Mushin

Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Print Scroll

This beautiful Mushin print scroll features an Enso or Zen Circle in the background.

In Japanese, this word means innocent or one with no knowledge of good and evil. It literally means "without mind".

This 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.

More info: Wikipedia: Mushin

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 wall scroll. Obviously, this is best if you are using the Japanese meaning in the context of martial arts of Buddhism.

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My Little Experiment

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.