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Custom Wisdom Chinese & Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

We have many options to create artwork with Wisdom characters on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Wisdom Asian character tattoo, just email us and we'll help you select from many forms of ancient Asian symbols that express the idea of wisdom.

Quick links to words on this page...




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The Five Tenets of Confucius

Also known as the Five Cardinal Rules of Confucius

Mandarin:
rén yì lǐ zhì xìn

Korean: 인의예지신

仁
義
禮
智
信

These are the core of Confucius philosophy. Simply stated they are:
benevolence / charity
justice / rectitude
politeness / tact
wisdom / knowledge
fidelity / trust

Many of these concepts can be found in various religious teachings. Though it should be clearly understood that Confucianism is not a religion, but should instead be considered a moral code for a proper and civilized society.

See Also...  Confucius Teachings | Ethics

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Learning is Eternal

Mandarin: xué wú zhǐ jìng
Korean: 학무지경

學
無
止
境

This Chinese philosophy tells of how we continue to learn throughout our lives. It can be translated in a few ways such as "Study Has No End" or "Knowledge is Infinite".

The deeper meaning: Even when we finish school we are still students of the world gaining more knowledge from our surroundings with each passing day.

See Also...  An Open Book Benefits Your Mind | Learn From Wisdom

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Example is Better than Precept

Mandarin:
shēn jiào shèng yú yán jiào

於
言
教
身
教
勝

Tell somebody how to do something and they might get it.
Show them how to do it and they will master it in no time.

This could also be translated as "Behavior teaches more than words".

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Experience is the
Mother of Wisdom

Mandarin:
jīng yàn shì zhì huì zhī mǔ

慧
之
母
經
驗
是
智

It's been said that wisdom comes from good judgment, and good judgment comes from experience, while experience comes from a series of times when you used bad judgment.

This Chinese proverb makes the simplest connection between experience and wisdom.

See Also...  Failure Is The Mother Of Success | Learn From Wisdom

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Failure is the
Mother of Success

Mandarin:
shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ

Korean: 실패시성공지모

功
之
母
失
敗
是
成

This means exactly what you think.

Every failure that you experience is a chance to learn from it and find success.

Knowing what does not work is just as important as finding out what does work.

See Also...  Experience Is The Mother Of Wisdom

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Intelligence / Intellect

Mandarin: zhì néng
Japanese: chinou
Korean: 지능

智
能

These two characters mean intelligence or intelligent.

The first character means wisdom, intellect or knowledge.

The second means ability, talent, skill, capacity, capable, able, and can even mean competent.

Together, the compound word can mean "capacity for wisdom", "useful knowledge", or even "mental power". Obviously this translates more clearly into English as "intelligence".

Note: This is not the same word used to mean "military intelligence". See our other entry for that.

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Knowledge

Mandarin: zhī shi
Japanese: chishiki
Korean: 지식

知
識

The first character represents "to know" or "to realize". The second character alone refers to the ability to "recognize", or "realize" and can also be used to mean "knowing". Combined, these two characters have the very strong meaning of "knowledge" and in some context, "learning".

See Also...   Learn From Wisdom

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Learn from Wisdom

(When you see a wise person, try to be like them)

Mandarin: jiàn xián sī qí
Korean: 견현사제

見
賢
思
齊

When you meet a wise person, you should learn from them and be inspired to become as wise as they are.

This is a pretty long phrase in English, but in Chinese it's only four characters.
However, in Chinese the deeper meaning often surpass the dictionary definition of each character.

In this case, you should seek wise people to learn from throughout your life...
Always try to learn enough to become equal to them. It also suggests that the process of learning and seeking wisdom is a non-ending cycle.

See Also...  Knowledge

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Power of Understanding and Wisdom

Mandarin: wù xìng
Japanese: gosei
Korean: 오성

悟
性

This means the power of understanding and insight in Chinese. It is often associated with Neo-Confucianism. In that regard, it means to realize man's true nature or to find your soul, the soul of others, or the soul of the world.

In Japanese, this is often translated as wisdom and understanding.

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Wisdom / Intelligence

Mandarin: huì
Japanese: e / kei
Korean:

慧

This single character can be translated as wisdom, but it has more of an "intelligent" flavor. This can also mean cleverness or wit.

Japanese note: This is understood in Japanese, but seldom seen as a lone Kanji.

See Also...  Knowledge | Learning | Read

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Wisdom comes from Experience

Mandarin: bù jīng yī shì bù zhǎng yī zhì
Korean: 불경일사불장일지

不
長
一
智
不
經
一
事

You can translate this a couple of ways. One is: You can't gain knowledge without practice. The second, and perhaps more popular way is: Wisdom comes from experience.

It literally means if you are inattentive to your affairs or situations you encounter, you will not gain or grow any wisdom or intellect.

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Wisdom / Intellect
Reason / Knowledge

(single character)

Mandarin: zhì
Japanese: chi / akira
Korean:

智

This is the simplest way to write wisdom in Chinese, Korean and Japanese. Being a single character, the meaning is open to interpretation, and can also mean intellect or reason.

This character is also one of the five tenets of Confucius.

This character is sometimes included in the Bushido code, but usually not considered part of the seven key concepts of the code.

See Also...   Learn From Wisdom

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Wisdom

(All-Knowing)

Mandarin: zhì huì
Japanese: chie
Korean: 지혜

智
慧

The first character means, "wise" or "smart" and the second character means "intelligence".

I have also seen these two characters translated together as sagacity, sense, and intelligence.

Note: This word is used commonly in Chinese and is a less-common word in Japanese and Korean. If your audience is Japanese, I suggest our other Japanese wisdom option.

This means intellect or wisdom in Japanese too, but is a more unusual way to write this word (though both versions are pronounced the same in Japanese).

See Also...  Learn From Wisdom

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Wisdom (Japanese)

Mandarin: zhī huì
Japanese: chie
Korean: 지혜

知
恵

The first Kanji represents "to know" or "to realize". Combined, these two Kanji mean "learn, know, and understand completely". Another way to translate this is "to know all things in their entirety".

Note: While vaguely understood in Chinese, this is only a real word in Japanese.

惠Ancient Japanese/Korean version: This is also a word in old Korean Hanja, with a slight difference in the last character - if you want that version (which is also the ancient Japanese version) please click on the character to the right, instead of the button above.

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Each Time You Stumble & Fall,
You Gain Experience & Wisdom

Mandarin:
chī yí qiàn, zhǎng yí zhì

Korean: 흘일참장일지

長
一
智
吃
一
塹

This Chinese proverb means:

"Fall into a moat and you will gain wisdom from the experience"

It really suggests that the failures, troubles, and setbacks that you encounter in your life are actually helping you to find wisdom. Some would also translate this proverb as:

"Learn from your mistakes" or "Learn from your experience".

If you are studying Chinese, you will recognize the first character as "eat", but in this case, it means to "experience" (as used in this proverb, it is suggesting that you have fallen into a moat and/or had a hard time crossing it). Literally translated character by character, this whole proverb is:

"Experience one moat, gain one wisdom/knowledge".

Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly-used phrase.


Wall scroll artwork shown on this page is priced as follows:

1 character $28.88 each

2-3 characters $39.88 each

4 characters $49.88 each

5-10 characters $59.88 each


We dispatch any size order to any country worldwide for a flat rate US$9.80 P&P

After you select your calligraphy, our website will take you through the process of customizing your artwork.

Options for other mounting such as portraits are available for $12 less.

We also offer the services of a famous master calligrapher for a $40 fee on any scroll if you are looking for investment-quality calligraphy.

If you chose our famous master-calligrapher, you also get more choices for silk and paper colors and the option for larger artwork.



All of our calligraphy is completely done by hand in the ancient way.

When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to our 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.

Therefore, allow at least 3 weeks for delivery from the time you place your order.

When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.

A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

The scroll that I am holding in this picture is a "regular size"
4-character wall scroll.
As you can see, it is a great size to hang on your wall.
(We also offer custom wall scrolls in larger sizes)

A professional Chinese Calligrapher

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.

Trying to learn Chinese calligrapher - a futile effort

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.


A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

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.



See: Our list of specifically Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.



The following table is only helpful for those studying Chinese (or Japanese), and perhaps helps search engines to find this page when someone enters Romanized Chinese or Japanese

Title
 
Characters
Simplified
Traditional
Japanese Romaji
(Romanized Japanese)
Various forms of Hanyu-Pinyin
(Romanized Chinese)
The Five Tenets of Confucius仁义礼智信
仁義禮智信
n/arén yì lǐ zhì xìn
ren2 yi4 li3 zhi4 xin4
Learning is Eternal学无止境
學無止境
n/axué wú zhǐ jìng
xue2 wu2 zhi3 jing4
Example is Better than Precept身教胜于言教
身教勝於言教
n/ashēn jiào shèng yú yán jiào
shen1 jiao4 sheng4 yu2 yan2 jiao1
Experience is the
       ...Mother of Wisdom
经验是智慧之母
經驗是智慧之母
n/ajīng yàn shì zhì huì zhī mǔ
jing1 yan4 shi4 zhi4 hui4 zhi1 mu3
Failure is the
       ...Mother of Success
失败是成功之母
失敗是成功之母
n/ashī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ
shi1 bai4 shi4 cheng2 gong1 zhi1 mu3
Intelligence / Intellect智能
智能
chinouzhì néng
zhi4 neng2
Knowledge知识
知識
chishikizhī shi
zhi1 shi
Learn from Wisdom见贤思齐
見賢思齊
n/ajiàn xián sī qí
jian4 xian2 si1 qi2
Power of Understanding and Wisdom悟性
悟性
goseiwù xìng
wu4 xing4
Wisdom / Intelligence
e / keihuì
hui4
Wisdom comes from Experience不经一事不长一智
不經一事不長一智
n/abù jīng yī shì bù zhǎng yī zhì
bu4 jing1 yi1 shi4 bu4 zhang3 yi1 zhi4
Wisdom / Intellect
       ...Reason / Knowledge

chi / akirazhì
zhi4
Wisdom智慧
智慧
chiezhì huì
zhi4 hui4
Wisdom知恵
知惠
chiezhī huì
zhi1 hui4
Each Time You Stumble & Fall,
       ...You Gain Experience & Wisdom
吃一堑长一智
吃一塹長一智
n/achī yí qiàn, zhǎng yí zhì
chi1 yi2 qian4 zhang3 yi2 zhi4
If you have not set up your computer to display Chinese, the characters in this table probably look like empty boxes or random text garbage.
This is why we spent hundreds of hours making images so that you could view the characters in the "Wisdom" listings above.
If you want your Windows computer to be able to display Chinese characters you can either head to your Regional and Language options in your Win XP control panel, select the [Languages] tab and click on [Install files for East Asian Languages]. This task will ask for your Win XP CD to complete in most cases. If you don't have your Windows XP CD, or are running Windows 98, you can also download/run the simplified Chinese font package installer from Microsoft which works independently with Win 98, ME, 2000, and XP. It's a 2.5MB download, so if you are on dial up, start the download and go make a sandwich.


All custom calligraphy items are made-to-order in our little Beijing artwork-mounting workshop.
Normal delivery isjust over 3 weeksfor these handmade items.



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