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1. Change
2. Listen to Both Sides and be Enlightened, Listen to One Side and be in the Dark
4. Nichiren
改變 can mean to change, become different, or transform.
This can refer to the changing world or a person who changes their attitude or something about themselves.
Note: An alternate version of the second character is used in Japanese. This is actually an old alternate Chinese form which is seldom seen in China anymore. If you want this version, please click on the Kanji shown to the right instead of the "Select and Customize" button.
兼聽則明偏聽則暗 is an ancient Chinese proverb about getting all the information from all sides so that you truly understand a situation.
Wei Zheng
A man named Wei Zheng lived between 580-643 AD. He was a noble and wise historian and minister in the court of the early Tang Dynasty. The emperor once asked him, “What should an emperor do to understand the real-world situation, and what makes an emperor out-of-touch with reality?”
Wei Zheng replied, “Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; listen to only one side and you will be left in the dark.”
Then Wei Zheng went on to cite examples of leaders in history that were victorious after heeding both sides of the story, and other leaders that met their doom because they believed one-sided stories which often came from flattering lips.
Please note that there is an unwritten rule when the same character appears twice in the same phrase, the calligrapher will alter the appearance so that no two characters are exactly alike in the same piece. This calligraphy has two repeating characters that will be written differently than they appear here.
壇 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for mandala or altar.
This can also mean platform, podium, rostrum, or “objects of worship grouped together.”
In Japanese, this can be the given name Mayumi.
日蓮 is the title Nichiren.
This title refers to a Buddhist priest who lived from 1222 to 1282. He is the founder of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism.
According to historical documents, the Nichiren sect was established in 1252. Adding the character 宗 for sect, this would be 日蓮宗 (Nichiren sect), which is also known as the 法華宗 or Lotus sect.
According to Soothill-Hodous...
Nichiren's chief tenets are the three great mysteries 三大祕法, representing the trikāya:
1. 本尊 or chief object of worship, being the great maṇḍala of the worlds of the ten directions, or universe, i.e., the body or nirmāṇakāya of Buddha.
2. 題目 the title of the Lotus Sutra 妙法蓮華經 Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo, preceded by Namo, or “Adoration to the scripture of the lotus of the wonderful law,” for it is Buddha's spiritual body.
3. 戒壇 the altar of the law, which is also the title of the Lotus as above; the believer, wherever he is, dwells in the Pure-land of calm light 寂光淨土, the saṃbhogakāya.
Many things have opposite properties. The water you drink can also drown you. Pork may nourish you and keep you alive but under-cook it and it could kill you. Potassium nitrate is often used as a fertilizer to grow the food that sustains us but it's also been used as an explosive to topple buildings and destroy us.
This concept is easily associated with “yin yang” where an element has two opposite properties that are as different as night and day.
This proverb's meaning can be summed up this way: “Anything that can lead you to success may also contain great risks.”
This phrase is known in literary circles by Korean people (scholars or literature). It is therefore also a valid proverb in Korean Hanja, though most Koreans would not be able to make sense of it.
Please note that there is an unwritten rule when the same character appears twice in the same phrase, the calligrapher will alter the appearance so that no two characters are exactly alike in the same piece. This calligraphy has two repeating characters that will be written differently than they appear here.
A customer asked me to split these Wing Chun maxims into two parts, so he could order a couplet. I thought this was a good idea, so it's been added here.
A couplet is a set of two wall scrolls that start and finish one phrase or idea. Often, couplets are hung with the first wall scroll on the right side, and the second on the left side of a doorway or entrance. The order in Chinese is right-to-left, so that's why the first wall scroll goes on the right as you face the door.
Of course, couplets can also be hung together on a wall. Often they can be hung to flank an altar, or table with incense, or even flanking a larger central wall scroll. See an example here from the home of Confucius
Be sure to order both parts 1 and 2 together. One without the other is like Eve without Adam.
This in-stock artwork might be what you are looking for, and ships right away...
Gallery Price: $200.00
Your Price: $69.88
These search terms might be related to Alter:
Change
Correct and Proper
Move on / Change Way of Thinking
Wind of Change
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your alter search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
動 动 see styles |
dòng dong4 tung dou / do どう |
More info & calligraphy: Dynamic(ant: 静・1) motion; (female given name) Yurugi Move, stir, motion, mutable; movement arises from the nature of wind which is the cause of motion. |
改 see styles |
gǎi gai3 kai kai かい |
to change; to alter; to transform; to correct (suffix noun) revision; (surname, given name) Kai To change, correct. |
移 see styles |
yí yi2 i wataru わたる |
to move; to shift; to change; to alter; to remove (male given name) Wataru To transplant, transpose, transmit, convey, remove. |
變 变 see styles |
biàn bian4 pien hen へん |
to change; to become different; to transform; to vary; rebellion (out-dated kanji) (noun or adjectival noun) (1) strange; odd; peculiar; weird; curious; queer; eccentric; funny; suspicious; fishy; (2) unexpected; (3) change; (4) incident; disturbance; disaster; accident; (prefix noun) (5) (music) flat To change, alter, transmute, transform. |
修改 see styles |
xiū gǎi xiu1 gai3 hsiu kai shuukai / shukai しゅうかい |
to amend; to alter; to modify (noun/participle) personal reformation |
分身 see styles |
fēn shēn fen1 shen1 fen shen bunshin(p); bunjin(ok) ぶんしん(P); ぶんじん(ok) |
(of one who has supernatural powers) to replicate oneself so as to appear in two or more places at the same time; a derivative version of sb (or something) (e.g. avatar, proxy, clone, sockpuppet); to spare some time for a separate task; to cut a corpse into pieces; to pull a body apart by the four limbs; parturition (1) other self; alter ego; part of oneself (in someone or something else); representation of oneself; (2) {Buddh} incarnations of Buddha Parturition: in Buddhism it means a Buddha's power to reproduce himself ad infinitum and anywhere. |
刪改 删改 see styles |
shān gǎi shan1 gai3 shan kai |
to edit; to modify; to alter (written material) |
塗改 涂改 see styles |
tú gǎi tu2 gai3 t`u kai tu kai |
to alter (text); to change by painting over; to correct (with correction fluid) |
改む see styles |
aratamu あらたむ |
(transitive verb) (abbreviation) (See 改める・1) to change; to alter; to revise; to replace |
改動 改动 see styles |
gǎi dòng gai3 dong4 kai tung |
to alter; to modify; to revise |
改換 改换 see styles |
gǎi huàn gai3 huan4 kai huan |
to change (something); to alter (something); to change over (to something else) |
改變 改变 see styles |
gǎi biàn gai3 bian4 kai pien |
to change; to alter; to transform |
改運 改运 see styles |
gǎi yùn gai3 yun4 kai yün |
to alter one's fate; to improve one's luck (e.g. by changing one's name or phone number) |
更動 更动 see styles |
gēng dòng geng1 dong4 keng tung |
to change; to replace; to alter |
更改 see styles |
gēng gǎi geng1 gai3 keng kai koukai / kokai こうかい |
to alter (noun, transitive verb) renewal; extension; revision |
異動 异动 see styles |
yì dòng yi4 dong4 i tung idou / ido いどう |
to shift; to alter; unusual change; abnormal move (n,vs,vt,vi) (personnel) change; transfer; relocation; reassignment; reshuffle |
直す see styles |
naosu なおす |
(transitive verb) (1) to repair; to mend; to fix; to correct (a mistake, bad habit, etc.); to put right; to restore; to straighten (e.g. a tie); to tidy up (one's hair, make-up, etc.); to revive (one's spirits); (transitive verb) (2) to change; to alter; to convert; to translate; (transitive verb) (3) (ksb:) to put back; to put away; (transitive verb) (4) (usu. written as 治す) (See 治す) to cure; to heal; (transitive verb) (5) (dated) to move up; to promote; (suf,v5s) (6) (after -masu stem of verb) to do over again; to redo |
竄改 窜改 see styles |
cuàn gǎi cuan4 gai3 ts`uan kai tsuan kai |
to alter; to modify; to change; to tamper |
翻る see styles |
hirugaeru ひるがえる |
(v5r,vi) (1) to flutter (in the wind); to wave; to flap; to fly; (2) to turn over; to flip over; (3) to suddenly change (attitude, opinion, etc.); to suddenly switch; to alter; to flip |
變更 变更 see styles |
biàn gēng bian4 geng1 pien keng |
to change; to alter; to modify |
變聲 变声 see styles |
biàn shēng bian4 sheng1 pien sheng |
voice change (at puberty); to alter one's voice (deliberately); to sound different (when angry etc) |
變造 变造 see styles |
biàn zào bian4 zao4 pien tsao |
to alter; to modify; to mutilate (of documents) |
轉物 转物 see styles |
zhuǎn wù zhuan3 wu4 chuan wu tenmotsu |
To transform things, especially by supernatural power. |
飜る see styles |
hirugaeru ひるがえる |
(v5r,vi) (1) to flutter (in the wind); to wave; to flap; to fly; (2) to turn over; to flip over; (3) to suddenly change (attitude, opinion, etc.); to suddenly switch; to alter; to flip |
内供奉 see styles |
nèi gòng fèng nei4 gong4 feng4 nei kung feng naigubu ないぐぶ |
(See 内道場) inner offerer (any of the 10 high-ranking monks serving at the inner offering hall) (内供) A title for the monk who served at the alter in the imperial palace, instituted in A. D. 756; also called 供奉. |
動かす see styles |
ugokasu うごかす |
(transitive verb) (1) to move; to shift; to stir; to budge; to change position; (transitive verb) (2) to inspire; to rouse; to move (e.g. feeling); to influence; (transitive verb) (3) to change; to alter; to deny; (transitive verb) (4) to operate; to set in motion; to get going; (transitive verb) (5) to mobilize (e.g. troops); to mobilise; to deploy; (transitive verb) (6) to manage (e.g. funds) |
変える see styles |
kaeru かえる |
(transitive verb) (1) to change; to alter; to transform; to convert; to turn; to vary; (transitive verb) (2) to reform; to revise; to amend |
変じる see styles |
henjiru へんじる |
(v1,vi) to change into; to be transformed; to be transfigured; to transform; to alter; to convert |
変ずる see styles |
henzuru へんずる |
(vz,vi,vt) to change into; to be transformed; to be transfigured; to transform; to alter; to convert |
改める see styles |
aratameru あらためる |
(transitive verb) (1) to change; to alter; to revise; to replace; (2) to reform; to correct; to mend; to improve; (3) to examine; to check; to inspect; (4) to do properly; to do formally |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Change | 改變 / 改変 改变 | kaihen | gǎi biàn / gai3 bian4 / gai bian / gaibian | kai pien / kaipien |
Listen to Both Sides and be Enlightened, Listen to One Side and be in the Dark | 兼聽則明偏聽則暗 兼听则明偏听则暗 | jiān tīng zé míng, piān tīng zé àn jian1 ting1 ze2 ming2, pian1 ting1 ze2 an4 jian ting ze ming, pian ting ze an | chien t`ing tse ming, p`ien t`ing tse an chien ting tse ming, pien ting tse an |
|
Mandala Altar | 壇 坛 | dan | tán / tan2 / tan | t`an / tan |
Nichiren | 日蓮 日莲 | nichi ren / nichiren | rì lián / ri4 lian2 / ri lian / rilian | jih lien / jihlien |
Not Only Can Water Float A Boat, It Can Sink It Also | 水能載舟亦能覆舟 水能载舟亦能覆舟 | shuǐ néng zài zhōu yì néng fù zhōu shui3 neng2 zai4 zhou1 yi4 neng2 fu4 zhou1 shui neng zai zhou yi neng fu zhou | shui neng tsai chou i neng fu chou | |
Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 1) | 有手黐手無手問手來留區送甩手直沖怕打終歸打貪打終被打粘連迫攻絕不放鬆來力瀉力借力出擊 有手黐手无手问手来留区送甩手直冲怕打终归打贪打终被打粘连迫攻绝不放松来力泻力借力出击 | |||
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. |
Successful Chinese Character and Japanese Kanji calligraphy searches within the last few hours...
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.
Some people may refer to this entry as Alter Kanji, Alter Characters, Alter in Mandarin Chinese, Alter Characters, Alter in Chinese Writing, Alter in Japanese Writing, Alter in Asian Writing, Alter Ideograms, Chinese Alter symbols, Alter Hieroglyphics, Alter Glyphs, Alter in Chinese Letters, Alter Hanzi, Alter in Japanese Kanji, Alter Pictograms, Alter in the Chinese Written-Language, or Alter in the Japanese Written-Language.
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