea, thought, opinion, or view in Japanese.
This word also has a similar meaning in Chinese, just often used in China.
獨立精神 means independent spirit in Chinese.
The first two characters mean independent, independence, or to stand alone.
The last two characters mean spirit, spiritual, vigor, vitality, drive, mind, consciousness, thought, essence, heart, or soul.
With this information, you can make your translation combination such as “independent heart,” “stand-alone spirit,” or more creatively, “the drive to stand alone” in English. There are a lot of ways to interpret 獨立精神.
靈感 is the Chinese word closest to hitting the mark for the English word inspiration.
In a more extended context, I have even seen this translated as “brain wave.”
The first character means alert, departed soul, efficacious, quick, effective, or intelligent.
The second character means to feel, to move, to touch, or to affect.
The combined meaning of these two characters changes a bit, but I think it's nice to know the individual meanings to give you a better understanding of where a word comes from.
You could describe this word as “the thought that pops into your head just before you patent the greatest widget ever invented that everyone in the world will want.”
At least, that's the idea.
This term can also mean “intelligent thought” if you translate it directly from each character. If you are looking for inspiration or need to be inspired, this is the word for you.
When the first character was absorbed into Japanese from Chinese, an alternate form became the standard in Japan. The Kanji shown to the right is the form currently used in Japan. This is still considered an alternate form in China to this day. it’s readable by both Chinese and Japanese people but if your audience is Japanese, I recommend the Kanji shown to the right - just click on that Kanji to order that version.
麒麟 is the title of a mythical beast of Asia.
The animal is thought to be related to the giraffe, and in some ways, it is a giraffe. However, it is often depicted with the horns of a dragon or deer and sometimes with the body like a horse, but many variations exist.
In Japanese, it is pronounced “Kirin” as in “Kirin Ichiban” beer.
Notes:
1. This is sometimes spelled as “kylin.”
2. In Japanese, this is the only Kanji word for giraffe. Therefore in Japan, this word needs context to know whether you are talking about the mythical creature or the long-necked giraffe of Africa.
3. Apparently, this was the first word used for regular giraffes in China (some were brought from Africa to China during the Ming Dynasty - probably around the year 1400). Though the mythical creature may have existed before, the name “qilin” was given to the “new giraffe.” This is because, more than 600 years ago, giraffes somewhat matched the mythical creature's description when Chinese people saw them for the first time. Later, to avoid such an ambiguous title, a three-character word was devised to mean a “giraffe of Africa.” The characters for “qilin” shown here are only for the mythological version in modern Chinese.
4. More information about the qilin / kirin from Wikipedia.
5. This creature is sometimes translated as the “Chinese Unicorn,” although it is generally portrayed with two horns. I think this is done more for the fantasy aspect of the unicorn and because most westerners don't know what a qilin or kirin is (this avoids a long explanation by the translator).
6. In Korean, this can mean kirin or simply giraffe (usually, the mythological creature is what they would think of when seeing these characters alone on a wall scroll).
隨心而行 is the closest way to express this idea in Chinese. Literally translated, this phrase means “Allow your heart to dictate your behavior” or “Let your heart guide your conduct” in Chinese. You could also translate this as “follow your heart.” Or, with a bit of imagination, it could mean: “let your spirit be your guide.”
Note that in some cases, “heart” can mean “mind,” “soul” or even “spirit” in Chinese. In ancient China, it was thought that the big pumping organ in your chest was where your thoughts came from, or where your soul resides.
Ancient western thought followed a similar belief. Thus phrases like “I love you with all my heart” and “I give you my whole heart.”
大麻 is how to write marijuana, weed, pot, grass, cannabis, or hemp in Chinese and Japanese Kanji. I never thought to add this, but these terms were searched for more than 5000 times on our website.
I have not checked to see if our calligraphers might have any problem with writing this. In case you didn't know, using, selling, and distributing pot in China is punishable by death. However, you can buy nice Lebanese hash at the hotel just down the way from the Lebanese Embassy in Beijing (I'm pretty sure it's brought into the country via a diplomatic pouch).
This means "Cannabis Sativa" in Korean but they add a third Hanja character to specifically mean the marijuana species that you know and love.
意 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for an idea, intention, meaning, thought, wish, desire, intention, feelings, and thoughts.
In Buddhism, this is the last of the six means of perception (the others are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, and this one represents the mind). It does not literally mean “mind,” but rather something more like mental powers, intellect, intelligence, faculty of thought, or understanding in the Buddhist context.
身心靈 is probably the best way to express the idea of “Body, Mind, and Spirit” in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. We are actually using the word “heart” here because, for thousands of years, the heart was thought to be the place where your thoughts, feelings, and emotions came from. We do something similar in the west when we say “warm-hearted” or “I love you with all of my heart.” In this context, heart = mind in Asian language and culture.
The very literal translation of these three characters is “body, heart & spirit,” which could also be interpreted as “body, mind & soul.”
We have arranged these characters in this order because it simply “feels” like the proper order in the Chinese language. Word lists like this are not so common for calligraphy artwork, so we must be careful to put them in the most natural order. It should be noted that this is not a common title in Asia, nor is it considered an actual phrase (as it lacks a clear subject, verb, and object).
In Japanese Kanji, they use an alternate form of the character for soul or spirit. If you want this using the Japanese alternate, please click on the Kanji shown to the right instead of the button above.
Japanese disclaimer: This is not a natural phrase/list in Japanese. While not totally-natural in Chinese, this word list is best if your audience is Chinese.
念 is the simplest way to write “mindfulness” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
念 can be defined these ways: To read; to study (a degree course); to read aloud; to miss somebody (keeping them in your mind); idea; remembrance; sense; thought; feeling; desire; concern; attention; recollection; memory; to think on/about; reflect; repeat, intone; a moment.
Obviously, the context in which the character is used determines which definition or meaning is perceived. As a single character, it's open and perhaps ambiguous. Thus, it can be read with any or all of these meanings.
念 is used in a Buddhist context (often written as 正念 or “right mindfulness”) with similar meanings of thought and contemplation.
In Japanese, this character is sometimes used as the name “Nen.”
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment
Martial arts term
猴子偷桃 is a martial arts term that I find hilarious. I thought Stephen Chow had made this up for his Monkey King movie. After some research, it turns out to be real.
This can be translated as “monkey stealing peaches” or “monkey steals the peach.” It refers to distracting an opponent with one hand and seizing his testicles with the other.
In colloquial Chinese speech, this can refer to grabbing somebody by the balls (without any martial arts technique to the grabbing).
The idea of 心德 or “morality of mind” goes along with 行德 or “wu de” (martial morality or virtues of the warrior).
Here, the first character is a representation of your heart or mind.
The second character refers to morality or virtue.
This can also be translated as “morality of heart,” “virtue of heart,” or “virtue of the mind.”
Since ancient times in Asia, the idea of your mind (where your soul resides and your thought originates) has been associated with the heart. Just as in western culture, where we say “it comes from the heart” or “heartfelt emotions,” there is a belief that your heart and mind are one and the same (medical science now begs to differ).
See Also: Morality of Deed | Martial Morality
It's Never Too Late Too Mend
Long ago in what is now China, there were many kingdoms throughout the land. This time period is known as “The Warring States Period” by historians because these kingdoms often did not get along with each other.
Sometime around 279 B.C. the Kingdom of Chu was a large but not particularly powerful kingdom. Part of the reason it lacked power was the fact that the King was surrounded by “yes men” who told him only what he wanted to hear. Many of the King's court officials were corrupt and incompetent which did not help the situation.
The King was not blameless himself, as he started spending much of his time being entertained by his many concubines.
One of the King's ministers, Zhuang Xin, saw problems on the horizon for the Kingdom, and warned the King, “Your Majesty, you are surrounded by people who tell you what you want to hear. They tell you things to make you happy and cause you to ignore important state affairs. If this is allowed to continue, the Kingdom of Chu will surely perish, and fall into ruins.”
This enraged the King who scolded Zhuang Xin for insulting the country and accused him of trying to create resentment among the people. Zhuang Xin explained, “I dare not curse the Kingdom of Chu but I feel that we face great danger in the future because of the current situation.” The King was simply not impressed with Zhuang Xin's words.
Seeing the King's displeasure with him and the King's fondness for his court of corrupt officials, Zhuang Xin asked permission from the King that he may take leave of the Kingdom of Chu, and travel to the State of Zhao to live. The King agreed, and Zhuang Xin left the Kingdom of Chu, perhaps forever.
Five months later, troops from the neighboring Kingdom of Qin invaded Chu, taking a huge tract of land. The King of Chu went into exile, and it appeared that soon, the Kingdom of Chu would no longer exist.
The King of Chu remembered the words of Zhuang Xin and sent some of his men to find him. Immediately, Zhuang Xin returned to meet the King. The first question asked by the King was “What can I do now?”
Zhuang Xin told the King this story:
A shepherd woke one morning to find a sheep missing. Looking at the pen saw a hole in the fence where a wolf had come through to steal one of his sheep. His friends told him that he had best fix the hole at once. But the Shepherd thought since the sheep is already gone, there is no use fixing the hole.
The next morning, another sheep was missing. And the Shepherd realized that he must mend the fence at once. Zhuang Xin then went on to make suggestions about what could be done to reclaim the land lost to the Kingdom of Qin, and reclaim the former glory and integrity of the Kingdom of Chu.
The Chinese idiom shown above came from this reply from Zhuang Xin to the King of Chu almost 2,300 years ago.
It translates roughly into English as...
“Even if you have lost some sheep, it's never too late to mend the fence.”
This proverb, 亡羊补牢犹未为晚, is often used in modern China when suggesting in a hopeful way that someone change their ways, or fix something in their life. It might be used to suggest fixing a marriage, quitting smoking, or getting back on track after taking an unfortunate path in life among other things one might fix in their life.
I suppose in the same way that we might say, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life” in our western cultures to suggest that you can always start anew.
Note: This does have Korean pronunciation but is not a well-known proverb in Korean (only Koreans familiar with ancient Chinese history would know it). Best if your audience is Chinese.
(2 characters)
無畏 literally means “No Fear.” But perhaps not the most natural Chinese phrase (see our other “No Fear” phrase for a complete thought). However, this two-character version of “No Fear” seems to be a very popular way to translate this into Chinese when we checked Chinese Google.
Note: This also means “No Fear” in Japanese and Korean, but this character pair is not often used in Japan or Korea.
This term appears in various Chinese dictionaries with definitions like “without fear,” intrepidity, fearless, dauntless, and bold.
In the Buddhist context, this is a word derived from the word Abhaya, meaning: Fearless, dauntless, secure, nothing, and nobody to fear. Also, from vīra meaning: courageous, bold.
See Also: Never Give Up | No Worries | Undaunted | Bravery | Courage | Fear No Man
These are the eight tenets of the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path written altogether.
Here's this list of tenets in English:
1. Right View / Right Understanding / Right Perspective / Perfect View
2. Right Resolve / Right Thought / Right Intention / Perfect Resolve
3. Right Speech / Right Talk / Perfect Speech
4. Right Action / Perfect Conduct
5. Right Living / Right Livelihood / Perfect Livelihood
6. Right Effort / Right Endeavor / Perfect Effort
7. Right Mindfulness / Right Memory / Perfect Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration / Perfect Concentration
冥王星 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for Pluto (the dwarf planet or non-planet that used to be thought of as the 9th planet in the Solar system).
心澄淨 is the Buddhist concept of the pure and calm mind. It is believed that once you achieve a meditative state of pure focused thought, the mind becomes clear and calm. Although, others will say this means that achieving a calm mind will allow you to reach pure thought.
From Sanskrit, this is known as citta-prasāda. The concept of citta-prasāda is sometimes defined as “clear heart-mind,” or “the single and definitive aspiration.”
輪回 is a universal word in Japanese and Chinese that expresses the Buddhist idea of “reincarnation,” “transmigration of souls,” or “the eternal cycle of birth and death.”
In some contexts, this can also mean “karma,” and others will say it represents “samsara.”
The first character means wheel, ring, turn, circle, loop, or rotate.
The second character can be thought of as a suffix meaning “-times.” This second character can also refer to something that revolves, returns, goes back, or is a counter of the number of occurrences of some event.
Together the sum supersedes the parts, and it means reincarnation. But knowing the essence of each character may help you understand some of the meaning behind the word.
Shown to the right is the more common way to write the second character in Japanese. it’s an alternate form of this character in Chinese (so neither way is technically wrong in either language). If you select a Japanese calligrapher, expect that is will look like the Kanji to the right.
定 is the single-character way to express the idea of Samadhi in Chinese and Japanese.
A single-character title like this is open to a lot of interpretation. So 定 can mean to set, to fix, to determine, to decide, to order, certainly, truly, settle, or compose the mind.
In the Buddhist context, this means “Perfect absorption of thought into the one object of meditation,” “The mind fixed in one direction,” “Internal state of imperturbability or tranquility,” or “Exempt from all external sensations.”
指圧道 is the title for Shiastu-Do, the Japanese way of finger pressure.
Shitsu-Do is about applying special finger pressure to points on the body thought to be connected to pathways called “meridians.” Shiatsu is a healthful way to get your 気 or 氣 (ki energy) flowing properly.
Note: This title can also be written in the older 指壓道 form (just the middle character has an ancient/traditional form used before WWII).
You might even see 指压道 which uses the Simplified Chinese form of the second character.
尊敬心 means respectful heart in Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
The root is 尊敬 which means respect, honor, reverence, esteem, and/or nobility. Therefore, you can also define this as an honorable heart, reverent heart, noble heart, etc.
In ancient times, it was thought your brain was the heart in your chest. Therefore, 心 or heart can also mean “mind.” Hence, 尊敬心 can also be translated as respectful mind, honorable mind, etc.
You'll see 尊敬心 romanized as Sonkeishin or Sonkeshin from Japanese.
星 is how “star” is written in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.
Thousands of years ago, when this character was first developed, there was the belief that you could see remnants of stars in everything. In fact, some early Chinese men of science suggested that all living things came from “stardust” or cosmic debris. This could explain why the upper portion of this character means “sun” (a star itself) and the lower portion means “birth” or “life.”
Oddly enough, modern-day scientists suggest that we are all made up of cosmic dust. Seems they were getting it right in China at a time when the western world thought the Earth was flat and the Church was claiming that the sun and all cosmic bodies revolved around the Earth.
寂靜 is the Chinese and old Japanese word for calmness, stillness, and tranquility.
In the Buddhist context, this can refer to the calmness of the heart, enlightenment, or the state of being calm and quiet - free from temptation and distress. This can be thought of as being in a state of earthly nirvāṇa.
Note: The second character is written just slightly differently in modern Japanese (静 instead of 靜). Expect a slight variation if you order this from the Japanese master calligrapher. The version shown here is considered the ancient Japanese and original Chinese form.
思い切り can be translated as “with all one's strength,” “with all one's heart,” “to the limits of your heart,” or “to the end of your heart/emotions.”
The character breakdown:
思い (omoi) thought; mind; heart; feelings; emotion; sentiment; love; affection; desire; wish; hope; expectation; imagination; experience
切り (kiri) bounds; limits.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
茶緣 is a special title for the tea lover. This kind of means “tea fate,” but it's more spiritual and hard to define. Perhaps the tea brought you in to drink it. Perhaps the tea will bring you and another tea-lover together. Perhaps you were already there, and the tea came to you. Perhaps it's the ah-ha moment you will have when drinking the tea.
I've been told not to explain this further, as it will either dilute or confuse the purposefully-ambiguous idea embedded in this enigma.
I happen to be the owner of a piece of calligraphy written by either the son or nephew of the last emperor of China, which is the title he wrote. It was given to me at a Beijing tea house in 2001. 茶緣 is where I learned to love tea after literally spending weeks tasting and studying everything I could about Chinese tea. I did not understand the significance of the authorship or the meaning of the title at all. Some 10 years later, I realized the gift was so profound and had such providence. Only now do I realize the value of a gift that it is too late to give proper thanks for. It was also years later that I ended up in this business and could have the artwork properly mounted as a wall scroll. It has been borrowed for many exhibitions and shows and always amazes native Chinese and Taiwanese who read the signature. This piece of calligraphy I once thought was just a bit of ink on a thin and wrinkled piece of paper, is now one of my most valued possessions. And fate has taught me to be more thankful for seemingly simple gifts.
思想 means thought, thinking, or idea in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. Sometimes it can mean ideology, depending on context.
This can refer to someone's personality - like saying, “he is a thinker.”
These four characters together relay the meaning that can be expressed in English as “When three people say there's a tiger running in the street, you believe it.”
Of course, there is an ancient story behind this idiom...
三人成虎 is actually a proverb that resulted from a conversation that occurred around 300 B.C.
The conversation was between the king of the Wei kingdom and one of the king's ministers named Pang Cong.
It was near the end of one of many wars, this time with the Zhao kingdom. Pang Cong was to be sent by the king to the Zhao kingdom with the king's son, who was to be held hostage. It was common at the time for a king to make his son a hostage to secure stable peace between warring kingdoms.
Before minister Pang Cong departed, he asked his king, “If one person told you a tiger was running in the street, would you believe it?.”
“No,” the king said.
The minister continued, “What if two people told you?”
The king replied, “Well, I would have my doubts but I might believe it.”
The minister continued, “So, what if three people told you that a tiger is running in the streets?”
The king replied, “Yes, I would believe it. It must be true if three people say it.”
The minister then reminded the king, “Your son and I are now traveling far away to live in the distant Zhao kingdom - much farther from your palace than the street. Rumors may fly about me in my absence, so I hope your majesty will weight such rumors appropriately.”
The king replied, “I have every trust in you, do not worry”
While the minister was gone, the king's enemies gossiped about minister Pang Cong on many occasions. At first, the king thought nothing of these comments and rumors. But slowly, as the rumors mounted, the king began to suspect ill of his minister.
Sometime later, when peace was well-established, the minister and prince were freed and returned to the kingdom of Wei. The king received his son BUT DID NOT EVEN SUMMON MINISTER PANG CONG TO THE PALACE!
Hopefully, this story will help you see how dangerous words can be when used to promote rumors or create ill will. And perhaps will inspire you not to believe everything you hear.
There is also a secondary suggestion in this idiom that gossip is as ferocious as a tiger. Some Chinese people who don't know the ancient story above may believe that this scroll means that rumors are as vicious as three tigers.
Note: This proverb appears in my Korean dictionary but is not well-known in Korea.
A customer asked me to split these Wing Chun maxims into two parts, so he could order a couplet. I thought this was a good idea, so it's been added here.
A couplet is a set of two wall scrolls that start and finish one phrase or idea. Often, couplets are hung with the first wall scroll on the right side, and the second on the left side of a doorway or entrance. The order in Chinese is right-to-left, so that's why the first wall scroll goes on the right as you face the door.
Of course, couplets can also be hung together on a wall. Often they can be hung to flank an altar, or table with incense, or even flanking a larger central wall scroll. See an example here from the home of Confucius
Be sure to order both parts 1 and 2 together. One without the other is like Eve without Adam.
A customer asked me to split these Wing Chun maxims into two parts, so he could order a couplet.
It thought this was a good idea, so it's been added here.
Be sure to order both part 1 and part 2 together. They need to be a matched set. It will be incomplete as a single wall scroll. Also, each wall scroll is handmade, so if you order them separately, weeks or months apart, they will vary a little by length, shade of paper, etc.
入定 is a title that can be defined as Zen contemplation in Japanese or sitting quietly in (Buddhist) meditation in Chinese. It also carries a similar meaning in Korean Hanja. Therefore, this is a universal term for meditation in the context of Buddhism throughout the Orient.
Can also be translated as “Meditatively equipoised” or “enter into meditation by stilling the karmic activities of deed, speech, and thought.”
The original Sanskrit word is samapanna. In Tibetan: snyoms par zhugs pa.
決定心 means the mind of certainty, resolute mind, imperturbable mind, firm determination, firm resolution, or stable commitment.
In the context of Buddhism, this is the deep resolution needed to attain enlightenment.
If you go to a deeper meaning, this is a condition of settling into the thought that occurs in the process of perception subsequent to the “seeking mind” or “尋求心.”
Peng, Lu, Ji, An, Cai, Lie, Zhou, and Kao are the eight fundamentals or forces of Tai Chi Chuan or Taiqiquan.
棚 (Peng) refers to the outward (or upward) expansion of energy.
履 (Lu) is often referred to as “rollback.” Lu is the ability to absorb, yield/deflect incoming force.
擠 (Ji) is often thought of as a “forward press.” However, it is also best described as a “squeezing out of space.”
按 (An) is a downward movement of energy, best translated as “(relaxed) sinking.”
採 (Cai or Tsai) translated as “downward pluck.” Cai is a combination of Lu and An.
列 (Lie or Lieh) is “Split” and is a combination of Peng and Ji.
肘 (Zhou) Elbowing.
靠 (Kao) Shouldering (for when the arms are bound/distance is too close to punch).
Source: https://combativecorner.wordpress.com/2015/12/03/the-8-energies-and-5-movements-of-taijiquan/
This is the Korean martial arts title Jung Sim Do.
The official romanization should be Jeong Sim Do (thought in Korean, the J is almost a "Ch" sound) and other will romanize as Jung Shin Do.
The meaning is straight/right heart way.
If you want this written in Hangul (정심도) in stead of Hanja (正心道), please click on the Hangul characters next to the Korean flag above.
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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
1. Right Understanding Right Perspective Right View Perfect View | 正見 正见 | sei ken / seiken | zhèng jiàn zheng4 jian4 zheng jian zhengjian | cheng chien chengchien |
2. Right Resolve Right Thought Right Intention Perfect Resolve | 正思唯 | sei shi yui seishiyui | zhèng sī wéi zheng4 si1 wei2 zheng si wei zhengsiwei | cheng ssu wei chengssuwei |
6. Right Effort Right Endeavor Perfect Effort | 正精進 正精进 | sei shou jin seishoujin sei sho jin | zhèng jīng jìn zheng4 jing1 jin4 zheng jing jin zhengjingjin | cheng ching chin chengchingchin |
7. Right Mindfulness Right Memory Perfect Mindfulness | 正念 | sei nen / seinen | zhèng niàn zheng4 nian4 zheng nian zhengnian | cheng nien chengnien |
8. Right Concentration Perfect Concentration | 正定 | sei jou / seijou / sei jo | zhèng dìng zheng4 ding4 zheng ding zhengding | cheng ting chengting |
Koan | 公案 | kouan / koan | gōng àn / gong1 an4 / gong an / gongan | kung an / kungan |
Bushido The Way of the Samurai | 武士道 | bu shi do / bushido | wǔ shì dào wu3 shi4 dao4 wu shi dao wushidao | wu shih tao wushihtao |
Courage to do what is right | 見義勇為 见义勇为 | jiàn yì yǒng wéi jian4 yi4 yong3 wei2 jian yi yong wei jianyiyongwei | chien i yung wei chieniyungwei |
|
The Original Mind | 本心 | hon shin / honshin | běn xīn / ben3 xin1 / ben xin / benxin | pen hsin / penhsin |
Far-Sighted in Deep Thought | 深謀遠慮 深谋远虑 | shinbouenryo / shinboenryo shinboenryo / shinboenryo | shēn móu yuǎn lǜ shen1 mou2 yuan3 lu:4 shen mou yuan lu: shenmouyuanlu: | shen mou yüan lü shenmouyüanlü |
Holding Flowers with Subtle Smile | 拈華微笑 拈华微笑 | nenge misho nengemisho | niān huá wēi xiào nian1 hua2 wei1 xiao4 nian hua wei xiao nianhuaweixiao | nien hua wei hsiao nienhuaweihsiao |
Heart Mind Spirit | 心 | kokoro | xīn / xin1 / xin | hsin |
Idea Concept | 理念 / 理唸 理念 | ri nen / rinen | lǐ niàn / li3 nian4 / li nian / linian | li nien / linien |
Idea Thought | 意念 / 意唸 意念 | yì niàn / yi4 nian4 / yi nian / yinian | i nien / inien | |
Idea Thought | 意見 | i ken / iken | yì jiàn / yi4 jian4 / yi jian / yijian | i chien / ichien |
Consideration Thought Ikko | 一考 | ikkou / ikko iko / iko | ||
Independent Spirit | 獨立精神 独立精神 | dú lì jīng shén du2 li4 jing1 shen2 du li jing shen dulijingshen | tu li ching shen tulichingshen |
|
Inspiration | 靈感 灵感 | reikan | líng gǎn / ling2 gan3 / ling gan / linggan | ling kan / lingkan |
Kirin Giraffe Mythical Creature | 麒麟 | kirin | qí lǐn / qi2 lin3 / qi lin / qilin | ch`i lin / chilin / chi lin |
Listen to Your Heart Follow Your Heart | 隨心而行 随心而行 | suí xīn ér xíng sui2 xin1 er2 xing2 sui xin er xing suixinerxing | sui hsin erh hsing suihsinerhhsing |
|
Marijuana Weed Pot | 大麻 | tai ma / taima | dà má / da4 ma2 / da ma / dama | ta ma / tama |
Idea Thought Meaning | 意 | kokoro | yì / yi4 / yi | i |
Mind Body Spirit | 身心靈 / 身心霊 身心灵 | mi shin rei mishinrei | shēn xīn líng shen1 xin1 ling2 shen xin ling shenxinling | shen hsin ling shenhsinling |
Mindfulness | 念 | nen | niàn / nian4 / nian | nien |
Monkey Stealing Peaches | 猴子偷桃 | hóu zi tōu táo hou2 zi5 tou1 tao2 hou zi tou tao houzitoutao | hou tzu t`ou t`ao houtzutoutao hou tzu tou tao |
|
Morality of Mind | 心德 | xīn dé / xin1 de2 / xin de / xinde | hsin te / hsinte | |
Better Late Than Never | 亡羊補牢猶未為晚 亡羊补牢犹未为晚 | wáng yáng bǔ láo yóu wèi wéi wǎn wang2 yang2 bu3 lao2 you2 wei4 wei2 wan3 wang yang bu lao you wei wei wan | wang yang pu lao yu wei wei wan wangyangpulaoyuweiweiwan |
|
No Fear | 無畏 无畏 | mui | wú wèi / wu2 wei4 / wu wei / wuwei | |
All Tenets of the Noble Eightfold Path | 正見正思唯正語正業正命正精進正念正定 正见正思唯正语正业正命正精进正念正定 | shouken shoushiyui shougo shougo shoumyou shoushoujin shounen shoujou shoken shoshiyui shogo shogo shomyo shoshojin shonen shojo | zhèng jiàn zhèng sī wéi zhèng yǔ zhèng yè zhèng mìng zhèng jīng jìn zhèng niàn zhèng dìng zheng4 jian4 zheng4 si1 wei2 zheng4 yu3 zheng4 ye4 zheng4 ming4 zheng4 jing1 jin4 zheng4 nian4 zheng4 ding4 zheng jian zheng si wei zheng yu zheng ye zheng ming zheng jing jin zheng nian zheng ding | cheng chien cheng ssu wei cheng yü cheng yeh cheng ming cheng ching chin cheng nien cheng ting |
Omoi Desire | 想い | omoi | ||
Pluto | 冥王星 | mei ou sei / meiousei / mei o sei | míng wáng xīng ming2 wang2 xing1 ming wang xing mingwangxing | ming wang hsing mingwanghsing |
Purity of Mind | 心澄淨 | shin chou jou shinchoujou shin cho jo | xīn chéng jìng xin1 cheng2 jing4 xin cheng jing xinchengjing | hsin ch`eng ching hsinchengching hsin cheng ching |
Reincarnation Transmigration of Souls | 輪回 / 輪廻 轮回 | rin ne / rinne | lún huí / lun2 hui2 / lun hui / lunhui | |
Samadhi | 定 | sada | dìng / ding4 / ding | ting |
Shiatsu-Do | 指圧道 | shiatsudou / shiatsudo | ||
Respectful Heart | 尊敬心 | son kei shin sonkeishin | zūn jìng xīn zun1 jing4 xin1 zun jing xin zunjingxin | tsun ching hsin tsunchinghsin |
Star | 星 | hoshi | xīng / xing1 / xing | hsing |
Stillness Quiet Calm | 寂靜 寂静 | sekisei / jakujou sekisei / jakujo | jì jìng / ji4 jing4 / ji jing / jijing | chi ching / chiching |
With all the strength of your heart | 思い切り | omoi kiri / omoikiri | ||
Tea Fate | 茶緣 茶缘 | chá yuán / cha2 yuan2 / cha yuan / chayuan | ch`a yüan / chayüan / cha yüan | |
Thought Thinking Idea | 思想 | shisou / shiso | sī xiǎng / si1 xiang3 / si xiang / sixiang | ssu hsiang / ssuhsiang |
Tiger Rumor | 三人成虎 | sān rén chéng hǔ san1 ren2 cheng2 hu3 san ren cheng hu sanrenchenghu | san jen ch`eng hu sanjenchenghu san jen cheng hu |
|
Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 1) | 有手黐手無手問手來留區送甩手直沖怕打終歸打貪打終被打粘連迫攻絕不放鬆來力瀉力借力出擊 有手黐手无手问手来留区送甩手直冲怕打终归打贪打终被打粘连迫攻绝不放松来力泻力借力出击 | |||
Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 2) | 步步追形點點朝午以形補手敗形不敗馬腰馬一致心意合一拳由心發動法無形活人練活死功夫 步步追形点点朝午以形补手败形不败马腰马一致心意合一拳由心发动法无形活人练活死功夫 | |||
Zen Contemplation | 入定 | rù dìng / ru4 ding4 / ru ding / ruding | ju ting / juting | |
Resolute Mind | 決定心 决定心 | ketsujou shin ketsujoushin ketsujo shin | jué dìng xīn jue2 ding4 xin1 jue ding xin juedingxin | chüeh ting hsin chüehtinghsin |
Seeking Mind | 尋求心 寻求心 | jingu shin / jingushin | xún qiú xīn xun2 qiu2 xin1 xun qiu xin xunqiuxin | hsün ch`iu hsin hsünchiuhsin hsün chiu hsin |
Fundamental Principles of Tai Chi Chuan | 棚履擠按採列肘靠 棚履挤按采列肘靠 | péng lǚ jǐ àn cǎi liè zhǒu kào peng2 lv3 ji3 an4 cai3 lie4 zhou3 kao4 peng lv ji an cai lie zhou kao penglvjiancailiezhoukao | p`eng lü chi an ts`ai lieh chou k`ao peng lü chi an tsai lieh chou kao |
|
Jung Sim Do | 正心道 | zhèng xīn dào zheng4 xin1 dao4 zheng xin dao zhengxindao | cheng hsin tao chenghsintao |
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In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. |
Successful Chinese Character and Japanese Kanji calligraphy searches within the last few hours...
All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.
When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to my art mounting workshop in Beijing where a wall scroll is made by hand from a combination of silk, rice paper, and wood.
After we create your wall scroll, it takes at least two weeks for air mail delivery from Beijing to you.
Allow a few weeks for delivery. Rush service speeds it up by a week or two for $10!
When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.
The wall scroll that Sandy is holding in this picture is a "large size"
single-character wall scroll.
We also offer custom wall scrolls in small, medium, and an even-larger jumbo size.
Professional calligraphers are getting to be hard to find these days.
Instead of drawing characters by hand, the new generation in China merely type roman letters into their computer keyboards and pick the character that they want from a list that pops up.
There is some fear that true Chinese calligraphy may become a lost art in the coming years. Many art institutes in China are now promoting calligraphy programs in hopes of keeping this unique form
of art alive.
Even with the teachings of a top-ranked calligrapher in China, my calligraphy will never be good enough to sell. I will leave that to the experts.
The same calligrapher who gave me those lessons also attracted a crowd of thousands and a TV crew as he created characters over 6-feet high. He happens to be ranked as one of the top 100 calligraphers in all of China. He is also one of very few that would actually attempt such a feat.
Check out my lists of Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls and Old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.
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