Approximate Measurements
Artwork Panel: 44.3cm x 69cm ≈ 17½" x 27¼"
Silk/Brocade: 53.5cm x 129cm ≈ 21" x 50¾"
Width at Wooden Knobs: 62.5cm ≈ 24½"
Close up view of the artwork mounted to this silk brocade wall scroll
Chinese / Japanese Kanji / old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scroll
This particular calligraphy is done in Kaisho (Regular Script). This style features bold strokes. It's written on Buddha-Orange xuan paper, with gold flakes. This orange color is used almost exclusively for Buddhist-related Japanese and Chinese calligraphy.
This is the character that is Romanized and pronounced "Zen" in Japanese. This character actually means "meditation" and is often associated with a practice (and sect) of "Meditation Buddhism". This character and concept originally came from China, where this character is Romanized and pronounced "Chan".
The form written on this scroll is one of a couple alternates used in China and Japan:
In China, it's often written with one less dot above the radical on the right (2 dots instead of 3):
In Chinese, those dots are often written in the strict traditional form as two "mouths" (they look like little boxes/squares): OR
This is also the traditional form that was used in Japan prior to language reformations after WWII.
The version written on this wall scroll will be readily-understood by both Chinese and Japanese, though Chinese people will argue that this is a Japanese form, because of the dot issue mentioned above.
Want a Zen wall scroll completely customized to your desires?
Link: Options for custom Zen and Chan-related Chinese/Japanese/Korean calligraphy are available here!
Chinese and Japanese Calligraphy is only practiced by those with a keen and agile hand. It is an art that dates back thousands of years. Great artists, writers, and poets of China and Japan are often admired for their calligraphy ability and style.
This piece was done by Master Calligrapher Bishou Imai of Nara, Japan.
To create this art, Master Imai used special calligraphy ink on Buddha-orange gold-flaked xuan paper (rice paper). The raw calligraphy was then taken to our mounting shop in Beijing where some of the best mounters in China laminated this to more sheets of xuan paper and mounted it as a beautiful silk brocade wall scroll.
Japanese Master Calligrapher Bishou Imai.
Shown here crafting her artwork which follows
a 1600-year Japanese tradition.
Bishou was born and raised in Nara, Japan. She began her studies of Calligraphy at the age of four at Baikou Calligraphy School. When Bishou was 25 years old, she received a membership to the Tenshin Kai (calligraphy society) and her life as a calligrapher began. Bishou progressed to the next level, becoming a member of the Cho-ko Guild which is the most prestigious calligraphy society in Japan. During her apprenticeship, she taught calligraphy and studied the art of Japanese silk scroll making (hyougu) at Mizuno Hyougu-ten.
A sample of her work:
Bushido - Kaisho style
In 1998, Master Calligrapher Bishou Imai was awarded the highest rank in Japanese Calligraphy of Shihan. She currently holds a guild license for teaching both calligraphy and instructing teachers to teach calligraphy.
Bishou Imai is among the few to have won multiple best of category awards in national competitions (Japan). Her work has been displayed at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Osaka Municipal Museum Of Art, Nara City Museum Of Art and Kyoto Municipal Museum Of Art.
In Addition to being a calligrapher, she is also an "artisan artist" (Hyougushi).
is how Bishou is written. This name means "Beautiful Cliff/Mountain". You will see these characters signed just before the red signature stamp on her calligraphy pieces.
Kana Sosho
painting combination.
Kana style Japanese calligraphy
Single-Kanji
Love
calligraphy
in Kai-Gyosho
style.
Master Imai, holding a Japanese calligraphy class in Boston.