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Buy a Custom Altruism-related Chinese and/or Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

You can choose from many options to create artwork with Altruism-related characters on a wall scroll or portrait.
Start your project by clicking on the button next to your favorite title below...


  1. Benevolence

  2. Kindness / Benevolence

  3. Benevolent Heart

  4. Compassionate Heart / Benevolent Heart

  5. Learning leads to Knowledge, Study leads to Benevolence, Shame leads to Courage

  6. Benevolent and Skilled Doctor

  7. Kindheartedness / Benevolence / Humanity

  8. Benevolent Love

  9. Charity

10. Caring

11. Compassion

12. Mercy / Compassion / Love

13. The Five Tenets of Confucius

14. Confucius: Golden Rule / Ethic of Reciprocity

15. Courage to do what is right

16. Empathy / Humanity

17. Fair / Impartial

18. Forgiveness

19. Generosity

20. Gentleness

21. Goddess of Mercy and Compassion

22. Goddess of Compassion

23. Doing good is the greatest source of happiness

24. Goodness / Good Deed

25. Goodness / Kind-Hearted

26. Grace from Heaven / Grace from God

27. Helpfulness

28. Human Race / Humanity / Mankind

29. Human Nature

30. Love for Humanity / Brotherly Love

31. Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World

32. Justice / Rectitude / Right Decision

33. Kindness and Forgiving Nature

34. Kindness / Caring

35. Love

36. Loving Heart / Compassion

37. Loving Heart / One’s Love

38. Mercy / Compassion / Buddhist Loving Kindness

39. Moral and Virtuous

40. Oneness of Heaven and Humanity

41. Self-Restraint / Self-Control

42. Selflessness

43. The Tao or Dao of Being Human / Humanity

44. Unselfish: Perfectly Impartial

45. Work Unselfishly for the Common Good

46. Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity


 rén
 jin
 
Benevolence Scroll

Beyond benevolence, 仁 can also be defined as “charity” or “mercy” depending on context.

The deeper meaning suggests that one should pay alms to the poor, care for those in trouble, and take care of his fellow man (or woman).

仁 is one of the five tenets of Confucius. In fact, it is a subject that Confucius spent a great deal of time explaining to his disciples.

I have also seen this benevolent-related word translated as perfect virtue, selflessness, love for humanity, humaneness, goodness, goodwill, or simply “love” in the non-romantic form.


This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here


See Also:  Kindness | Charity | Confucius

Kindness / Benevolence

 rén cí
 jin ji
Kindness / Benevolence Scroll

仁慈 word is used in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Asian Buddhism to relay the important idea of loving kindness.

仁慈 can also be defined as: benevolent; charitable; kind; merciful; kind-hearted; benevolence; kindness; humanity; mercy.

In Japanese, this can also be the given name Hitoji. This would also be a good Mandarin Chinese given name romanized as Jentzu (in Taiwan) or Renci (which sounds like ren-tsuh).


See Also:  Love | Kindness | Charity

Benevolent Heart

 ji hi no kokoro
Benevolent Heart Scroll

慈悲の心 means benevolent heart, compassionate heart, or merciful heart in Japanese.

This is a Japanese-only phrase and should be ordered from our Japanese master calligrapher. This is because the third character is unique Hiragana.

Chances are you are into Inuyasha and are seeking the title of chapter 471 which is often translated as “Merciful Heart.”


See Also:  Love

Compassionate Heart / Benevolent Heart

 cí xīn
 jishin
Compassionate Heart / Benevolent Heart Scroll

慈心 means “Compassionate Heart” or “Benevolent Heart.”

It's used in day-to-day speech to refer to someone who has the traits of benevolence, mercy, and compassion for their fellow humans.

This title is also used in Buddhism with the same profound meaning.

Learning leads to Knowledge, Study leads to Benevolence, Shame leads to Courage

 hào xué jìn hū zhī lì xíng jìn hū rén zhī chǐ jìn hū yǒng
Learning leads to Knowledge, Study leads to Benevolence, Shame leads to Courage Scroll

好學近乎知力行近乎仁知恥近乎勇 is a Saying from Confucius which relates certain actions to virtues.

A more verbose translation:
To love learning is akin to knowledge,
to study diligently is akin to benevolence,
to know shame is akin to courage.

Benevolent and Skilled Doctor

 miào shǒu rén xīn xuán hú jì shì
Benevolent and Skilled Doctor Scroll

妙手仁心悬壶济世 is a phrase that celebrates the benevolence, skill, and service to his/her patients.

Here's a breakdown of the characters:
妙手 miào shǒu admirable skill in curing disease (when used in reference to doctors).
仁心 rén xīn kindheartedness, charity, benevolent heart.
悬壶济世 xuán hú jì shì practice medicine or pharmacy to help the people or the public.

Benevolent and Skilled Doctor

Short version

 miào shǒu rén xīn
Benevolent and Skilled Doctor Scroll

妙手仁心 is a phrase that celebrates the benevolence, skill, and service to his/her patients.

Here's a breakdown of the characters:
妙手 miào shǒu is an admirable skill in curing disease (when referring to doctors).
仁心 rén xīn kindheartedness, charity, benevolent heart.

Kindheartedness / Benevolence / Humanity

 rén dé
 jintoku
Kindheartedness / Benevolence / Humanity Scroll

仁德 is a word that can be translated as love, kindheartedness, benevolence, and humanity.

The first character means benevolence by itself.
The second character means virtue or morality.

Japanese note: The second Kanji of this word has been slightly simplified (one tiny horizontal stroke removed). It is still readable for Japanese but if you select our Japanese calligrapher, expect that stroke to be missing on your wall scroll.

Benevolent Love

 rén ài
 jinai
Benevolent Love Scroll

仁愛 is a word that means benevolence, charity, compassion, and/or love.

This can also be a Japanese female name that romanizes as Megumi.

 cí shàn
 ji zen
Charity Scroll

There are a few different words used to express charity in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja but 慈善 is the most common.

Some of the other words describe acts such as “giving alms” etc.


Note: Sometimes this is translated as benevolence or benevolent.
Also, this considered to be one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.

If you need a different meaning, just contact me.


See Also:  Benevolence

 guān xīn
Caring Scroll

關心 means caring in Chinese.

Caring is giving love and attention to people and things that matter to you and anyone who needs help. When you care about people, you help them. You do a careful job, giving your very best effort. You treat people and things gently and respectfully. Caring makes the world a safer place.

Note: 關心 is also a word in Korean Hanja, but in Korean, it means taking interest or concern. In Korean, it's still a good word, but it doesn't quite have the “caring for a person” meaning that it does in Chinese.


See Also:  Benevolence

 tóng qíng
 dou jou
Compassion Scroll

These two characters mean compassion and sympathy in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which makes this word universal.

Compassion is caring and understanding someone is hurt or troubled (even if you don't know them). It is wanting to help, even if all you can do is listen and say kind words. You forgive mistakes. You are a friend when someone needs a friend.


See Also:  Caring | Kindness

Mercy / Compassion / Love

 cí
 ji
 
Mercy / Compassion / Love Scroll

慈 is the simplest way to express the idea of compassion.

This can also mean love for your fellow humans, humanity, or living creatures. Sometimes this is extended to mean charity.

This term is often used in a Buddhist or Christian context. The concept was also spoken of by Laozi (Lao Tzu) in the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching).

慈 is considered the direct translation of the Sanskrit word मैत्री (maitrī) Pali word मेत्ता (mettā). In this context, it means benevolence, loving kindness, and goodwill.

This Chinese character is understood in Japanese but is usually used in compound words (not seen alone). Also used in old Korean Hanja, so it's very universal.


See Also:  Mercy | Benevolence | Forgiveness | Kindness

The Five Tenets of Confucius

The Five Cardinal Rules / Virtues of Confucius

 rén yì lǐ zhì xìn
 jin gi rei tomo nobu
The Five Tenets of Confucius Scroll

仁義禮智信 are the core of Confucius's philosophy.

Simply stated:
仁 = Benevolence / Charity
義 = Justice / Rectitude
禮 = Courtesy / Politeness / Tact
智 = Wisdom / Knowledge
信 = Fidelity / Trust / Sincerity

Many of these concepts can be found in various religious teachings. 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.

This title is also labeled “5 Confucian virtues.”


礼 If you order this from the Japanese calligrapher, expect the middle Kanji to be written in a more simple form (as seen to the right). This can also be romanized as "jin gi rei satoshi shin" in Japanese. Not all Japanese will recognize this as Confucian tenets but they will know all the meanings of the characters.


See Also:  Confucius Teachings | Ethics

Confucius: Golden Rule / Ethic of Reciprocity

Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself

 jǐ suǒ bú yù wù shī yú rén
Confucius: Golden Rule / Ethic of Reciprocity Scroll

Some may think of this as a “Christian trait,” but actually, it transcends many religions.

This Chinese teaching dates back to about 2,500 years ago in China. Confucius had always taught the belief in being benevolent (ren), but this idea was hard to grasp for some of his students, as benevolence could be kind-heartedness or an essence of humanity itself.

When answering Zhong Gong's question as to what "ren" actually meant, Confucius said:

己所不欲勿施于人 or "When you go out, you should behave as if you were in the presence of a distinguished guest; when people do favors for you, act as if a great sacrifice was made for you. Whatever you wouldn't like done to you, do not do that thing to others. Don't complain at work or home.”

Hearing this, Zhong Gong said humbly, “Although I am not clever, I will do what you say.”

From this encounter, the Chinese version of the “Golden Rule” or “Ethic of Reciprocity” came to be.
The characters you see above express, “Do not do to others whatever you do not want to be done to yourself.”


See Also:  Confucius Teachings | Benevolence

Courage to do what is right

 jiàn yì yǒng wéi
Courage to do what is right Scroll

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

Empathy / Humanity

 rén qíng
 ninjou
Empathy / Humanity Scroll

人情 is a title that can apply to a lot of meanings, including humanity, empathy, kindness, sympathy, human nature, human emotions, or human interaction.

Fair / Impartial

 gōng píng
 kouhei
Fair / Impartial Scroll

公平 means impartial, fairness, and justice in Chinese, old Korean, and Japanese.

公平 on your wall should be used to remind yourself to be fair and just in all life situations.


See Also:  Justice | Balance

Forgiveness (from the top down)

 róng shè
 you sha
Forgiveness (from the top down) Scroll

容赦 is the kind of forgiveness that a king might give to his subjects for crimes or wrong-doings.

容赦 is a rather high-level forgiveness. Meaning that it goes from a higher level to a lower (not the reverse).

Alone, the first character can mean “to bear,” “to allow,” and/or “to tolerate,” and the second can mean “to forgive,” “to pardon,” and/or “to excuse.”

When you put both characters together, you get forgiveness, pardon, mercy, leniency, or going easy (on someone).


See Also:  Benevolence

 shù
 
Forgiveness Scroll

恕 means to forgive, show mercy, absolve, or excuse in Chinese and Korean Hanja (though mostly used in compound words in Korean).

恕 incorporates the pictogram of a heart at the bottom, and a woman and a mouth at the top. The heart portion has the most significance, as it is suggested that it is the heart's nature to forgive.
In Asian culture, as with most other cultures, forgiveness is an act of benevolence and altruism. In forgiving, you put yourself in someone else's shoes and show them the kindness that you would want them to show you. Confucius referred to this quality as “human-heartedness.”

 kuān dà
 kandai
Generosity Scroll

寬大 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean word that means Generosity.

Generosity is giving and sharing. You share freely, not with the idea of receiving something in return. You find ways to give others happiness and give just for the joy of giving. Generosity is one of the best ways to show love and friendship.

寬大 can also be translated as charitable, magnanimity, liberality, or in some contexts, broad-mindedness.

Note: There is a tiny deviation in the first character when written in Japanese. If you choose our Japanese master calligrapher, the little dot on the lower right of the first character will be omitted. With or without the dot, this can be read in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.


See Also:  Benevolence | Charity

 wēn róu
Gentleness Scroll

溫柔 or “gentleness” is moving wisely, touching softly, holding carefully, speaking quietly, and thinking kindly.

When you feel mad or hurt, use your self-control. Instead of harming someone, talk things out peacefully. You are making the world a safer, gentler place.


See Also:  Kindness | Caring

 wēn hòu
 on kou
Gentleness Scroll

溫厚 is a Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean word for gentle or gentleness.

This can also mean “kindness” (more as an adjective like “kind person”).


温The modern Japanese version of the first character looks like the one to the right. If you want this modern Japanese form, just click on that Kanji instead of the button above.


See Also:  Kindness | Caring

Goddess of Mercy and Compassion

 guān yīn
 kwun yum
 kan non
Goddess of Mercy and Compassion Scroll

觀音/観音 is the Buddhist deity known as the Goddess of Mercy or Bodhisattva of Compassion.

In Chinese, the proper name of this being is Guan Yin. There is some debate as to whether Guan Yin is female. The argument comes from some scripture that suggests Buddhist deities take on the male form. Others say that Guan Yin has no sex. And still, others are okay with the female representation of Guan Yin.

This bodhisattva is also known or Romanized in the following ways:
Mandarin Chinese: Guan Yin, Kuan Yin, Kwan Yin.
Japanese: Kannon, Kwannon.
Sanskrit: Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Korean: Gwan-eum.
Vietnamese: Quan Âm.
Thai: Kuan Eim.
English: Bodhisattva of Mercy and Salvation, Goddess of Compassion, Buddha of Mercy, et al.

Note: The first character has a slight variation in Japanese. If your audience is specifically Japanese, you may want to select that version.


See Also:  Buddhism | Goddess | Namo Amitabha | Bodhisattva

Goddess of Mercy and Compassion

This is the long or more formal version of this title

 guān shì yīn
Goddess of Mercy and Compassion Scroll

觀世音 is the longer and perhaps more formal title for the Buddhist deity known as the Goddess of Mercy or Bodhisattva of Compassion.

The longer title of this bodhisattva is Romanized in the following ways:
Mandarin Chinese: Guanshi Yin, Kuan-shih Yin.
Japanese: Kanzeon.
Sanskrit: Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Korean: Gwan-se-eum.
Vietnamese: Quan Thế Âm.
Thai: Prah Mae Kuan Eim.
English: Bodhisattva of Mercy and Salvation, Goddess of Compassion, Buddha of Mercy, et al.

Please view our more common and shorter version, “Guan Yin” before you make a decision. Also, note that the first character has a slight variation in Japanese. If your audience is specifically Japanese, you may want to select that version.


See Also:  Buddhism | Goddess

Goddess of Compassion

 guān yīn
 kan non
Goddess of Compassion Scroll

観音 is the specifically Japanese version of Bodhisattva of Compassion or Guan Yin.

In Japanese, this is pronounced Kannon and occasionally spelled Kwannon. The Chinese version is a bit more commonly seen in Asia. However, in Japanese, there is a slight variation with the first character.

Some time ago, a camera company in Japan named their company after this Buddhist deity. That camera company is still known as Canon (they chose a “C” instead of a “K” when they Romanized this name).

Goddess of Compassion

Long or more formal Japanese version of this title

 guān shì yīn
 kan ze on
Goddess of Compassion Scroll

観世音 is the more extended and more formal Japanese version of Bodhisattva of Compassion or Guan Yin.

In Japanese, this is pronounced Kanzeon. The Chinese version is a bit more common in Asia, but in Japanese, they use a slight variation of the first character. Choose this version only if your intended audience is specifically Japanese.

Doing good is the greatest source of happiness

 wéi shàn zuì lè
Doing good is the greatest source of happiness Scroll

為善最樂 can be translated as “Doing good is the greatest source of happiness” or “doing good deeds brings the greatest joy.”

The origin is not known but is sometimes used in the context of Buddhism. However, this Chinese proverb or philosophy is a relatively mainstream idea of benevolence.

Goodness / Good Deed

 shàn
 zen
 
Goodness / Good Deed Scroll

善 means goodness, virtue, good deed, charitable, benevolent, well-disposed, nice, pleasant, kind, or simply, “good.”

善 is the kind of good that applies to someone's good character, or a good person in general.

Referring to someone with this word means that they have a well-aimed moral compass, and are charitable, giving, wise, and honest. Basically, this is a blanket statement for every good trait a human can have or all the things that make someone good.

In another context, it can mean to improve or perfect something or refer to someone who is good at something.

Goodness / Kind-Hearted

 shàn liáng
 zen ryou
Goodness / Kind-Hearted Scroll

善良 is a word that means good and honest, kind-hearted, goodness, excellence, and/or virtue.

Grace from Heaven / Grace from God

 tiān ēn
Grace from Heaven / Grace from God Scroll

天恩 is the deepest way to say “Heaven's Grace” or “God's Grace” in Chinese.

The first character means Heaven or sky (referring, in this case, to the domain of God).
The second character means grace, blessings, benevolence, favor/favour, acts of kindness, merits, or beneficial influence.

This title can also be defined as:
Blessings of Heaven, Favor of the Emperor, Divination's luckiest day, or blessings of nature. Note: When you see “Emperor” above, remember that the Emperor, like the Pope, is theoretically chosen by God or seen as an emissary or conduit of God in ancient Asian culture. It would only be read that way in a certain context, such as “The Emperor, in his mercy, bestowed upon him Heaven's Grace, and the prisoner was set free.”


Note: Technically, this is a Japanese word too (pronounced "ten-on") but it’s rarely used in Japan anymore. Therefore, this title is best if your audience is Chinese.

Grace from Heaven / Grace from God

 kami no on kei
Grace from Heaven / Grace from God Scroll

神の恩恵 means God's Grace in Japanese.

The first two characters act to create a word that means “divine,” “God's,” or “The Spirit's.”

The last two Kanji mean grace, favor/favour, blessing, or benefit.

 lè yú zhù rén
Helpfulness Scroll

樂於助人 is about helpfulness, being of service to others, and doing thoughtful things that make a difference in their lives.

Offer your help without waiting to be asked. Ask for help when you need it. When we help each other, we get more done. We make our lives easier.


See Also:  Caring | Charity | Benevolence

Human Race / Humanity / Mankind

 rén lèi
 jinrui
Human Race / Humanity / Mankind Scroll

人類 is the way to say mankind or humankind in Chinese.

It's kind of the “animal title” for humans. 人類 is the word you would use if you said this phrase in Chinese, “Mammals include dolphins, monkeys, dogs, and humans among others.”

人類 is a weird selection for a calligraphy wall scroll. But a customer begged me to add this word.

Human Nature

 rén xìng
Human Nature Scroll

人性 is a title that is the essence of what it means to act and be human.

These two characters refer to the way we are as people.

人性 is also sometimes translated as human personality, human instinct, humanity, or humanism.

The first character literally means human or people.

The second character means nature. It can also mean property, quality, attribute, or essence. It can even be a modifier like “-ity” or “-ness,” which is why this word is also translated as “humanity.”

Love for Humanity / Brotherly Love

benevolence, love

 bó ài
 hakuai
Love for Humanity / Brotherly Love Scroll

In Chinese and Korean, 博愛 means a universal fraternity, brotherhood, or universal love.

In Japanese, this means charity, benevolence, philanthropy, or love for humanity.

Please note these subtle differences and take that into account depending on your intended audience (Chinese, Korean or Japanese).


See Also:  Benevolence

Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World

 yí shì tóng rén
 isshidoujin
Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World Scroll

一視同仁 is how to write “universal benevolence.” This is also how to express the idea that you see all people the same.

If you are kind and charitable to everyone, this is the best way to state that virtue. It is the essence of being impartial to all mankind, regardless of social standing, background, race, sex, etc. You do not judge others, but instead, you see them eye to eye on the same level as you.


See Also:  Benevolence | Compassion | Equality | Justice | Right Decision | Selflessness | Work Unselfishly for the Common

Justice / Rectitude / Right Decision

Also means: honor loyalty morality righteousness

 yì
 gi
 
Justice / Rectitude / Right Decision Scroll

義 is about doing the right thing or making the right decision, not because it's easy but because it's ethically and morally correct.

No matter the outcome or result, one does not lose face if tempering proper justice.

義 can also be defined as righteousness, justice, morality, honor, or “right conduct.” In a more expanded definition, it can mean loyalty to friends, loyalty to the public good, or patriotism. This idea of loyalty and friendship comes from the fact that you will treat those you are loyal to with morality and justice.

義 is also one of the five tenets of Confucius's doctrine.

儀 There's also an alternate version of this character sometimes seen in Bushido or Korean Taekwondo tenets. It's just the addition of a radical on the left side of the character. If you want this version, click on the image to the right instead of the button above.


This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here


See Also:  Judgment | Impartial | Confucius Tenets

Kindness and Forgiving Nature

 rén shù
 jinjo
Kindness and Forgiving Nature Scroll

仁恕 is a word in Chinese and Japanese that means something like benevolence with magnanimity or kindness with a forgiving nature.

If this describes you, then you are the type of person that I would like to call my friend.

This may not be the most common word in daily use, but it's old enough that it transcended cultures from China to Japan in the 5th century when Japan lacked a written language and absorbed Chinese characters and words into their language.
Note: 仁恕 is not commonly used in Korean.

Kindness / Caring

 qīn qiè
 shin setsu
Kindness / Caring Scroll

親切 is a Chinese/Japanese/Korean word that can also mean affectionate, cordial, warm, or close (emotionally).

Kindness shows you care and are doing some good to make life better for others. Be thoughtful about people's needs. Show love and compassion to someone who is sad or needs your help. When you are tempted to be cruel, to criticize or tease, decide to be kind instead.


See Also:  Love | Caring | Benevolence

 ài
 ai
 
Love Scroll

愛 universally means love in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, old Korean Hanja, and old Vietnamese.

愛 is one of the most recognized Asian symbols in the West and is often seen on tee shirts, coffee mugs, tattoos, and more.

愛 can also be defined as affection, to be fond of, to like, or to be keen on. It often refers to romantic love, and is found in phrases like, “I love you.” But in Chinese, one can say, “I love that movie” using this character as well.

This can also be a pet name or part of a pet name in the way we say “dear” or “honey” in English.

This can be a girl’s name “Ai” in both Chinese and Japanese.


More about this character:

This may be hard to imagine as a westerner but the strokes at the top of this love character symbolize family & marriage.

心The symbol in the middle is a little easier to identify. It is the character for "heart" (it can also mean "mind" or "soul"). I guess you can say that no matter if you are from the East or the West, you must put your heart into your love.

友The strokes at the bottom create a modified character that means "friend" or "friendship."

I suppose you could say that the full meaning of this love character is to love your family, spouse, and friends with all of your heart, since all three elements exist in this character.


See Also:  I Love You | Caring | Benevolence | Friendliness | Double Happiness Happy Marriage Wall Scroll

Loving Heart / Compassion

 ài xīn
Loving Heart / Compassion Scroll

愛心 literally means “loving heart.” It can also be translated as “compassion.”

In Chinese, it carries more of a compassionate meaning.

愛心 is rarely used in Japanese anymore, so best if your audience is Chinese.


See Also:  Compassion | Love

Loving Heart / One’s Love

 koi gokoro
Loving Heart / One’s Love Scroll

戀心 literally means “loving heart.” It can also be translated as “one's love” or “awakening of love.”

戀心 is used exclusively for love between boyfriends and girlfriends or husband and wife.

Breaking down the meaning of each Kanji, the first means love, affection, or tender passion. The second Kanji means heart, mind, or soul (most will read it as the heart).


See Also:  Compassion | Love

Mercy / Compassion / Buddhist Loving Kindness

 cí bēi
 ji hi
Mercy / Compassion / Buddhist Loving Kindness Scroll

Besides the title above, 慈悲 can also be defined as clemency or lenience and sometimes the act of giving charity.

In the Buddhist context, it can be defined as “benevolence,” “loving-kindness and compassion,” or “mercy and compassion.”

This Buddhist virtue is perhaps the most important to employ in your life. All sentient beings that you encounter should be given your loving kindness. And trust me, however much you can give, it comes back. Make your life and the world a better place!

This Chinese/Japanese Buddhist term is the equivalent of Metta Karuna from Pali or Maitri Karuna from Sanskrit.

慈 can mean loving-kindness by itself.
悲 adds a component of sorrow, empathy, compassion, and sympathy for others.


See Also:  Benevolence

Moral and Virtuous

 dé
 toku
 
Moral and Virtuous Scroll

德 is the simple way to express the ideas of having virtue, morals, kindness, benevolence, goodness, etc.

德 also happens to be the first character of the Chinese word for Germany.


徳There is a slight deviation in the Japanese Kanji form. If you want the modern Japanese version, please click on the special Kanji shown to the right instead of the button above. Note that the traditional Chinese form is still readable and understood by Japanese people.


See Also:  Ethics | Chastity | Prudence | Benevolence | Morality

Oneness of Heaven and Humanity

 tiān rén hé yī
Oneness of Heaven and Humanity Scroll

天人合一 is a title that represents the oneness of heaven and humanity. It conveys the idea that man is an integral part of nature.

You can also read this as “heaven and man in unity,” or “nature and man in unity.” The “man” is really “people” or “humans” and is not gender-specific in Chinese.

Self-Restraint / Self-Control

 kè jǐ
 kokki
Self-Restraint / Self-Control Scroll

克己 can be translated as “self-denial,” “self-abnegation,” “self-restraint,” “self-discipline,” “self-mastery,” or selflessness.

As a tenet of Korean taekwondo, and other martial arts, this is often used with the title “self-control.”

Selflessness

 wú sī
 mushi
Selflessness Scroll

無私 would be literally translated as “none self” in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

It is used to express “selflessness” or “unselfish.”

無私 is a popular term for the idea of being selfless or unselfish in modern China and Japan.
This term is not as commonly used in Korea but still has good meaning.


See Also:  Unselfish

Selflessness

 wú wǒ
 muga
Selflessness Scroll

無我 is a more common way to say selflessness in Japanese. This literally means “no self,” or a better translation might be “not thinking of oneself.” 無我 is also understood in Chinese and Korean. 無我 is a very old word in CJK languages.

無我 is the word a Buddhist would use to express the idea of selflessness or unselfishness. For Korean Buddhists, it can mean self-renunciation.

The Tao or Dao of Being Human / Humanity

 rén dào
 jindou
The Tao or Dao of Being Human / Humanity Scroll

人道 is literally the “The Way of Being Human,” or “The Human Way.” It can also be translated as “humanity.”

人道 has a secondary meaning of “sidewalk” as in “the way for people to walk” (in Japanese and Korean only). But as calligraphy artwork, nobody will read it with that translation.

Please note that there are two ways to Romanize Dao or Tao (Daoism = Taoism). It's the same word in Chinese.

Unselfish: Perfectly Impartial

 dà gōng wú sī
Unselfish: Perfectly Impartial Scroll

大公無私 is a Chinese proverb that comes from an old story from some time before 476 BC. About a man named Qi Huangyang, who was commissioned by the king to select the best person for a certain job in the Imperial Court.

Qi Huangyang selected his enemy for the job. The king was very confused by the selection, but Qi Huangyang explained that he was asked to find the best person for the job, not necessarily someone that he liked or had a friendship with.

Later, Confucius commented on how unselfish and impartial Qi Huangyang was by saying, “Da Gong Wu Si” which, if you look it up in a Chinese dictionary, is generally translated as “Unselfish” or “Just and Fair.”

If you translate each character, you'd have something like

“Big/Deep Justice Without Self.”

Direct translations like this leave out a lot of what the Chinese characters really say. Use your imagination, and suddenly you realize that “without self” means “without thinking about yourself in the decision” - together, these two words mean “unselfish.” The first two characters serve to drive the point home that we are talking about a concept that is similar to “blind justice.”

One of my Chinese-English dictionaries translates this simply as “just and fair.” So that is the short and simple version.

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


See Also:  Selflessness | Work Unselfishly for the Common Good

Work Unselfishly for the Common Good

 kè jǐ fèng gōng
Work Unselfishly for the Common Good Scroll

克己奉公 is a Chinese proverb that is often used to express how one should act as a government official. Most of us wish our public officials would hold themselves to higher standards. I wish I could send this scroll, along with the meaning to every member of Congress, and the President (or if I was from the UK, all the members of Parliament, and the PM)

This can also mean: “Place Strict Standards on Oneself in Public Service.”
The story behind this ancient Chinese idiom:
Cai Zun was born in China a little over 2000 years ago. In 24 AD, he joined an uprising led by Liu Xiu, who later became the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Later, the new emperor put Cai Zun in charge of the military court. Cai Zun exercised his power in strict accordance with military law, regardless of the offender's rank or background. He even ordered the execution of one of the emperor's close servants after the servant committed a serious crime.

Cai Zun led a simple life but put great demands on himself to do all things honorably. The emperor rewarded him for his honest character and honorable nature by promoting him to the rank of General and granting him the title of Marquis.

Whenever Cai Zun would receive an award, he would give credit to his men and share the reward with them.
Cai Zun was always praised by historians who found many examples of his selfless acts that served the public interest.
Sometime long ago in history, people began to refer to Cai Zun as “ke ji feng gong.”


See Also:  Unselfish | Selflessness

Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity

 bù shī
 fuse
Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity Scroll

布施 is the Buddhist practice of giving known as Dāna or दान from Pali and Sanskrit.

Depending on the context, this can be alms-giving, acts of charity, or offerings (usually money) to a priest for reading sutras or teachings.

Some will put Dāna in these two categories:
1. The pure or unsullied charity, which looks for no reward here but only in the hereafter.
2. The sullied almsgiving whose object is personal benefit.
The first kind is, of course, the kind that a liberated or enlightened person will pursue.

Others will put Dāna in these categories:
1. Worldly or material gifts.
2. Unworldly or spiritual gifts.

You can also separate Dāna into these three kinds:
1. 財布施 Goods such as money, food, or material items.
2. 法布施 Dharma, as an act to teach or bestow the Buddhist doctrine onto others.
3. 無畏布施 Courage, as an act of facing fear to save someone or when standing up for someone or standing up for righteousness.

The philosophies and categorization of Dāna will vary among various monks, temples, and sects of Buddhism.

Breaking down the characters separately:
(sometimes written ) means to spread out or announce, but also means cloth. In ancient times, cloth or robs were given to the Buddhist monks annually as a gift of alms - I need to do more research, but I believe there is a relationship here.
means to grant, to give, to bestow, to act, to carry out, and by itself can mean Dāna as a single character.

Dāna can also be expressed as 檀那 (pronounced “tán nà” in Mandarin and dan-na or だんな in Japanese). 檀那 is a transliteration of Dāna. However, it has colloquially come to mean some unsavory or unrelated things in Japanese. So, I think 布施 is better for calligraphy on your wall to remind you to practice Dāna daily (or whenever possible).




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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Benevolencejinrén / ren2 / renjen
Kindness
Benevolence
仁慈jin ji / jinjirén cí / ren2 ci2 / ren ci / rencijen tz`u / jentzu / jen tzu
Benevolent Heart慈悲の心ji hi no kokoro
jihinokokoro
Compassionate Heart
Benevolent Heart
慈心jishincí xīn / ci2 xin1 / ci xin / cixintz`u hsin / tzuhsin / tzu hsin
Learning leads to Knowledge, Study leads to Benevolence, Shame leads to Courage好學近乎知力行近乎仁知恥近乎勇
好学近乎知力行近乎仁知耻近乎勇
hào xué jìn hū zhī lì xíng jìn hū rén zhī chǐ jìn hū yǒng
hao4 xue2 jin4 hu1 zhi1 li4 xing2 jin4 hu1 ren2 zhi1 chi3 jin4 hu1 yong3
hao xue jin hu zhi li xing jin hu ren zhi chi jin hu yong
hao hsüeh chin hu chih li hsing chin hu jen chih ch`ih chin hu yung
hao hsüeh chin hu chih li hsing chin hu jen chih chih chin hu yung
Benevolent and Skilled Doctor妙手仁心懸壺濟世
妙手仁心悬壶济世
miào shǒu rén xīn xuán hú jì shì
miao4 shou3 ren2 xin1 xuan2 hu2 ji4 shi4
miao shou ren xin xuan hu ji shi
miao shou jen hsin hsüan hu chi shih
Benevolent and Skilled Doctor妙手仁心miào shǒu rén xīn
miao4 shou3 ren2 xin1
miao shou ren xin
miaoshourenxin
miao shou jen hsin
miaoshoujenhsin
Kindheartedness
Benevolence
Humanity
仁德jintokurén dé / ren2 de2 / ren de / rendejen te / jente
Benevolent Love仁愛
仁爱
jinairén ài / ren2 ai4 / ren ai / renaijen ai / jenai
Charity慈善ji zen / jizencí shàn / ci2 shan4 / ci shan / cishantz`u shan / tzushan / tzu shan
Caring關心
关心
guān xīn / guan1 xin1 / guan xin / guanxinkuan hsin / kuanhsin
Compassion同情dou jou / doujou / do jotóng qíng
tong2 qing2
tong qing
tongqing
t`ung ch`ing
tungching
tung ching
Mercy
Compassion
Love
jicí / ci2 / citz`u / tzu
The Five Tenets of Confucius仁義禮智信
仁义礼智信
jin gi rei tomo nobu
jingireitomonobu
rén yì lǐ zhì xìn
ren2 yi4 li3 zhi4 xin4
ren yi li zhi xin
renyilizhixin
jen i li chih hsin
jenilichihhsin
Confucius: Golden Rule
Ethic of Reciprocity
己所不欲勿施於人
己所不欲勿施于人
jǐ suǒ bú yù wù shī yú rén
ji3 suo3 bu2 yu4, wu4 shi1 yu2 ren2
ji suo bu yu, wu shi yu ren
jisuobuyu,wushiyuren
chi so pu yü, wu shih yü jen
chisopuyü,wushihyüjen
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
Empathy
Humanity
人情ninjou / ninjorén qíng / ren2 qing2 / ren qing / renqingjen ch`ing / jenching / jen ching
Fair
Impartial
公平kouhei / koheigōng píng
gong1 ping2
gong ping
gongping
kung p`ing
kungping
kung ping
Forgiveness (from the top down)容赦you sha / yousha / yo sharóng shè / rong2 she4 / rong she / rongshejung she / jungshe
Forgivenessshù / shu4 / shu
Generosity寬大
宽大
kandaikuān dà / kuan1 da4 / kuan da / kuandak`uan ta / kuanta / kuan ta
Gentleness溫柔
温柔
wēn róu / wen1 rou2 / wen rou / wenrouwen jou / wenjou
Gentleness溫厚
温厚
on kou / onkou / on kowēn hòu / wen1 hou4 / wen hou / wenhou
Goddess of Mercy and Compassion觀音 / 観音
观音
kan non / kannonguān yīn / guan1 yin1 / guan yin / guanyinkuan yin / kuanyin
Goddess of Mercy and Compassion觀世音
观世音
guān shì yīn
guan1 shi4 yin1
guan shi yin
guanshiyin
kuan shih yin
kuanshihyin
Goddess of Compassion観音kan non / kannonguān yīn / guan1 yin1 / guan yin / guanyinkuan yin / kuanyin
Goddess of Compassion観世音kan ze on / kanzeonguān shì yīn
guan1 shi4 yin1
guan shi yin
guanshiyin
kuan shih yin
kuanshihyin
Doing good is the greatest source of happiness為善最樂
为善最乐
wéi shàn zuì lè
wei2 shan4 zui4 le4
wei shan zui le
weishanzuile
wei shan tsui le
weishantsuile
Goodness
Good Deed
zenshàn / shan4 / shan
Goodness
Kind-Hearted
善良zen ryou / zenryou / zen ryoshàn liáng
shan4 liang2
shan liang
shanliang
Grace from Heaven
Grace from God
天恩tiān ēn / tian1 en1 / tian en / tianent`ien en / tienen / tien en
Grace from Heaven
Grace from God
神の恩恵kami no on kei
kaminoonkei
Helpfulness樂於助人
乐于助人
lè yú zhù rén
le4 yu2 zhu4 ren2
le yu zhu ren
leyuzhuren
le yü chu jen
leyüchujen
Human Race
Humanity
Mankind
人類
人类
jinruirén lèi / ren2 lei4 / ren lei / renleijen lei / jenlei
Human Nature人性rén xìng / ren2 xing4 / ren xing / renxingjen hsing / jenhsing
Love for Humanity
Brotherly Love
博愛
博爱
hakuaibó ài / bo2 ai4 / bo ai / boaipo ai / poai
Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World一視同仁
一视同仁
isshidoujin
ishidojin
yí shì tóng rén
yi2 shi4 tong2 ren2
yi shi tong ren
yishitongren
i shih t`ung jen
ishihtungjen
i shih tung jen
Justice
Rectitude
Right Decision

giyì / yi4 / yii
Kindness and Forgiving Nature仁恕jinjorén shù / ren2 shu4 / ren shu / renshujen shu / jenshu
Kindness
Caring
親切
亲切
shin setsu / shinsetsuqīn qiè / qin1 qie4 / qin qie / qinqiech`in ch`ieh / chinchieh / chin chieh
Love
aiài / ai4 / ai
Loving Heart
Compassion
愛心
爱心
ài xīn / ai4 xin1 / ai xin / aixinai hsin / aihsin
Loving Heart
One’s Love
戀心
恋心
koi gokoro / koigokoro
Mercy
Compassion
Buddhist Loving Kindness
慈悲ji hi / jihicí bēi / ci2 bei1 / ci bei / cibeitz`u pei / tzupei / tzu pei
Moral and Virtuous
tokudé / de2 / dete
Oneness of Heaven and Humanity天人合一tiān rén hé yī
tian1 ren2 he2 yi1
tian ren he yi
tianrenheyi
t`ien jen ho i
tienjenhoi
tien jen ho i
Self-Restraint
Self-Control
克己 / 剋己
克己
kokki / kokikè jǐ / ke4 ji3 / ke ji / kejik`o chi / kochi / ko chi
Selflessness無私
无私
mushiwú sī / wu2 si1 / wu si / wusiwu ssu / wussu
Selflessness無我
无我
mugawú wǒ / wu2 wo3 / wu wo / wuwo
The Tao or Dao of Being Human
Humanity
人道jindou / jindorén dào / ren2 dao4 / ren dao / rendaojen tao / jentao
Unselfish: Perfectly Impartial大公無私
大公无私
dà gōng wú sī
da4 gong1 wu2 si1
da gong wu si
dagongwusi
ta kung wu ssu
takungwussu
Work Unselfishly for the Common Good克己奉公kè jǐ fèng gōng
ke4 ji3 feng4 gong1
ke ji feng gong
kejifenggong
k`o chi feng kung
kochifengkung
ko chi feng kung
Dana: Almsgiving and Generosity布施fusebù shī / bu4 shi1 / bu shi / bushipu shih / pushih
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.


Dictionary

Lookup in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary

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.


A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

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.

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.