We have many options to create artwork with the Chinese characters / Asian symbols / Japanese Kanji for Hero on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Hero wall scroll, this is the place. Below you will find a few Asian symbols that express the idea of Hero.
1. Hero
2. Man of Remarkable Character / Hero
3. Woman of Strong Character / Woman Hero
5. Heroic Spirit / Great Ambition
7. Warrior Soul / Heroic Spirit
10. Daredevil Warrior / Soul of a Warrior
11. Dragon Warrior
13. Ghost Warrior
16. Holy Warrior
17. Peaceful Warrior
18. Quiet Warrior
19. Silent Warrior
21. Warrior
24. Heart of a Warrior / Samurai Heart
25. Warrior of the Heavenly Realm
26. Warrior Monk / Soldier Priest
27. Warrior / Musha
28. Warrior of God / Soldier of God
29. Warrior Saint / Saint of War
31. Warrior Soul / Spirit of a Fighter
32. Warrior Within
34. The Warrior’s Word, Dependable as Gold and Steel
36. Warrior Essence / Warrior Spirit / Martial
37. Quiet Warrior
38. Shadow Warrior
40. Advance Bravely / Indomitable Spirit
43. Berserker
44. Bushido / The Way of the Samurai
45. Courage to do what is right
47. Diamond
48. Eishin-Ryu
49. Fighter
51. Fighter for God
52. Fighting Spirit
53. Filial Piety
54. First Born
55. God of War
57. Guan Yu
58. In Flowers the Cherry Blossom, In Men the Samurai
59. Hua Mulan
60. Immovable Mind
62. Knight
63. Lingering Mind
64. Marine
65. Marine Corps
66. Marine / Soldier of the Sea
67. Martial Morality / Martial Arts Ethics / Virtue
71. Morality of Deed
72. Morality of Mind
73. Ninja
74. No Mind / Mushin
75. Paladin
76. Purified Spirit / Enlightened Attitude
77. Ronin / Masterless Samurai
78. Samurai
80. Chinese or Korean Army General
82. Soldiers
83. Superman
84. Sword
85. United States Marine Corps
86. Ultimate Loyalty to Your Country
87. Zhuge Liang
88. Sasuke
89. Avenger
90. Guerrero
91. Sumo Wrestler
92. Magnolia
英雄 is the best way to write hero in Chinese and Japanese - especially for calligraphy.
英雄 is also the name of the Chinese movie titled Hero starring Jet Li.
The first character means brave (it can also mean British or English but not in this case).
The second character means heroic but also suggests a male person.
My Japanese dictionary also defines this as "a great man".
女傑 can mean brave woman, heroine, lady of character, distinguished woman, outstanding woman, and sometimes prominent woman.
Some people might use this to give a title to women like Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Queen Elizabeth the First, Joan of Arc, Mulan Fa, Yevdokiya Nikolayevna Zavaliy, Harriet Tubman, Anne Frank, Clara Barton, and Jane Eyre.
I use it for a woman like Araceli Segarra (the first woman from Spain to climb Mt. Everest) and gave one of my daughters the middle name of Araceli.
豪氣 is heroic spirit or heroism in Chinese and old Korean Hanja.
This might come across as a bit arrogant to hang on your wall.
This can be translated as the warrior's spirit or warrior's soul. The first two characters can be translated as "warrior" or literally "brave soldier/man" although some will translate this word as "hero". Therefore, this is also how to say "heroic spirit".
The second two characters mean vigor, vitality, drive, spirit, mind, heart, mental essence and psychological component. Basically "your soul".
We have two versions of this phrase. The only difference is the first two and last two characters are swapped. The version here suggests that you admire or like the idea of the spirit of a warrior. The other version suggests that you are the warrior or hero.
巾幗英雄 is a cool and somewhat ancient way to say woman hero in Chinese. 巾幗英雄 is used in modern times to refer to an outstanding woman or a woman with great accomplishments.
In the old days, it was a title for a woman warrior (oh, did I mention that there were great female generals who led huge armies into battle in ancient China?)
勇士 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for brave warrior, a brave person, hero, or brave man.
In Japanese, this can be a given name, Yuuji.
鬼武者 is an unusual title that can be translated two ways, daredevil warrior or demon warrior.
The most common is probably the daredevil warrior. However, the first character means demon, ghost, or soul of the departed. Therefore, it can kind of mean soul of a warrior, or a demon warrior.
This title is Japanese only, and should not be used if your audience is Chinese.
覺醒武士 is not a commonly used title in Chinese but sometimes used in Martial arts and military context to refer to a warrior who seems to always be fully aware, enlightened, knowledgeable, noble, and just.
The first two characters are a word that means: to awaken; to come to realize; awakened to the truth; the truth dawns upon one; scales fall from the eyes; to become aware.
The last two characters mean warrior but can also refer to a samurai, soldier, or fighter.
This Chinese title, Guan Gong means, Lord Guan (The warrior saint of ancient China).
While his real name was Guan Yu / 關羽, he is commonly known by this title of Guan Gong / 關公.
Some Chinese soldiers still pray to Guan Gong for protection. They would especially do this before going into battle. Statues of Guan Gong are seen throughout China.
天力士 means "Heavenly Warrior", or "Hero of Heaven", in Chinese, old Korean, and Japanese.
Often used in a Buddhist context.
平和的武士 means "Peaceful Warrior" in Chinese. This does in fact sound like an oxymoron in Chinese - but many of you have asked for this special title.
Note, this is not the same thing as "warrior for peace".
See Also: Peace
This can be read as "Peaceful Warrior" or "Warrior for Peace" in Japanese. This sounds like an oxymoron in Japanese, so it's a weird title. Expect Japanese people to be perplexed when they see it.
Character breakdown:
平和 (heiwa) peace; harmony.
の (no) possessive particle.
武士 (bushi) warrior; samurai; soldier.
靜武士 is the shortest way to write "Quiet Warrior" or "Tranquil Warrior" in Chinese.
See Also: Peaceful Warrior
The first character is the spirit or essence of a warrior. The second character means soldier, officer, or official. 武士 is also used appropriately enough to describe a piece of a chess game. This can also be translated as soldier, cavalier, palace guard, or samurai and sometimes as knight. I've occasionally seen this translated as strong man or tough man (gender not necessarily implied).
By far, this is the most common way to write warrior in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
Note: In Japanese, this is Bushi, as in Bushido.
和平武士 means "Warrior for Peace" (warrior who fights for peace) in Chinese.
Note, this is not the same thing as "peaceful warrior".
See Also: Peace
This literally means: [Just as] warriors [are valued for their] quality and not [just] for quantity, [so] generals [are valued] for their tactics, not [just] for [their] bravery.
兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇 is a proverb that follows one about how it is better to have warriors of quality, rather than just a large quantity of warriors in your army/force.
See Also: 兵在精而不在多
天界力士 means "warrior of the heavenly realm" in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.
天界力士 is also known as Narayana in Buddhism.
武士の一言金鉄の如し is an old Japanese proverb about the value of the word of a warrior.
Here's a couple versions of how this can be translated:
A warrior's single word is as unchanging and reliable as gold and steel.
A warrior's promise is as dependable as gold, and his [scabbard contains] untarnished steel (a sword).
Note: Sometimes this phrase is written as 男子の一言、金鉄の如し (danshi no ichigon kintetsu no gotoshi)
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
This can be translated as the spirit or soul of a warrior. The first two characters can be translated as vigor, vitality, drive, spirit, mind, heart, mental essence and psychological component. Basically "your soul".
The second two characters mean "warrior" or literally "brave soldier/man" although some will translate this word as "hero". Therefore, this is also how to say "soul of a hero".
Note: This title is best for Chinese and old Korean. It does make sense in Japanese but is not a common or natural Kanji combination in Japanese.
We have two versions of this phrase. The only difference is the first two and last two characters are swapped. The version here suggests that you are the warrior or hero. The other version suggests that you admire or like the idea of the spirit of a warrior.
武 is the essence or spirit of a warrior. 武 is part of the word "wu shu" which is sometimes translated as "martial arts" or "kung fu".
In more modern speech and other context, this can mean military, martial, warlike, fierce, and perhaps violent but usually as a prefix for a longer word or phrase.
靜謐武士 means "Quiet Warrior" in Chinese.
靜謐 means quiet or tranquil.
武士 means warrior or soldier.
See Also: Peaceful Warrior
影武者 is the title for Shadow Warrior in Chinese and Japanese.
This may refer to a few video games that share this English title, or a Japanese moved called Kagemusha.
If you are looking for the Japanese TV show, that was originally 影の軍団 (Kage no Gundan) which more literally means "Army of Shadows", but was re-titled Shadow Warrior when released outside Japan in English.
In Japan, this title can also refer to a body double or decoy of an army general or leader used to avoid assassination. It can also be somebody who does all the work (or fighting) behind the scenes (not getting much if any credit).
現役軍人 means "Active Duty Soldier" or literally "Active Duty Military Person".
This title is a great way to show your pride in being an active duty member of the armed forces.
The first two characters mean "active duty" and the second two characters can be translated as "military personnel", "soldier", or "serviceman" (it is unisex, so male or female is not indicated).
See Also: Military
This proverb creates an image of a warrior bravely advancing against an enemy regardless of the odds.
This proverb can also be translated as "indomitable spirit" or "march fearlessly onward".
See Also: Indomitable | Fortitude
孫子兵法 is the full title of the most famous book of military proverbs about warfare.
The English title is "Sun Tzu's The Art of War".
The last two characters have come to be known in the west as "The Art of War" but a better translation would be, "military strategy and tactics", "military skills" or "army procedures".
Note: Sometimes the author's name is Romanized as "Sun Zi" or "Sunzi".
It's written the same in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.
初心 is often translated in Japanese as "beginner's mind" or "beginner's spirit".
In Chinese, the dictionary definition is "one's original intention".
The first character means first, initial, primary, junior, beginning, or basic.
The second character means heart, mind, soul, or essence.
初心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo), and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet. Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: The state of shoshin is that of a beginners mind. It is a state of awareness the remains always fully conscious, aware, and prepared to see things for the first time. The attitude of shoshin is essential to continued learning.
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 an oral history for generations, thus, you will see variations in the list Bushido tenets depending on who you talk to.
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here
見義勇為 means 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:
It’s best for your courage to head in an honorable direction. For example, you should take to 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 both 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
This almost directly matches the military idea of "Death Before Dishonor", while also being an ancient Chinese proverb.
The direct meaning is, "[A] soldier/warrior can die/kill [but he/she] cannot [allow] dishonor/disgrace [upon himself/herself]". Chinese grammar, and especially ancient grammar, is a little different than English. Not nearly as many articles are needed, and a lot is implied.
There are a lot of ways to express ideas similar to "Death Before Dishonor" in Chinese, and I would rate this one in the top two.
This is the original form of this proverb with the character for "soldier/warrior" at the beginning. Most of the time, this character is dropped, and this becomes a five-character proverb (the soldier/warrior part is implied, even without the character being present in the proverb). We also offer the shorter version.
金剛 is a common way to call diamonds in Chinese and Japanese.
Traditionally, there were not that many diamonds that made their way to Asia, so this word does not have the deep cultural significance that it does in the west (thanks mostly to De Beers marketing). Therefore, this word was kind of borrowed from other uses.
This title can also refer to vajra (a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond that originally refers to an indestructible substance); hard metal; pupa of certain insects; Vajrapani, Buddha's warrior attendant; King Kong; adamantine; Buddhist symbol of the indestructible truth.
The first character means war, warfare, or battle.
The second character means soldier, officer, man or pawn.
戰士 is how to write "fighter" in Chinese, ancient Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja. 戰士 can also mean soldier or warrior but there are better terms for those two ideas. This one is more specifically "fighter" or "one who fights". 戰士 is an odd selection for a wall scroll, unless you are a boxer, ultimate fighter, or otherwise participate in combat sports.
Other translations include combatant or champion.
Note that after WWII, the first Kanji was reformed/simplified. This modern Japanese version is shown to the right. If you want this version, click on the Kanji to the right, instead of the button above.
鬪士 / 闘士 is how to write "fighter" in Chinese and old Korean Hanja.
Chinese: 鬪士 / 闘士 is usually used to mean "fighter" in Chinese. It can also be translated as "warrior" or "activist".
Korean: 鬪士 / 闘士 means fighter or champion (in terms of a fighter) in Korean Hanja.
Note: The first character can also be written in three alternate ways, as shown to the right. Give us a note if you have a certain preference when you place your order.
This literally means fighting spirit in Chinese.
As in the spirit that a warrior, soldier, athlete or fighter must possess.
Note: There is more than one way to write the first character of this word. It is sometimes written like the version shown to the right (yes, it's completely different but has the same meaning & pronunciation). If you have a preference, please let us know in the special instructions about your order.
孝 represents filial piety.
Some will define this in more common English as "respect for your parents and ancestors".
孝 is a subject deeply emphasized by the ancient philosophy and teachings of Confucius.
Some have included this in the list for the Bushido, although generally not considered part of the 7 core virtues of the warrior.
Note: 孝 is not the best of meanings when seen along as a single character. Some will read the single-character form to mean "missing my dead ancestors". However, when written at part of Confucian tenets, or in the two-character word that means filial piety, the meaning is better or read differently (context is important for this character).
We suggest one of our other two-character filial piety entries instead of this one.
關羽 is the name Guan Yu, Army General for the Kingdom of Shu.
He is also known as Guan Gong (like saying Duke Guan or Sir Guan)
He was immortalized in the novel, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".
He was a fearsome fighter, also famous for his virtue and loyalty. He is worshiped by some modern-day soldiers and has the title "Warrior Saint" in China. Some believe he offers safety and protection for military servicemen.
Guan Yu lived until 219 A.D.
This Japanese proverb simply reads, "[In] Flowers it's Cherry Blossoms, [In] Men it's Warriors".
This is meant to say that of all the flowers in the world, the cherry blossom is the best. And of all men in the world, the Samurai or Warrior is the best
This proverb has been around for a long time. It's believed to have been composed sometime before the Edo Period in Japan (which started in 1603).
Some will drop one syllable and pronounce this, "hana wa sakura hito wa bushi". That's "sakura" instead of "sakuragi", which is like saying "cherry blossom" instead of "cherry tree".
The third character was traditionally written as 櫻. But in modern Japan, that became 桜. You may still see 櫻 used from time to time on older pieces of calligraphy. We can do either one, so just make a special request if you want 櫻.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
花木蘭 is the name of the famous Chinese woman warrior Hua Mulan.
She was made famous in the west by Disney's animated movie, "Mulan".
Most of the historical information about her comes from an ancient poem. It starts with a concerned Mulan, as she is told a man from each family is to serve conscription in the army. Her father is too old, and her brother is too young. Mulan decides to take the place of her father. After twelve years of war, the army returns and the best warriors are awarded great posts in the government and riches. Mulan turns down all offers, and asks only for a good horse for the long trip home. When Mulan greets visiting comrades wearing her old clothes, they are shocked to find the warrior they rode into battle with for years was actually a woman.
不動心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo), and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet.
Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: An unshakable mind and an immovable spirit is the state of fudoshin. It is courage and stability displayed both mentally and physically. Rather than indicating rigidity and inflexibility, fudoshin describes a condition that is not easily upset by internal thoughts or external forces. It is capable of receiving a strong attack while retaining composure and balance. It receives and yields lightly, grounds to the earth, and reflects aggression back to the source.
Other translations of this title include imperturbability, steadfastness, keeping a cool head in an emergency, or keeping one's calm (during a fight).
The first two Kanji alone mean immobility, firmness, fixed, steadfastness, motionless, idle.
The last Kanji means heart, mind, soul, or essence.
Together, these three Kanji create a title that is defined as "immovable mind" within the context of Japanese martial arts. However, in Chinese it would mean "motionless heart" and in Korean Hanja, "wafting heart" or "floating heart".
This two-character title is used for a certain type of martial arts. You can translate this roughly as "Excellent Marital Arts" or "Excellence in Martial Arts". You will notice that the second character is "wu" as in wushu (martial arts) and wushi (warrior).
More information can be found at the Jing Mo website. You should probably only order this if you are a member of this association.
Note that "jing mo" is the Cantonese pronunciation of these characters. In Mandarin, they are "jing wu".
Also used in Korean but only by those involved with martial arts who can also read Korean Hanja (a small percentage of the population).
The first character has the element of "horse" in it, and alone can mean "one who rides".
Together, these characters can be translated as "riding soldier" or "horseman soldier", which of course can also be translated as "knight".
Can also be translated as "cavalier."
First off, this should only be used in context of Japanese martial arts. In Chinese, it's a rather sad title (like a broken heart). In Chinese, the first character alone means destroyed, spoiled, ruined, injured, cruel, oppressive, savage, incomplete, disabled. However, in Japanese, it's remainder, leftover, balance, or lingering.
The second character means heart, mind, soul, or essence in both languages.
殘心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo), and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet. Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: The spirit of zanshin is the state of the remaining or lingering spirit. It is often described as a sustained and heightened state of awareness and mental follow-through. However, true zanshin is a state of focus or concentration before, during, and after the execution of a technique, where a link or connection between uke and nage is preserved. Zanshin is the state of mind that allows us to stay spiritually connected, not only to a single attacker but to multiple attackers and even an entire context; a space, a time, an event.
In modern Japan (and Simplified Chinese), they use a different version of the first character, as seen to the right. Click on this character to the right instead of the button above if you want this modern Japanese version of lingering mind / zanshin.
This is the Chinese way to express "Marine". (as in a member of the Marine Corps). It is not country-specific, so it could be the Royal Marines, U.S. Marines, Chinese Marines, etc.
In Australian English, they would translate this as "Naval Infantryman".
Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea military/arms shore/land fighting/war/battle corps/team/group person/member". Note that the first two characters presented together but outside of this phrase mean "navy" (sea military).
See Also: Warrior | Military | Navy | Art of War
海軍陸戰隊 is the Chinese way to express "Marine Corps". This could be the Marine Corps of virtually any country that has an amphibious military force.
Let me know you want a more specific title such as British Royal Marines or U.S. Marine Corps.
The Chinese title for Marines is very verbose...
Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea military/arms shore/land fighting/war/battle corps/team/group".
See Also: Military
海兵隊 is the Japanese and Korean way to express "Marine Corps" or simply "Marines". It is not specific, so this can be the Marine Corps of any country, such as the British Royal Marines to the U.S. Marines.
Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea soldiers/army corps/regiment/group".
See Also: Military
This way to express "Marine" as in an individual "Soldier of the Sea" in Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja characters (not to be confused with Korean Hangul).
Breaking down each character, this means:
"ocean/sea soldier/army/warrior".
Please note that this Japanese/Korean version kind of means "sailor" or "navy" in Chinese.
See Also: Military
This refers to the virtue, morality, and ethics that any practitioner of martial arts should posses.
This can be used in both Chinese and Japanese in lieu of English terms such as "soldierly virtue", "good conduct" (military), "warrior ethics", and being honorable in regards to any fight or competition.
See Also: Morality of Mind | Morality of Deed
武芸者 is the Japanese Kanji title for "Martial Arts Master". It suggests that you have reached at least the level of black belt, and are probably to the level where you are ready to become an instructor.
Please consider carefully where you stand before ordering this phrase on a wall scroll. If you are not a master, this will make you look a bit foolish.
If you want to get this as a gift for your master at the dojo. Try to discreetly make sure this term is used in your school. Different schools and styles of Japanese martial arts use different terms. You may notice in the Romaji and the characters, this has the same characters as "geisha" which means "person skilled in arts" (what a geisha girl really is). The title here has the character for "martial", "warrior", and/or "military" in front of it. Therefore the literal translation is "martial art person".
These Kanji are valid Chinese characters and Korean Hanja but this title does not really make sense in Chinese and not often used in Korean, though a Chinese or Korean would be able to guess the meaning by looking at the first and last characters.
This can be translated as "martial arts skills", "warrior skills", or "military skills" depending on usage.
In both Japanese and Chinese, rather than meaning martial arts, this speaks more to the skills that you posses in regards to martial arts. This phrase also has a light suggestion of "having an itch to show off these skills".
武道 is the very common Japanese way to say "Martial Arts".
武道 is used mostly in Japanese dojos but is also understood in Chinese and Korean.
Some will use this title to mean chivalry (the conduct of a knight) or military art. The way this word is understood would depend on the context in which it is used.
The first character means "force" or "warlike" or "essence of a warrior".
The second character means "method", "path", and "the way". It is the same character used to describe/mean the philosophy of Taoism / Daoism.
Some will also translate this as, "The Way of the Warrior", especially in the context of Korean martial arts.
The idea of "morality of deed" goes along with "wu de" (martial morality or virtues of the warrior).
Here, the first character is a representation of the actions or deeds that you engage in.
The second character refers to morality or virtue.
This translates better in English in the opposite order, as the Chinese order is literally "deed morality".
See Also: Morality of Mind | Martial Morality
The idea of "morality of mind" goes along with "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".
Note that since ancient times in Asia, the idea of your mind (the place where your soul resides, and your thought originate from) 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
In feudal Japan, ninja or shinobi (literally, "one who is concealed" or "one that endures") were sometimes assassins and agents of espionage. The ninja, like samurai, followed their own special code of conduct.
The role of the ninja has been romanticized in many American movies (and to a lesser extent in Japanese movies). Because the ninja-craze has taken off in the west, Japan has followed the trend and you'll see plenty of ninja-related imagery in Japan.Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese will tend to write the first character in the form shown to the right. If you select our Japanese master calligrapher, please expect that form. Our Chinese calligraphers can also write it in the Japanese form but only if you request it (in the special instructions about your order during checkout).
In Japanese, this word means innocent, or one with no knowledge of good and evil. It literally means "without mind".
無心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo), and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet. Under that context, places such as the Budo Dojo define it this way: "No mind, a mind without ego. A mind like a mirror which reflects and dos not judge". The original term was "mushin no shin", meaning, "mind of no mind". It is a state of mind without fear, anger, or anxiety. Mushin is often described by the phrase, "mizu no kokoro", which means, "mind like water". The phrase is a metaphor describing the pond that clearly reflects it's surroundings when calm but whose images are obscured once a pebble is dropped into its waters.
This has a good meaning in conjunction with Chan / Zen Buddhism in Japan. However, out of that context, it means mindlessness or absent-minded. To non-Buddhists in China, this is associated with doing something without thinking.
In Korean, this usually means indifference.
Use caution and know your audience before ordering this selection.
More info: Wikipedia: Mushin
The first Kanji alone means to wash, to bathe, primness, cleanse or purify.
The second Kanji means heart, mind, soul, or essence.
Together, these two Kanji create a word that is defined as "purified spirit" or "enlightened attitude" within the context of Japanese martial arts.
洗心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo), and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet. Under that context it's often defined this way: A spirit that protects and harmonizes the universe. Senshin is a spirit of compassion that embraces and serves all humanity and whose function is to reconcile discord in the world. It holds all life to be sacred. It is the Buddha mind.
This title will only be familiar to Japanese who practice certain martial arts. Others may not recognize this word at all.
洗心 does not show up as a word in too many Chinese dictionaries but it can be read and has the same meaning in Chinese.
There is an issue with the first character. The original, and probably most correct version is shown above. However, many dojo documents and other sources have used a more simple first character. Arguments ensue about which version is correct. If you want to be correct in the Japanese language, use the "Select and Customize" button above. If you want to match the Kanji used by your dojo, click the Kanji shown to the right. There is a slightly different meaning with this first character which means before, ahead, previous, future, precedence.
The Ronin have no master - The most famous are the 47 ronin created after their Lord committed suicide. This term was not exactly a positive title for the Samurai of ancient Japan. However, in recent years, movies and video games have glorified the term Ronin.
In Chinese, this term has the original meaning of a hobo, vagabond or ruffian.
In Korean Hanja, these characters would be read as adventurer, wanderer, someone without a steady job, or someone who is wasting away time.
In modern Japan, this term is used as a nickname for a high school student who has failed a college entry exam (and is trying again).
In Chinese and Korean, the Japanese definition of "Masterless Samurai" is known because of the historical context, even in Japanese, the literal translation is closer to the Chinese and Korean definitions shown above.
This will make a fine wall scroll if you are a fan of the Ronin, or see yourself as a Ronin of sorts. However, please think twice before getting a Ronin tattoo!
In Japanese, 侍 represents the warriors that attempted to hold peace when there was no Emperor in Japan.
Be cautious though, as it is an old way to express "servant" or "waiter" in Chinese and Korean. Of course, if you are a samurai, you are a servant to your Shogun-ate, Lord, or the people (which is the root meaning).
See Also: Warrior
In the west, when someone mentions "Shogun" we may be filled with thoughts of gallant warriors. Some might even think of the TV mini-series with Richard Chamberlain. Often westerners use the words Samurai and Shogun interchangeably. So I will clear it up really quickly...
Shogun in the simplest definition is a General. You could also use words such as commander, lord, overlord, highest ranking, or commanding officer, since "Shogun" has held some slightly ambiguous meanings at times in Japanese history.
Sometimes a Shogun was a general, other times he was the leader of a military government in Japan.
Variants of the same characters are used in China for the rank and title of a General of the People's Liberation Army (and the same term and characters have been used for the last 2200 years since the Qin Dynasty).
There is a slight variation in the way the first character is written. 將軍 is the more Chinese and Korean Hanja version.
So if you want to specifically refer to a Chinese or Korean General, this is the way. Japanese people would still easily identify this as "shogun".
Note: This term is also used for Admiral in Korean in a certain context (if you need a better title for Admiral, just let me know).
神兵 is a Japanese, Chinese, and Korean title that means "soldier dispatched by a god", or "soldier under the protection of the gods".
神兵 is used more in Japanese (especially in animation) than the other languages.
兵 can be used to express soldiers, troops, a force, an army, weapons, arms, military, warfare, tactics, strategy, or warlike.
The final meaning depends on context. It's also part of the Chinese title for the Terracotta soldiers. In fact, this character is usually used in compound words (words of more than one character). Sometimes this single character is the title used for the pawns in a chess game (in a related issue, this is also a nickname for soldiers with the rank of Private).
超人 is the Chinese title for the comic book hero, Superman.
In Japanese, this can also refer to a superman or superwoman but may refer to Nietzsche's ideal man of the future or the "Ubermensch" or "overman".
超人 is also a word in old Korean Hanja but more a generic term for a super or excellent person or hero.
This Character is pronounced "jian" in Chinese. When you say it, imagine that you are making the sound of a sword as it clashes with a metal shield. This might get you closer to the correct pronunciation in Chinese.
I actually wonder if this word came from the metallic ringing sounds of a sword in battle - but such knowledge is lost in history.
The sword is a symbol of a warrior. The one thing that a soldier in ancient China lived and died by. A warrior with his skills and sword proves himself of great value. A warrior who losses his sword instantly becomes worthless.
劍 is an excellent scroll for someone in the military (especially officers of all services - as well as enlisted NCO Marines since they still carry swords even if mainly for ceremonial purposes). Or perhaps someone who practices variations of kung fu or tai chi that involve weapons.
Please note that while this character is understood with the sword meaning in Japanese, you might be looking for the word "katana" which also means sword in Japanese but means "knife" in Chinese.
There are other ways to write sword, and here are a few...
If you are particular about the version you receive, please let me know when you place your order (Note: Special styles are only available from one of our master calligraphers).
We have a forum entry that addresses the many ways to write sword. You can find that here: 100 Ways to Write Sword - Deciphering Ancient Seal Script
米海兵隊 is the Japanese way to write "United States Marine Corps" or simply "U.S. Marines".
Breaking down each Kanji, this means:
"rice (American) ocean/sea soldiers/army/military corps/regiment/group".
This title will only make sense in Japanese, it is not the same in Chinese! Make sure you know your audience before ordering a custom wall scroll.
If you are wondering about the rice, America is known as "rice country" or "rice kingdom" when literally translated. The Kanji for rice is often used as an abbreviation in front of words (like a sub-adjective) to make something "American". Americans say "rice-burner" for a Japanese car, and "rice-rocket" for a Japanese motorcycle. If you did the same in Japanese, it would be exactly the opposite meaning.
Note: I have not verified this but I’ve found this title used for U.S. Marines in Korean articles, so it’s most likely a normal Korean term as well (but only in Korean Hanja).
See Also: Marine Corps | Navy | Army | Art of War | Warrior | Military
This proverb is the tattoo worn on the back of Yue Fei, a famous Chinese warrior who lived until 1142 A.D.
The tattoo can be translated as "Serve the country with the utmost loyalty". More literally, it means, "[The] Ultimate Loyalty [is too] Duty [of] Country".
Legend has it that this tattoo once saved his life when he was accused of treason.
The first two characters have come to create a word that means "serve the country faithfully" or "die for the country". Note: It's more a willingness to die for one's country than the actual act of dying.
The last two characters have come to mean, "Dedicate oneself to the service of one's country".
Both of these words are probably only in the Chinese lexicon because of this famous tattoo.
If you break it down, character-by-character, here is what you get:
1. To the utmost, to the limit of something, the ultimate.
2. Loyalty or duty (a sense of duty to one's master, lord, country, job).
3. Report, recompense, give back to (in this case, you are giving yourself to your country as payback).
4. Country, state, nation, kingdom.
諸葛亮 is the name Zhuge Liang, written in Chinese.
Zhuge Liang lived from 181 to 234 A.D.
He was a military leader and prime minister of Shu Han (蜀漢) during the Three Kingdoms period.
He was the main hero of the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms.
He is considered a famous sage, philosopher, and military genius.
サスケ is the Japanese title of the TV show, Sasuke Rising.
サスケ is the original Japanese TV show that inspired the American Ninja Warrior, Ninja Warrior UK, and other variations.
It should be noted that in Japan, the shows title is usually displayed in capital Roman letters as "SASUKE", rather than the Japanese text, サスケ. Although, both titles are known in Japan (you'd probably need to search for サスケ if looking to buy a Sasuke DVD in Japan).
Notes: Sasuke can also be a given name (written the same way). There are also other names that romanize as Sasuke in Japanese.
Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
ゲレロ is the name Guerrero in Japanese.
The Spanish word Guerrero means fighter or warrior, so you could also use a translation and pick a word that means fighter instead of this transliteration.
Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
This literally means "strong man" but is more commonly used as a title for sumo wrestlers.
In Japanese, this is a Rikishi.
力士 is also used in Chinese and old Korean with the same meaning. Occasionally, this will also be used to refer to a strong or mighty man, hero, demigod etc. But anyone in the CJK world will first think of a sumo wrestler before the more literary usage as a strong man or demigod.
木蘭 is a general term for the magnolia (magnolia liliflora) or lily magnolia in Chinese and Japanese.
This can refer to any of the flowering plants or trees in the Magnolia genus.
In Chinese, this is also the name Mulan, as in Hua Mulan, the legendary woman warrior and folk hero of fifth-century China.
In Japanese, this can also be the female given name Mokuren.
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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 | |
Hero | 英雄 | ei yuu / eiyuu / ei yu / eiyu | yīng xióng ying1 xiong2 ying xiong yingxiong | ying hsiung yinghsiung |
Man of Remarkable Character Hero | 傑物 杰物 | ketsubutsu | ||
Woman of Strong Character Woman Hero | 女傑 女杰 | joketsu | nǚ jié / nv3 jie2 / nv jie / nvjie | nü chieh / nüchieh |
Heroic Spirit | 英氣 英气 | yīng qì / ying1 qi4 / ying qi / yingqi | ying ch`i / yingchi / ying chi | |
Heroic Spirit Great Ambition | 雄心 | yuushin / yushin | xióng xīn xiong2 xin1 xiong xin xiongxin | hsiung hsin hsiunghsin |
Heroic Spirit Heroism | 豪氣 豪气 | háo qì / hao2 qi4 / hao qi / haoqi | hao ch`i / haochi / hao chi | |
Warrior Soul Heroic Spirit | 勇士精神 | yǒng shì jīng shén yong3 shi4 jing1 shen2 yong shi jing shen yongshijingshen | yung shih ching shen yungshihchingshen |
|
Woman Hero Heroine | 巾幗英雄 巾帼英雄 | jīn guó yīng xióng jin1 guo2 ying1 xiong2 jin guo ying xiong jinguoyingxiong | chin kuo ying hsiung chinkuoyinghsiung |
|
Brave Warrior | 勇士 | yuu shi / yuushi / yu shi / yushi | yǒng shì / yong3 shi4 / yong shi / yongshi | yung shih / yungshih |
Daredevil Warrior Soul of a Warrior | 鬼武者 | oni mu sha / onimusha | ||
Dragon Warrior | 龍武士 龙武士 | ryuu bu shi ryuubushi ryu bu shi ryubushi | lóng wǔ shì long2 wu3 shi4 long wu shi longwushi | lung wu shih lungwushih |
Dragon Warrior | 龍戰士 龙战士 | lóng zhàn shì long2 zhan4 shi4 long zhan shi longzhanshi | lung chan shih lungchanshih |
|
Dragon Warrior | 斗龍戰士 斗龙战士 | dòu lóng zhàn shì dou4 long2 zhan4 shi4 dou long zhan shi doulongzhanshi | tou lung chan shih toulungchanshih |
|
Enlightened Warrior | 覺醒武士 觉醒武士 | jué xǐng wǔ shì jue2 xing3 wu3 shi4 jue xing wu shi juexingwushi | chüeh hsing wu shih chüehhsingwushih |
|
Ghost Warrior | 幽靈戰士 幽灵战士 | yōu líng zhàn shì you1 ling2 zhan4 shi4 you ling zhan shi youlingzhanshi | yu ling chan shih yulingchanshih |
|
Guan Gong Warrior Saint | 關公 关公 | guān gōng guan1 gong1 guan gong guangong | kuan kung kuankung |
|
Warrior of Heaven | 天力士 | ten riki shi tenrikishi | tiān lì shì tian1 li4 shi4 tian li shi tianlishi | t`ien li shih tienlishih tien li shih |
Holy Warrior | 聖戦士 | sei senshi / seisenshi | ||
Peaceful Warrior | 平和的武士 | píng hé de wǔ shì ping2 he2 de wu3 shi4 ping he de wu shi pinghedewushi | p`ing ho te wu shih pinghotewushih ping ho te wu shih |
|
Peaceful Warrior | 平和の武士 | hei wa no bu shi heiwanobushi | ||
Quiet Warrior | 靜武士 静武士 | jìng wǔ shì jing4 wu3 shi4 jing wu shi jingwushi | ching wu shih chingwushih |
|
Quiet Warrior | 靜かな戦士 静かな戦士 | shizukana senshi shizukanasenshi | ||
Silent Warrior | 沉默的武士 | chén mò de wǔ shì chen2 mo4 de wu3 shi4 chen mo de wu shi chenmodewushi | ch`en mo te wu shih chenmotewushih chen mo te wu shih |
|
Silent Warrior | 靜寂な戦士 静寂な戦士 | seijakuna senshi seijakunasenshi | ||
Spiritual Warrior | 霊戦士 | rei sen shi reisenshi | ||
Warrior | 武士 | bu shi / bushi | wǔ shì / wu3 shi4 / wu shi / wushi | wu shih / wushih |
Warrior for Peace | 和平武士 | hé píng wǔ shì he2 ping2 wu3 shi4 he ping wu shi hepingwushi | ho p`ing wu shih hopingwushih ho ping wu shih |
|
Value of Warrior Generals | 兵在精而不在多將在謀而不在勇 兵在精而不在多将在谋而不在勇 | bīng zài jīng ér bú zài duō jiàng zài móu ér bú zài yǒng bing1 zai4 jing1 er2 bu2 zai4 duo1 jiang4 zai4 mou2 er2 bu2 zai4 yong3 bing zai jing er bu zai duo jiang zai mou er bu zai yong | ping tsai ching erh pu tsai to chiang tsai mou erh pu tsai yung | |
Heart of a Warrior Samurai Heart | 武士心 | bu shi kokoro bushikokoro | wǔ shì xīn wu3 shi4 xin1 wu shi xin wushixin | wu shih hsin wushihhsin |
Warrior of the Heavenly Realm | 天界力士 | ten kai riki shi tenkairikishi | tiān jiè lì shì tian1 jie4 li4 shi4 tian jie li shi tianjielishi | t`ien chieh li shih tienchiehlishih tien chieh li shih |
Warrior Monk Soldier Priest | 藩士 | sou hei / souhei / so hei / sohei | sēng bīng seng1 bing1 seng bing sengbing | seng ping sengping |
Warrior Musha | 武者 | mu sha / musha | ||
Warrior of God Soldier of God | 神の兵士 | kami no heishi kaminoheishi | ||
Warrior Saint Saint of War | 武聖 武圣 | wǔ shèng / wu3 sheng4 / wu sheng / wusheng | ||
Warrior Fighter | 戦士 | sen shi / senshi | ||
Warrior Soul Spirit of a Fighter | 戦士魂 | senshi damashii senshidamashii senshi damashi senshidamashi | ||
Warrior Within | 武者之心 | wǔ zhě zhī xīn wu3 zhe3 zhi1 xin1 wu zhe zhi xin wuzhezhixin | wu che chih hsin wuchechihhsin |
|
The Warrior Within | 中の戦士 | chuu no senshi chuunosenshi chu no senshi chunosenshi | ||
The Warrior’s Word, Dependable as Gold and Steel | 武士の一言、金鉄の如し | bushi no ichigon kintetsu no gotoshi | ||
Soul of a Warrior | 精神勇士 | jīng shén yǒng shì jing1 shen2 yong3 shi4 jing shen yong shi jingshenyongshi | ching shen yung shih chingshenyungshih |
|
Warrior Essence Warrior Spirit Martial | 武 | bu | wǔ / wu3 / wu | |
Quiet Warrior | 靜謐武士 静谧武士 | jìng mì wǔ shì jing4 mi4 wu3 shi4 jing mi wu shi jingmiwushi | ching mi wu shih chingmiwushih |
|
Shadow Warrior | 影武者 | kagemusha | yīng wǔ zhǔ ying1 wu3 zhu3 ying wu zhu yingwuzhu | ying wu chu yingwuchu |
Active Duty Military | 現役軍人 现役军人 | geneki gunjin genekigunjin | xiàn yì jūn rén xian4 yi4 jun1 ren2 xian yi jun ren xianyijunren | hsien i chün jen hsienichünjen |
Advance Bravely Indomitable Spirit | 勇往直前 | yǒng wǎng zhí qián yong3 wang3 zhi2 qian2 yong wang zhi qian yongwangzhiqian | yung wang chih ch`ien yungwangchihchien yung wang chih chien |
|
Sun Tzu - Art of War | 孫子兵法 孙子兵法 | son shi hyou hou sonshihyouhou son shi hyo ho sonshihyoho | sūn zǐ bīng fǎ sun1 zi3 bing1 fa3 sun zi bing fa sunzibingfa | sun tzu ping fa suntzupingfa |
Mind of the Beginner | 初心 | sho shin / shoshin | chū xīn / chu1 xin1 / chu xin / chuxin | ch`u hsin / chuhsin / chu hsin |
Berserker | 狂戰士 | kuáng zhàn shì kuang2 zhan4 shi4 kuang zhan shi kuangzhanshi | k`uang chan shih kuangchanshih kuang chan shih |
|
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 |
|
Death Before Dishonor | 士可殺不可辱 士可杀不可辱 | shì kě shā bù kě rǔ shi4 ke3 sha1 bu4 ke3 ru3 shi ke sha bu ke ru shikeshabukeru | shih k`o sha pu k`o ju shihkoshapukoju shih ko sha pu ko ju |
|
Diamond | 金剛 金刚 | kon gou / kongou / kon go / kongo | jīn gāng / jin1 gang1 / jin gang / jingang | chin kang / chinkang |
Eishin-Ryu | 英信流 | ei shin ryuu eishinryuu ei shin ryu eishinryu | ||
Fighter | 戰士 战士 / 戦士 | sen shi / senshi | zhàn shì / zhan4 shi4 / zhan shi / zhanshi | chan shih / chanshih |
Fighter Champion | 鬪士 / 闘士 斗士 / 鬥士 | tou shi / toushi / to shi / toshi | dòu shì / dou4 shi4 / dou shi / doushi | tou shih / toushih |
Fighter for God | 上帝的鬥士 上帝的斗士 | shàng dì de dòu shì shang4 di4 de dou4 shi4 shang di de dou shi shangdidedoushi | shang ti te tou shih shangtitetoushih |
|
Fighting Spirit | 斗志 | dòu zhì / dou4 zhi4 / dou zhi / douzhi | tou chih / touchih | |
Fighting Spirit | 闘誌 闘志 | tou shi / toushi / to shi / toshi | ||
Filial Piety | 孝 | kou / ko | xiào / xiao4 / xiao | hsiao |
First Born | 惣領 | souryou / soryo | ||
God of War | 軍神 | gunjin / gunshin / ikusagami | ||
Guandi: God of War | 關帝 关帝 | kan tei / kantei | Guān dì / Guan1 di4 / Guan di / Guandi | Kuan ti / Kuanti |
Guan Yu | 關羽 关羽 | guān yǔ / guan1 yu3 / guan yu / guanyu | kuan yü / kuanyü | |
In Flowers the Cherry Blossom, In Men the Samurai | 花は櫻木人は武士 花は桜木人は武士 | hana wa sakuragi hito wa bushi | ||
Hua Mulan | 花木蘭 花木兰 | huā mù lán hua1 mu4 lan2 hua mu lan huamulan | ||
Immovable Mind | 不動心 | fu dou shin fudoushin fu do shin fudoshin | ||
Jing Mo Jing Wu | 精武 | jīng wǔ / jing1 wu3 / jing wu / jingwu | ching wu / chingwu | |
Knight | 騎士 骑士 | ki shi / kishi | qí shì / qi2 shi4 / qi shi / qishi | ch`i shih / chishih / chi shih |
Lingering Mind | 殘心 残心 | zan shin / zanshin | cán xīn / can2 xin1 / can xin / canxin | ts`an hsin / tsanhsin / tsan hsin |
Marine | 海軍陸戰隊員 海军陆战队员 | hǎi jūn lù zhàn duì yuán hai3 jun1 lu4 zhan4 dui4 yuan2 hai jun lu zhan dui yuan haijunluzhanduiyuan | hai chün lu chan tui yüan haichünluchantuiyüan |
|
Marine Corps | 海軍陸戰隊 海军陆战队 | hǎi jūn lù zhàn duì hai3 jun1 lu4 zhan4 dui4 hai jun lu zhan dui haijunluzhandui | hai chün lu chan tui haichünluchantui |
|
Marine Corps | 海兵隊 海兵队 | kaiheitai | ||
Marine Soldier of the Sea | 海兵 | kai hei / kaihei | ||
Martial Morality Martial Arts Ethics Virtue | 武德 | butoku | wǔ dé / wu3 de2 / wu de / wude | wu te / wute |
Martial Arts Master | 武芸者 | bugeisha | wǔ yún zhě wu3 yun2 zhe3 wu yun zhe wuyunzhe | wu yün che wuyünche |
Martial Arts Skills | 武技 | bugi | wǔ jì / wu3 ji4 / wu ji / wuji | wu chi / wuchi |
Martial Arts Budo | 武道 | bu dou / budou / bu do / budo | wǔ dào / wu3 dao4 / wu dao / wudao | wu tao / wutao |
Morality of Deed | 行德 | xíng dé / xing2 de2 / xing de / xingde | hsing te / hsingte | |
Morality of Mind | 心德 | xīn dé / xin1 de2 / xin de / xinde | hsin te / hsinte | |
Ninja | 忍者 | ninja | rěn zhě / ren3 zhe3 / ren zhe / renzhe | jen che / jenche |
No Mind Mushin | 無心 无心 | mu shin / mushin | wú xīn / wu2 xin1 / wu xin / wuxin | wu hsin / wuhsin |
Paladin | 義俠の士 義侠の士 | gi kyō no shi gikyōnoshi | ||
Purified Spirit Enlightened Attitude | 洗心 先心 | sen shin / senshin | xǐ xīn / xi3 xin1 / xi xin / xixin | hsi hsin / hsihsin |
Ronin Masterless Samurai | 浪人 | rou nin / rounin / ro nin / ronin | làng rén / lang4 ren2 / lang ren / langren | lang jen / langjen |
Samurai | 侍 | samurai | shì / shi4 / shi | shih |
Shogun Japanese General | 將軍 将军 | shougun / shogun | jiāng jūn jiang1 jun1 jiang jun jiangjun | chiang chün chiangchün |
Chinese or Korean Army General | 將軍 将军 | shougun / shogun | jiāng jūn jiang1 jun1 jiang jun jiangjun | chiang chün chiangchün |
Soldier of the Gods | 神兵 | shin pei / shinpei | shén bīng shen2 bing1 shen bing shenbing | shen ping shenping |
Soldiers | 兵 | hei | bīng / bing1 / bing | ping |
Superman | 超人 | chou jin / choujin / cho jin / chojin | chāo rén / chao1 ren2 / chao ren / chaoren | ch`ao jen / chaojen / chao jen |
Sword | 劍 剑 | ken / tsurugi | jiàn / jian4 / jian | chien |
United States Marine Corps | 米海兵隊 | bei kai hei tai beikaiheitai | ||
Ultimate Loyalty to Your Country | 盡忠報國 尽忠报国 | jìn zhōng bào guó jin4 zhong1 bao4 guo2 jin zhong bao guo jinzhongbaoguo | chin chung pao kuo chinchungpaokuo |
|
Zhuge Liang | 諸葛亮 诸葛亮 | zhū gě liàng zhu1 ge3 liang4 zhu ge liang zhugeliang | chu ko liang chukoliang |
|
Sasuke | サスケ | sasuke | ||
Avenger | 復讐者 | fuku shuu sha fukushuusha fuku shu sha fukushusha | ||
Guerrero | ゲレロ | gerero | ||
Sumo Wrestler | 力士 | ri kishi / rikishi | lì shì / li4 shi4 / li shi / lishi | li shih / lishih |
Magnolia | 木蘭 木兰 | mokuren | mù lán / mu4 lan2 / mu lan / mulan | |
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. |
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.