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1. 5. Right Living / Right Livelihood / Perfect Livelihood
2. Choose Life
3. Devotion to your Profession / Career
5. Four Noble Truths: Elimination of Desire or Attachment
6. Karma
7. Life in Harmony / Balanced Life
9. Musashi
10. New Beginning
11. New Life
12. Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks
13. Realize Your Ambitions / Ride on the Crest of Success
14. Smooth Sailing
15. Success
Samyag Ajiva / Samma Ajiva
正命 (right living) is one of the Noble Eightfold Paths of Buddhism.
Right Living, along with Right Speech and Right Action, constitute the path to Virtue.
Right Living means that a Buddhist should only take a job or pursue a career in a field that does no harm. Buddhists should not work in the arms trade, as pimps or in the field of prostitution, as a butcher or in a shop that kills or sells meat, in a laboratory that does animal research, or in any other business that involves scheming or unethical behavior.
Another definition: Avoidance of professions that are harmful to sentient beings, such as slaughterer, hunter, dealer in weaponry or narcotics, etc.
This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment | Noble Eightfold Path
選擇生活 can mean to choose life instead of death (or suicide) or to choose to live life to the fullest.
I think of it as the key phrase used by Renton (Ewan McGregor) in the movie Trainspotting. While Chinese people will not think of Trainspotting when they see this phrase, for me, it will always be what comes near the end of this colorful rant:
Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suite on-hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life.
從事/従事 is often used to describe the devotion someone has to their profession - However, it can just mean career, depending on context.
We don't highly recommend this selection for a wall scroll.
In more simple terms, this word also means undertake / to deal with / to handle / to do. It does not have to refer to a career issue, as it could be used to encourage someone that is beginning their university studies etc.
This kind of makes sense in Japanese, however, there is a slight deviation in the way they write the first Kanji in Japanese.
Please note that Japanese use an alternate version of the first character. Click on the character to the right if you want the Japanese version of this two-character Devotion-to-your-Profession calligraphy.
Incredible 10,000-Mile Flight of the Peng
鵬程萬里 is an ancient Chinese proverb used in modern times to wish someone a long and successful career.
It's really about the 10,000 Flight of the Peng (Peng, also known as Roc is a mythical fish that can turn into a bird and take flight).
莊子
Zhuangzi or Chuang Tzu
Breaking down each character:
1. Peng or Roc (a kind of bird).
2. Journey (in this case, a flight).
3. 10,000 (Ten Thousand).
4. Li is a unit of distance often referred to as a “Chinese Mile,” though the real distance is about half a kilometer.
Direct Translation: “Peng's Journey [of] 10,000 Li.”
Literal meaning: “The 10,000-Li Flying Range Of The Roc.”
Perceived meaning: “To have a bright future” or “To go far.”
This proverb/idiom comes from the book of Zhuangzi or Chuang Tzu. It tells the tale of a huge fish that could turn into a gigantic bird. This bird was called a “peng” and was many miles long. This legendary size allowed the Peng to fly from the Northern Sea to the Southern Sea in a single bound.
Wishing someone “a Peng's Journey of 10,000 Li” will imply that they can travel far without stopping and will have great success, a long career, and a prosperous future.
Nirodha
滅諦 suggests that once you eliminate desire or attachment to worldly things, only then can you achieve enlightenment.
Realize that things are impermanent. That fancy car, beautiful spouse, big house, and impressive career are things you can't take with you. These things are a flash in the pan compared to the infinite span of history, generations to come, time, and space.
This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people.
See Also: Buddhism | Enlightenment
Single character for Buddhist Karma
This is the simplest way to express the idea of Karma. This is the Buddhist concept of actions committed in a former life affecting the present and future.
Out of the context of Buddhism, this Karma character means one's profession in life, trade, occupation, business, study, or career.
The Karma definition applies to both Chinese and Japanese for this character. This also works as Korean Hanja as Karma; although the meaning can vary depending on context (my Korean dictionary gives the definition of profession/occupation).
See Also: Buddhism
Harmonious Life
This 和諧生活 title suggests that you have, or want to get your life in balance.
The first two characters regard the idea of balance, harmony, and peace.
The second two characters mean “life.” More specifically this refers to your livelihood, career, and the daily activities that comprise your life or living. Some would translate those two characters as “one's daily existence.”
Note: We have a couple of titles for this idea. This version is more of a noun, thus "The Balanced Life" verses a verb form like "Balancing [Your] Life."
調和生活 is a Japanese title that suggests that you have, or want to get your life in balance.
The first two Kanji mean harmonious or in harmony.
The second two Kanji mean “life.” More specifically this refers to your livelihood, career, and the daily activities that comprise your life or living.
人生謳歌 means “live for what you love” in Japanese.
The first two characters mean “human life” or simply “living.” The last two characters mean “merit,” “prosperity,” or “what you enjoy.” This phrase can suggest working or staying busy for your own goals (in your career).
See Also: Prosperity
The most famous Samurai
Miyamoto Musashi is probably the most famous Samurai in all of Japanese history.
武蔵 is the short title for a man long in legend. While coming from a lower class, his new sword and fighting techniques put him on par with the best that feudal Japan had to offer. His long career started with his first duel at age 13!
He is credited with using two swords at once and never losing a single battle in his career. After becoming a Buddhist, and getting older, like many old warriors, he took up a peaceful and solitary life until his death around 1645 A.D.
Note: Technically, Musashi is his given name, and Miyamoto is his surname. However, it's suggested that he assumed both of these names and had a few other names in childhood, as well as being given a Buddhist name. It's hard to know what to call him, as with most Kanji, there are multiple pronunciations. The characters for Musashi can also be pronounced Takezō. But everyone in modern times seems to know him by the name Musashi.
伊始 is a short version of “new beginning” or simply “beginning” in Chinese characters.
You can also translate this as “from this moment on,” “starting now,” or “henceforth.”
In the day-to-day speech, this word can apply to starting a new job, beginning a new career, entering a new chapter of your life, or taking a new position (in politics, scholarship, etc.).
This literally means “new life” or “new livelihood” in Japanese Kanji.
新生活 is most appropriate if you are starting a new career or otherwise are starting a new chapter in your life or a new beginning.
Note: This is not the most common word selection for a calligraphy wall scroll. But if you’re a westerner, you can bend the rules a bit.
Persistence to overcome all challenges
百折不撓 is a Chinese proverb that means “Be undaunted in the face of repeated setbacks.”
More directly translated, it reads, “[Overcome] a hundred setbacks, without flinching.” 百折不撓 is of Chinese origin but is commonly used in Japanese and somewhat in Korean (same characters, different pronunciation).
This proverb comes from a long, and occasionally tragic story of a man that lived sometime around 25-220 AD. His name was Qiao Xuan, and he never stooped to flattery but remained an upright person at all times. He fought to expose the corruption of higher-level government officials at great risk to himself.
Then when he was at a higher level in the Imperial Court, bandits were regularly capturing hostages and demanding ransoms. But when his own son was captured, he was so focused on his duty to the Emperor and the common good that he sent a platoon of soldiers to raid the bandits' hideout, and stop them once and for all even at the risk of his own son's life. While all of the bandits were arrested in the raid, they killed Qiao Xuan's son at first sight of the raiding soldiers.
Near the end of his career, a new Emperor came to power, and Qiao Xuan reported to him that one of his ministers was bullying the people and extorting money from them. The new Emperor refused to listen to Qiao Xuan and even promoted the corrupt Minister. Qiao Xuan was so disgusted that in protest, he resigned from his post as minister (something almost never done) and left for his home village.
His tombstone reads “Bai Zhe Bu Nao” which is now a proverb used in Chinese culture to describe a person of strong will who puts up stubborn resistance against great odds.
My Chinese-English dictionary defines these 4 characters as “keep on fighting despite all setbacks,” “be undaunted by repeated setbacks,” and “be indomitable.”
Our translator says it can mean “never give up” in modern Chinese.
Although the first two characters are translated correctly as “repeated setbacks,” the literal meaning is “100 setbacks” or “a rope that breaks 100 times.” The last two characters can mean “do not yield” or “do not give up.”
Most Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people will not take this absolutely literal meaning but will instead understand it as the title suggests above. If you want a single big word definition, it would be indefatigability, indomitableness, persistence, or unyielding.
See Also: Tenacity | Fortitude | Strength | Perseverance | Persistence
大展宏圖 is a four-character proverb used in Chinese to mean “realize your ambitions” or “exhibit your ambition and success.”
It's used to talk about someone with great career ambitions. Almost literally, it expresses the idea of someone unfolding a great career like a map or a set of blueprint plans.
Very literally translated, these four characters mean “Great unfolding of a huge map” or “Great exhibition of a colossal plan.”
一帆風順 is just what you think it means. It suggests that you are on a trouble-free voyage through life, or literally on a sailing ship or sailboat. It is often used in China as a wish for good luck on a voyage or as you set out on a new quest or career in your life. Some may use this in place of “bon voyage.”
The literal meaning is “Once you raise your sail, you will get the wind you need, and it will take you where you want to go.” Another way to translate it is “Your sail and the wind follow your will.”
This is a great gift for a mariner, sailor, adventurer, or someone starting a new career.
Note: Can be understood in Korean Hanja but is rarely used.
See Also: Bon Voyage | Adventure | Travel
This Chinese and Japanese word for “success” is often used to refer to “career success” but is also used for other successes in life.
It matches the western dictionary definition of “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted.” And It's also used in this old Chinese proverb: which means Failure is the Mother of Success.
Sometimes this word is translated as prosperity, but success, succeed, or successfully are more correct definitions.
See Also: Prosperity
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
5. Right Living Right Livelihood Perfect Livelihood | 正命 | sei myou / seimyou / sei myo | zhèng mìng zheng4 ming4 zheng ming zhengming | cheng ming chengming |
Choose Life | 選擇生活 选择生活 | xuǎn zé shēng huó xuan3 ze2 sheng1 huo2 xuan ze sheng huo xuanzeshenghuo | hsüan tse sheng huo hsüantseshenghuo |
|
Devotion to your Profession Career | 從事 / 従事 从事 | jyuu ji / jyuuji / jyu ji | cóng shì / cong2 shi4 / cong shi / congshi | ts`ung shih / tsungshih / tsung shih |
A Bright Future | 鵬程萬里 鹏程万里 | péng chéng wàn lǐ peng2 cheng2 wan4 li3 peng cheng wan li pengchengwanli | p`eng ch`eng wan li pengchengwanli peng cheng wan li |
|
Four Noble Truths: Elimination of Desire or Attachment | 滅諦 灭谛 | mettai | miè dì / mie4 di4 / mie di / miedi | mieh ti / miehti |
Karma | 業 业 | gou / go | yè / ye4 / ye | yeh |
Life in Harmony Balanced Life | 和諧生活 和谐生活 | hé xié shēng huó he2 xie2 sheng1 huo2 he xie sheng huo hexieshenghuo | ho hsieh sheng huo hohsiehshenghuo |
|
Life in Harmony Balanced Life | 調和生活 | cho wa sei katsu chowaseikatsu | ||
Live for What You Love | 人生謳歌 | jin sei ou ka jinseiouka jin sei o ka | ||
Musashi | 武蔵 | mu sashi / musashi | ||
New Beginning | 伊始 | yī shǐ / yi1 shi3 / yi shi / yishi | i shih / ishih | |
New Life | 新生活 | shin sei katsu shinseikatsu | ||
Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks | 百折不撓 百折不挠 | hyaku setsu su tou hyakusetsusutou hyaku setsu su to | bǎi zhé bù náo bai3 zhe2 bu4 nao2 bai zhe bu nao baizhebunao | pai che pu nao paichepunao |
Realize Your Ambitions Ride on the Crest of Success | 大展宏圖 大展宏图 | dà jiǎn hóng tú da4 jian3 hong2 tu2 da jian hong tu dajianhongtu | ta chien hung t`u tachienhungtu ta chien hung tu |
|
Smooth Sailing | 一帆風順 一帆风顺 | yī fán fēng shùn yi1 fan2 feng1 shun4 yi fan feng shun yifanfengshun | i fan feng shun ifanfengshun |
|
Success | 成功 | seikou / seiko | chéng gōng cheng2 gong1 cheng gong chenggong | ch`eng kung chengkung cheng kung |
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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