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Personalize your custom “念” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “念” title below...
1. Mindfulness
2. 7. Right Mindfulness / Right Memory / Perfect Mindfulness
3. Dedication
4. Faith / Trusting in the Unseen
5. Mantra to Buddha / Nembutsu
11. Miss You Forever
13. Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark
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.”
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.
専念 is the Japanese word for dedication.
It means “give undivided attention” or “devote oneself to (something).”
Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.
信念 expresses the idea of “having a belief” or “trusting in the unseen.”
信念 could also be translated as beliefs or convictions.
Note: Also considered to be one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.
念佛 is used primarily in Japanese, where it is romanized as nenbutsu.
The meaning is to pray to Buddha, chant the name of Buddha, or repeat the name of Buddha. This can be an audible or inaudible chant.
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.
一念発起 is a Japanese proverb, “Ichinen Hokki,” which suggests being resolved to do something or having a wholehearted intention to accomplish something.
Some will translate this as “the determination to accomplish something,” or “turning over a new leaf and being determined to find success.”
Confucian Proverb
不念舊惡 is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Do not recall old grievances,” or more simply as “Forgive and forget.”
The character breakdown:
不 (bù) not; no; don't.
念 (niàn) read aloud.
舊 (jiù) old; former.
惡 (è) wicked deeds; grievances; sins.
This proverb comes from the Analects of Confucius.
永遠想念你 is how to write “missing you forever” in Chinese.
The first two characters mean “forever” or “eternally.”
The third and fourth characters mean “missing” or “longing for.”
The last character means “you.”
This might suggest that you are missing someone whom you will never see again (depending on how you read it, or in what context it is used).
博愛信念力量 is the verbose way to write the word list, “love faith strength.”
It should be noted that word lists like this are not as natural sounding in Chinese as word lists can be in English. it’s more common to have a full phrase (with subject, verb, and object) or single words on calligraphy wall scrolls in Asia.
信唸是在黎明前的黑闇中能感到光明的鳥 is a philosophical poem/quote from Indian Poet and Philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore.
Rabindranath Tagore, 1915
This quote is not sourced, and therefore several variations exist in English. Some suggest the original was in the Bengali language.
This, of course, is the Chinese translation that has the meaning of, “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.”
More about Rabindranath Tagore
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
These are the precepts of Reiki that are attributed to Usui Mikao.
Here is a breakdown of the characters and a rough translation:
招福の秘法, 萬病の霊薬。
Invite blessings of [the] secret method, 10,000 illnesses of spiritual medicine.
今日丈けは: 怒るな, 心配すな, 感謝して, 業をはげめ, 人に親切に。
At least for today: Do not be angry, do not worry, be grateful, work with diligence, and be kind to people.
朝夕合掌して, 心に念じ, 口に唱へよ, 心身改善。
Morning [and] evening perform gassho (join hands), [with your] heart/mind in silent prayer, [with your] mouth chant, [thusly] mind [and] body [will] reform/improve.
臼井靈氣療法! -肇祖, 臼井甕男。
Usui Reiki Ryōhō! -Founder, Usui Mikao.
The middle portion of this is often titled, “The Five Principles of Reiki” and makes a nice calligraphy selection by itself. The Japanese text presented here can be considered the more verbose version.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 念 search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
念 see styles |
niàn nian4 nien nen ねん |
More info & calligraphy: Mindfulness(1) (esp. 〜の念) sense; idea; thought; feeling; (2) desire; concern; (3) (esp. 念に〜、念の/が〜) attention; care; (personal name) Nen smṛti. Recollection, memory; to think on, reflect; repeat, intone; a thought; a moment. |
信念 see styles |
xìn niàn xin4 nian4 hsin nien shinnen しんねん |
More info & calligraphy: Faith / Trusting in the Unseenbelief; faith; conviction |
専念 see styles |
sennen せんねん |
More info & calligraphy: Dedication |
念佛 see styles |
niàn fó nian4 fo2 nien fo nenbutsu |
More info & calligraphy: Mantra to Buddha / NembutsuTo repeat the name of a Buddha, audibly or inaudibly. |
意念 see styles |
yì niàn yi4 nian4 i nien |
More info & calligraphy: Idea / Thought |
正念 see styles |
zhèng niàn zheng4 nian4 cheng nien shounen / shonen しょうねん |
More info & calligraphy: 7. Right Mindfulness / Right Memory / Perfect Mindfulness(1) {Buddh} (See 八正道) right mindfulness; (2) true faith (in rebirth in the promised land); (place-name) Shounen samyak-smṛti, right remembrance, the seventh of the 八正道; 'right mindfullness, the looking on the body and the spirit in such a way as to remain ardent, self-possessed and mindful, having overcome both hankering and dejection. ' Keith. |
理念 see styles |
lǐ niàn li3 nian4 li nien rinen りねん |
More info & calligraphy: Idea / Concept(Platonic) ideal (of how things ought to be, e.g. human rights); foundational principle; idea; conception (e.g. of the university); doctrine; ideology |
一念発起 see styles |
ichinenhokki いちねんほっき |
More info & calligraphy: Determination to Achieve |
不念舊惡 不念旧恶 see styles |
bù niàn jiù è bu4 nian4 jiu4 e4 pu nien chiu o |
More info & calligraphy: Forgive and Forget |
唸 念 see styles |
niàn nian4 nien |
variant of 念[nian4], to read aloud See: 念 |
ご念 see styles |
gonen ごねん |
worry; care; consideration |
一念 see styles |
yī niàn yi1 nian4 i nien ichinen いちねん |
(1) determined purpose; (2) {Buddh} an incredibly short span of time (i.e. the time occupied by a single thought); (3) {Buddh} (See 浄土宗) a single repetition of a prayer (esp. in Jodo-shu); (personal name) Kazune A kṣaṇa, or thought; a concentration of mind; a moment; the time of a thought, of which there are varying measurements from 60 kṣaṇa upwards; the Fan-yi-ming-yi makes it one kṣaṇa. A reading. A repetition (especially of Amitābha's name). The Pure-land sect identify the thought of Buddha with Amitābha's vow, hence it is an assurance of salvation. |
上念 see styles |
jounen / jonen じょうねん |
(surname) Jōnen |
不念 see styles |
bù niàn bu4 nian4 pu nien funen |
non-remembrance |
丹念 see styles |
tannen たんねん |
(noun or adjectival noun) painstaking; careful; meticulous; scrupulous; detailed; elaborate |
九念 see styles |
kunen くねん |
(surname) Kunen |
了念 see styles |
ryounen / ryonen りょうねん |
(given name) Ryōnen |
二念 see styles |
ninen にねん |
two ideas |
京念 see styles |
kyounen / kyonen きょうねん |
(surname) Kyōnen |
仁念 see styles |
ninen にねん |
(surname) Ninen |
他念 see styles |
tanen たねん |
thinking about something else |
佐念 see styles |
sanen さねん |
(place-name) Sanen |
余念 see styles |
yonen よねん |
another idea |
係念 系念 see styles |
xì niàn xi4 nian4 hsi nien kenen |
To think of, be drawn to. |
俗念 see styles |
zokunen ぞくねん |
worldliness; worldly ambition; unholy desires |
入念 see styles |
nyuunen / nyunen にゅうねん |
(noun or adjectival noun) careful; elaborate; scrupulous |
八念 see styles |
bā niàn ba1 nian4 pa nien hachinen |
eight kinds of mindfulness |
六念 see styles |
liù niàn liu4 nian4 liu nien rokunen |
(六念法) The six thoughts to dwell upon: Buddha, the Law, the Order, the commands, almsgiving, and heaven with its prospective joys. |
凝念 see styles |
gyounen / gyonen ぎょうねん |
concentration of thought |
初念 see styles |
chū niàn chu1 nian4 ch`u nien chu nien shonen |
first thought |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Mindfulness | 念 | nen | niàn / nian4 / nian | nien |
7. Right Mindfulness Right Memory Perfect Mindfulness | 正念 | sei nen / seinen | zhèng niàn zheng4 nian4 zheng nian zhengnian | cheng nien chengnien |
Dedication | 専唸 専念 | sennen | ||
Faith Trusting in the Unseen | 信念 | shinnen | xìn niàn / xin4 nian4 / xin nian / xinnian | hsin nien / hsinnien |
Mantra to Buddha Nembutsu | 念佛 | nenbutsu | niàn fó / nian4 fo2 / nian fo / nianfo | nien fo / nienfo |
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 | |
Determination to Achieve | 一念発起 | ichi nen ho kki ichinenhokki ichi nen ho ki | ||
Forgive and Forget | 不念舊惡 不念旧恶 | bú niàn jiù è bu2 nian4 jiu4 e4 bu nian jiu e bunianjiue | pu nien chiu o punienchiuo |
|
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen | 本者是正念 | hon sha ze shou nen honshazeshounen hon sha ze sho nen | ||
Miss You Forever | 永遠想念你 永远想念你 | yǒng yuǎn xiǎng niàn nǐ yong3 yuan3 xiang3 nian4 ni3 yong yuan xiang nian ni yongyuanxiangnianni | yung yüan hsiang nien ni yungyüanhsiangnienni |
|
Love Faith Strength | 博愛信念力量 博爱信念力量 | bó ài xìn niàn lì liàng bo2 ai4 xin4 nian4 li4 liang4 bo ai xin nian li liang boaixinnianliliang | po ai hsin nien li liang poaihsinnienliliang |
|
Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark | 信唸是在黎明前的黑闇中能感到光明的鳥 信念是在黎明前的黑暗中能感到光明的鸟 | xìn niǎn shì zài lí míng qián de hēi àn zhōng néng gǎn dào guāng míng de niǎo xin4 nian3 shi4 zai4 li2 ming2 qian2 de hei1 an4 zhong1 neng2 gan3 dao4 guang1 ming2 de niao3 xin nian shi zai li ming qian de hei an zhong neng gan dao guang ming de niao | hsin nien shih tsai li ming ch`ien te hei an chung neng kan tao kuang ming te niao hsin nien shih tsai li ming chien te hei an chung neng kan tao kuang ming te niao |
|
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 |
Reiki Precepts by Usui Mikao | 招福の秘法萬病の霊薬今日丈けは怒るな心配すな感謝して業をはげめ人に親切に朝夕合掌して心に念じ口に唱へよ心身改善臼井靈氣療法肇祖臼井甕男 | shou fuku no hihou man byou no rei yaku kyou da ke wa oko ru na shin pai su na kan sha shi te gyou wo ha ke me hito ni shin setsu ni asayuu gasshou shite kokoro ni nenji kuchi ni tonae yo shin shin kaizen usui rei ki ryou hou cho so usu i mika o sho fuku no hiho man byo no rei yaku kyo da ke wa oko ru na shin pai su na kan sha shi te gyo wo ha ke me hito ni shin setsu ni asayu gasho shite kokoro ni nenji kuchi ni tonae yo shin shin kaizen usui rei ki ryo ho cho so usu i mika o | ||
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. |
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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.