Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks
Chinese Proverb Calligraphy Wall Scroll

Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks

Close up view of the calligraphy artwork mounted to this silk brocade wall scroll

This Chinese proverb means "Be undaunted in the face of repeated setbacks". More directly-translated, it reads, "[Overcome] a hundred setbacks, without flinching". This is of Chinese origin but is commonly used in Japanese, and somewhat in Korean (same characters, different pronunciation).

This proverb comes from a long, and occasionally tragic story of a man that lived sometime around 25-220 AD. His name was Qiao Xuan and he never stooped to flattery but remained an upright person at all times. He fought to expose the corruption of higher-level government officials at great risk to himself.

Then when he was at a higher level in the Imperial Court, bandits were regularly capturing hostages and demanding ransoms. But when his own son was captured, he was so focused on his duty to the Emperor and common good that he sent a platoon of soldiers to raid the bandits' hideout, and stop them once and for all even at the risk of his own son's life. While all of the bandits were arrested in the raid, they killed Qiao Xuan's son at first sight of the raiding soldiers.

Near the end of his career, a new Emperor came to power, and Qiao Xuan reported to him that one of his ministers was bullying the people and extorting money from them. The new Emperor refused to listen to Qiao Xuan and even promoted the corrupt Minister. Qiao Xuan was so disgusted that in protest he resigned his post as minister (something almost never done) and left for his home village.

His tombstone reads "Bai Zhe Bu Nao" which is now a proverb used in Chinese culture to describe a person of strength will who puts up stubborn resistance against great odds.

My Chinese-English dictionary defines these 4 characters as, "keep on fighting in spite of all setbacks", "be undaunted by repeated setbacks" and "be indomitable".

Our translator says it can mean, "never give up" in modern Chinese.

Although the first two characters are translated correctly as "repeated setbacks", the literal meaning is "100 setbacks" or "a rope that breaks 100 times". The last two characters can mean "do not yield" or "do not give up".
Most Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people will not take this absolutely literal meaning, but will instead understand it as the title suggests above. If you want a single big word definition, it would be indefatigability, indomitableness, persistence, or unyielding.

My Little Experiment

A new batch of printed calligraphy scrolls, hanging in the studio, awaiting proper photography.

I felt like messing around with doing some giclée print calligraphy with various backgrounds. I came up with some layouts that I really like, and passed them around with my Chinese and Japanese friends who gave them rave reviews.

After giclée printing them on Japanese-made kozo paper, I sent the raw artwork off to Beijing to my workshop where they were built into wall scrolls by hand.

If you want a custom print scroll with your design, or other calligraphy, just contact me.

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About My Giclée Prints

This is more than a business for me — it’s a passion. I create fine art prints because I love the process of pairing sacred and historic designs with the perfect paper and printing technique. I experiment until everything feels just right. For me, quality will always matter more than profit. (In fact, there’s a fine art print shop down the street charging twice as much as I do — so maybe I’m doing it wrong, but you get to benefit from my folly!)

A photographer that I admire, Jeremy Cowart, and his Canon imagePROGRAF PRO Series printer.

Dedication to Quality

It took years — and a few costly missteps — to find the right printer. My first one worked well with delicate handmade papers, but the dye inks faded too quickly. My second was a massive HP DesignJet that constantly jammed on the specialty papers I love. After thousands of dollars lost, I finally invested in the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO Series — and it was worth every penny.

This remarkable printer has over 18,000 nozzles and can fire more than 32 million ink droplets per second. Combined with 12-color Canon Lucia Pro pigment inks, it produces an incredibly wide color gamut, velvety gradients, and museum-quality precision that ordinary printers simply can’t achieve.

Archival Excellence

I print exclusively with authentic Canon Lucia Pro pigment inks, which are both archival and UV-resistant. Independent tests rate them at 95+ years without noticeable fading — meaning your print will last a lifetime if properly cared for. Of course, like any fine art, it’s best to keep it out of direct sunlight.

Why My Prints Are Different

  • Printed on handmade Japanese and Chinese fine art papers, chosen for their unique textures and beauty.

  • Created with dedication to craftsmanship, not mass production.

  • Offered at prices far below what you’d pay in a commercial fine art print shop.

Every print I make is something I would proudly hang in my own home — because for me, this is about sharing art that matters.

Want a customized wall scroll or custom-sized print? Just contact me!

I can print this larger, on the paper texture of your choice, and give you whatever silk brocade colors you want. Ready-to-frame prints can be delivered in a few days. However, it does take several weeks for custom wall scrolls. Either way, it's worth the wait if you want something really custom and unique.