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1. Isshin-Kai
7. My True Love
Isshin Society
一心会 is the Japanese martial arts title “Isshinkai” or “Isshin-Kai.”
It literally means “One Heart Association” or “Single-Heart Club.” This title is often associated with Isshin-Ryu Aikido and Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do. This title is an appropriate name for a dojo that teaches these styles.
In calligraphy, 一心会 conveys legitimacy, unity, and shared standards.
一心会 is understood as Chinese and Korean Hanja (though written as 一心會 in Traditional Chinese, and in modern times, 일심회 in Korean Hangul).
一心流空手道 is the full title for Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do.
The literal meaning is “one heart method empty hand way.”
There are other ways to translate this, but if you are looking for this title, you already know that.
This would make a great wall scroll for your dojo or private studio if you study this form of Japanese (technically from Okinawa) Karate.
Because this is a specifically-Japanese title, I strongly recommend that you select our Japanese Master Calligrapher to create this artwork.
fudoshin
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 unwavering mind, immovable mind, unwavering composure, 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, and idle.
The last Kanji means heart, mind, soul, or essence.
Together, these three Kanji create a title 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.”
Zanshin
First off, 殘心 should only be used in the 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, or 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.
Shoshin
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 that always remains fully conscious, aware, and prepared to see things for the first time. The attitude of shoshin is essential to continued learning.
In Japanese, 無心 means innocent or without 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 its 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-mindedness. 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
我心真愛 is a slightly poetic way to express this sentiment to someone.
The meaning is “My True Love,” but the characters directly translate as “I/Me/My Heart/Mind True/Real Love.”
Note that Chinese grammar and construction are different, so this sounds very eloquent and artsy in Chinese.
In Korean Hanja, the third character should be written differently. Just let me know when you place your order if you want that version - it will still make sense in Chinese. This phrase makes sense in Korean but is not commonly used.
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.
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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 | |
| Isshin-Kai | 一心会 / 一心會 一心会 | isshin kai / isshinkai / ishin kai | yī xīn huì yi1 xin1 hui4 yi xin hui yixinhui | i hsin hui ihsinhui |
| Isshin Ryu Karate Do | 一心流空手道 | i sshin ryuu kara te dou isshinryuukaratedou i shin ryu kara te do | ||
| Immovable Mind | 不動心 | fu dou shin fudoushin fu do shin | ||
| Lingering Mind | 殘心 残心 | zan shin / zanshin | cán xīn / can2 xin1 / can xin / canxin | ts`an hsin / tsanhsin / tsan hsin |
| Mind of the Beginner | 初心 | sho shin / shoshin | chū xīn / chu1 xin1 / chu xin / chuxin | ch`u hsin / chuhsin / chu hsin |
| No Mind Mushin | 無心 无心 | mu shin / mushin | wú xīn / wu2 xin1 / wu xin / wuxin | wu hsin / wuhsin |
| My True Love | 我心真愛 我心真爱 | wǒ xīn zhēn ài wo3 xin1 zhen1 ai4 wo xin zhen ai woxinzhenai | wo hsin chen ai wohsinchenai |
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| 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.
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