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聖人 can mean saint, sage, or holy man.
Note: There is more than one way to express this idea. This one really matches “Holy man” because the second character means “human” or “person” (therefore, this could equally mean “Holy woman”).
信言不美美言不信知者不博博者不知善者不多多者不善聖人無積既以為人己癒有既以予人矣已癒多故天之道利而不害聖人之道為而不爭 is the Mawangdui version of Daodejing chapter 81.
The Mastery of Effortless Skill
Chapter 27 of the Daodejing reveals a profound truth about mastery: the highest skill leaves no trace, requires no force, and appears almost invisible.
善行無轍跡,
善言無瑕謫,
善數不用籌策,
善閉無關鍵而不可開,
善結無繩約而不可解。
是以聖人常善救人,
故無棄人;
常善救物,
故無棄物。
是謂襲明。
故善人者,不善人之師;
不善人者,善人之資。
不貴其師,不愛其資,
雖智大迷,
是謂要妙。
The sage moves through life with such natural harmony that nothing seems imposed; doors need no locks, knots require no rope, and actions leave no mark behind.
This is the essence of wúwéi (effortless action), where true ability arises from deep alignment with the Tao rather than deliberate effort.
At its heart, this chapter teaches compassion without exception. The sage “abandons no one and nothing,” recognizing value in all people and all things. Even those who seem flawed or unrefined are not rejected, but understood as part of a greater whole with each person both a student and a teacher in the unfolding of life.
Laozi reminds us that wisdom is not about perfection or control, but about subtle awareness. The truly skilled individual does not rely on tools, rules, or rigid structures; instead, they embody an intuitive understanding that makes their actions naturally complete.
In this way, excellence becomes quiet, effortless, and beyond imitation.
This teaching also reflects a deeper philosophical insight: Opposites are interdependent. The “good” person learns from the “not good,” and the “not good” provides the material for growth. To reject either is to misunderstand the balance of existence itself.
As calligraphy, Daodejing Chapter 27 serves as a reminder to cultivate inner mastery rather than outward display. It is a meditation on refinement, humility, and the quiet power of skill perfected through harmony with the natural order.
Note: The Chinese text used here is based on the early Mawangdui silk manuscript tradition (2nd century BCE). The Guodian manuscripts do NOT preserve Chapter 27 in full form.
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 聖人 search...
| Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
聖人 圣人 see styles |
shèng rén sheng4 ren2 sheng jen masato まさと |
More info & calligraphy: Holy Man / Saint(1) {Christn} saint; (2) (orig. meaning) wise and virtuous person (esp. in Confucianism); great religious teacher; sage; (3) (See 清酒) refined sake; (male given name) Masato is the opposite of the 凡人 common, or unenlightened man. |
大聖人 大圣人 see styles |
dà shèng rén da4 sheng4 ren2 ta sheng jen dai shōnin |
a great sage |
孔聖人 孔圣人 see styles |
kǒng shèng rén kong3 sheng4 ren2 k`ung sheng jen kung sheng jen |
the Sage Confucius |
殺聖人 杀圣人 see styles |
shā shèng rén sha1 sheng4 ren2 sha sheng jen satsu shōjin |
killing an arhat |
聖人橋 see styles |
shouninbashi / shoninbashi しょうにんばし |
(place-name) Shouninbashi |
非聖人 see styles |
fēi shèng rén fei1 sheng4 ren2 fei sheng jen |
not a saint |
一切聖人 一切圣人 see styles |
yī qiè shèng rén yi1 qie4 sheng4 ren2 i ch`ieh sheng jen i chieh sheng jen issai shōnin |
all adepts |
三乘聖人 三乘圣人 see styles |
sān shèng shèng rén san1 sheng4 sheng4 ren2 san sheng sheng jen sanjō shōnin |
sages of the three vehicles |
主保聖人 主保圣人 see styles |
zhǔ bǎo shèng rén zhu3 bao3 sheng4 ren2 chu pao sheng jen |
patron saint |
二乘聖人 二乘圣人 see styles |
èr shèng shèng rén er4 sheng4 sheng4 ren2 erh sheng sheng jen nijō shōnin |
sages of the two vehicles |
出世聖人 出世圣人 see styles |
chū shì shèng rén chu1 shi4 sheng4 ren2 ch`u shih sheng jen chu shih sheng jen shusse shōnin |
transmundane saints |
守護聖人 see styles |
shugoseijin / shugosejin しゅごせいじん |
patron saint |
有學聖人 有学圣人 see styles |
yǒu xué shèng rén you3 xue2 sheng4 ren2 yu hsüeh sheng jen ugaku shōnin |
sages still in the stage of discipline |
柳田聖人 see styles |
yanagitashikato やなぎたしかと |
(person) Yanagita Shikato |
無學聖人 无学圣人 see styles |
wú xué shèng rén wu2 xue2 sheng4 ren2 wu hsüeh sheng jen mugaku shōnin |
post-learning arhats |
聖人君子 see styles |
seijinkunshi / sejinkunshi せいじんくんし |
(yoji) person of lofty virtue; man of noble character; perfect person; saint |
聖人賢者 see styles |
seijinkenja / sejinkenja せいじんけんじゃ |
person of lofty virtue and great wisdom |
萩原聖人 see styles |
hagiwaramasato はぎわらまさと |
(person) Hagiwara Masato (1971.8-) |
保護の聖人 see styles |
hogonoseijin / hogonosejin ほごのせいじん |
patron saint |
諸聖人の祝日 see styles |
shoseijinnoshukujitsu / shosejinnoshukujitsu しょせいじんのしゅくじつ |
(See 万聖節) All Saints Day |
日本二十六聖人 see styles |
nihonnijuurokuseijin / nihonnijurokusejin にほんにじゅうろくせいじん |
(hist) Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan; group of Japanese and foreign Catholics who were crucified in 1597 in Nagasaki |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
| Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
| Holy Man Saint | 聖人 圣人 | seijin | shèng rén sheng4 ren2 sheng ren shengren | sheng jen shengjen |
| Nichiren Daishonin | 日蓮大聖人 | nichi ren dai shou nin nichirendaishounin nichi ren dai sho nin | ||
| Daodejing Tao Te Ching - Chapter 81 | 信言不美美言不信知者不博博者不知善者不多多者不善聖人無積既以為人己癒有既以予人矣已癒多故天之道利而不害聖人之道為而不爭 信言不美美言不信知者不博博者不知善者不多多者不善圣人无积既以为人己愈有既以予人矣已愈多故天之道利而不害圣人之道为而不争 | |||
| Daodejing Tao Te Ching - Chapter 27 | 善行無轍跡善言無瑕謫善數不用籌策善閉無關鍵而不可開善結無繩約而不可解是以聖人常善救人故無棄人常善救物故無棄物是謂襲明故善人者不善人之師不善人者善人之資不貴其師不愛其資雖智大迷是謂要妙 善行无辙迹善言无瑕谪善数不用筹策善闭无关键而不可开善结无绳约而不可解是以圣人常善救人故无弃人常善救物故无弃物是谓袭明故善人者不善人之师不善人者善人之资不贵其师不爱其资虽智大迷是谓要妙 | shàn xíng wú zhé jì shàn yán wú xiá zhé shàn shù bù yòng chóu cè shàn bì wú guān jiàn ér bù kě kāi shàn jié wú shéng yuē ér bù kě jiě shì yǐ shèng rén cháng shàn jiù rén gù wú qì rén cháng shàn jiù wù gù wú qì wù shì wèi xí míng gù shàn rén zhě bù shàn rén zhī shī bù shàn rén zhě shàn rén zhī zī bù guì qí shī bù ài qí zī suī zhì dà mí shì wèi yào miào shan4 xing2 wu2 zhe2 ji4 shan4 yan2 wu2 xia2 zhe2 shan4 shu4 bu4 yong4 chou2 ce4 shan4 bi4 wu2 guan1 jian4 er2 bu4 ke3 kai1 shan4 jie2 wu2 sheng2 yue1 er2 bu4 ke3 jie3 shi4 yi3 sheng4 ren2 chang2 shan4 jiu4 ren2 gu4 wu2 qi4 ren2 chang2 shan4 jiu4 wu4 gu4 wu2 qi4 wu4 shi4 wei4 xi2 ming2 gu4 shan4 ren2 zhe3 bu4 shan4 ren2 zhi1 shi1 bu4 shan4 ren2 zhe3 shan4 ren2 zhi1 zi1 bu4 gui4 qi2 shi1 bu4 ai4 qi2 zi1 sui1 zhi4 da4 mi2 shi4 wei4 yao4 miao4 shan xing wu zhe ji shan yan wu xia zhe shan shu bu yong chou ce shan bi wu guan jian er bu ke kai shan jie wu sheng yue er bu ke jie shi yi sheng ren chang shan jiu ren gu wu qi ren chang shan jiu wu gu wu qi wu shi wei xi ming gu shan ren zhe bu shan ren zhi shi bu shan ren zhe shan ren zhi zi bu gui qi shi bu ai qi zi sui zhi da mi shi wei yao miao | shan hsing wu che chi shan yen wu hsia che shan shu pu yung ch`ou ts`e shan pi wu kuan chien erh pu k`o k`ai shan chieh wu sheng yüeh erh pu k`o chieh shih i sheng jen ch`ang shan chiu jen ku wu ch`i jen ch`ang shan chiu wu ku wu ch`i wu shih wei hsi ming ku shan jen che pu shan jen chih shih pu shan jen che shan jen chih tzu pu kuei ch`i shih pu ai ch`i tzu sui chih ta mi shih wei yao miao shan hsing wu che chi shan yen wu hsia che shan shu pu yung chou tse shan pi wu kuan chien erh pu ko kai shan chieh wu sheng yüeh erh pu ko chieh shih i sheng jen chang shan chiu jen ku wu chi jen chang shan chiu wu ku wu chi wu shih wei hsi ming ku shan jen che pu shan jen chih shih pu shan jen che shan jen chih tzu pu kuei chi shih pu ai chi tzu sui chih ta mi shih wei yao miao |
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| 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. | ||||
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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.
Check out my lists of Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls and Old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.