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2. Year-In Year-Out Have Abundance
3. In the Abyss of Infinite Bitterness - Turn to the Shore
7. Any success can not compensate for failure in the home
8. Black Belt
9. Beautiful Life / Life in Perfect Harmony
10. You are always a beauty in your lover’s eyes
11. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder
13. Black
14. Black Belt
15. Black Dragon
16. Black Flag Gate / Hek Ki Boen
17. Black Raven
18. Black or white cat matters not as long as it can catch mice
19. Black Tiger Fist
20. Black Wolf
22. The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being
23. Keep Calm in Face of Adversity
24. Chinese Traditional Medicine
26. The Confident Helmsman Inspires Confidence in the Passengers
27. Cry in the Dojo - Laugh on the Battlefield
28. Religious Devotion / Faith in God / Religious Faith
30. Faith / Trusting in the Unseen
31. Far-Sighted in Deep Thought
32. Flower in the Mirror, Moon on Water
36. God in the Glorious Center of Heaven
37. Go-Dan / 5th Degree Black Belt
38. In Good Order
40. Hiding in the Leaves - Hagakure
41. In Flowers the Cherry Blossom, In Men the Samurai
43. Three Treasures of Chinese Medicine
44. The Nature of Enlightenment in One's Mind
45. Hunt Foxes with Stealth, Hunt Wolves in the Open
46. Life in Harmony / Balanced Life
47. Life in Balance / Balancing Life
48. Life in Harmony / Balanced Life
50. Just as Liquor Turns a Face Red, Gold Turns a Heart Black
51. Listen to Both Sides and be Enlightened, Listen to One Side and be in the Dark
52. Live In The Moment / Live In The Now
53. Live in Peace and Contentment
55. Madly in Love
56. Energy Sword Body in Concert
57. Nana-Dan / 7th Degree Black Belt
58. Nature in Balance / Balanced Nature
59. Never Give In / Never Succumb / Never Lose
60. No arrogance in victory, No despair in defeat
61. Old, But More Vigorous in Spirit
64. Duty to Defend and Protect Country
65. One who is drenched in rain does not fear drops of dew
66. Reincarnation / Life in Flux
67. Resilient in the Face of Adversity
68. Strength and Love in Unity
69. Roku-Dan / 6th Degree Black Belt
71. Chinese or Korean Army General
74. Japanese Snapping Turtle / Chinese Soft Shell Turtle
75. The More We Sweat in Training, The Less We Bleed in Battle
76. Take Refuge in the Three Treasures
78. Trust in God
79. Trust in God / In God We Trust
80. Trust in God / Belief in God
81. Trust in God / Faith in God
83. The two most important days in your life...
84. The Universe in Balance / Balanced Universe
85. Walk in the Way
86. It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war
87. The Value of Warriors Lies in Their Quality
年年有餘 is a common proverb or wish of prosperity you'll hear around the time of Chinese New Year.
Directly translated character by character, it means “Year Year Have Surplus.” A more natural English translation including the deeper meaning would be “Every Year may you Have Abundance in your life.”
On a side note, this phrase often goes with a gift of something related to fish. This is because the last character, “yu” which means surplus or abundance, has exactly the same pronunciation in Mandarin as the word for “fish.”
This is also one of the most common titles for traditional paintings that feature koi fish.
In China, this phrase might make an odd wall scroll - a customer asked especially for this common phrase which is why it appears here. See my other abundance-related words if you want a wall scroll that will seem more comfortable in Chinese culture.
Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.
See Also: Prosperity | Good Fortune
苦海無邊, 回頭是岸 can be translated almost directly as “The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore.”
Often this proverb refers to how Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering. But it can apply to other religions. If you find yourself trapped in the hardship of this worldly life, take a new turn, and seek a path to salvation.
冥福 is an unusual Chinese, Japanese, and Korean term that means afterlife happiness, happiness in the next world, or the happiness of the dead.
手不釋卷 is a Chinese proverb that literally means “always with a book in hand.”
It's a proverb said of a hardworking scholar or student.
This may refer to a student or scholar who is diligent and hardworking. It's a great gift for a student or scholar who loves books.
黑帶 is “black belt” in Chinese.
Many will argue whether rank systems that include a “black belt” are used in pure Chinese martial arts systems. The argument goes that it's more a Japanese idea merged into the western versions of Chinese martial arts. However, in Wushu (often referred to as Kung Fu), it's said that all students started with white belts. Over the years of training, the white belt would get dirty until finally appearing black with filth. Thus, more advanced students had darker belts.
If you want this title in Chinese, this would be the form.
Often, the second character is written like the image to the right. If you like this version, click on this character instead of the button above.
和美 is a word that means “harmonious” or, “in perfect harmony.”
The deeper meaning or more natural translation would be something like, “beautiful life.”
The first character means peace and harmony.
The second character means beautiful. But in this case, when combined with the first character, beautiful refers to being satisfied with what you have in your life. This can be having good relations, good feelings, comfort, and having enough (with no feeling of wanting).
Note: In Japanese, this is often used as the name "Wami." This title is probably more appropriate if your audience is Chinese.
Any woman with affection for Asian art will love a gift of this Chinese proverb calligraphy on a wall scroll.
She will melt in your arms as you tell her the meaning of these characters.
Contained in this phrase is a reference to the most beautiful woman in Chinese history. Her name was Xi Shi, and she was known to have good looks that need not have fine robes or makeup. Her charms were so powerful that she brought down an entire kingdom (in a successful effort to bring honor and pride back to her people).
情人眼里出西施 is a great way to express that the woman in your life is your one love.
美しさは見る人の目の中にある means “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” in Japanese.
Japanese grammar and word order are different than English, but I will partially break this down for you:
美しさ = Beauty
は = is/relates
見る = to look/see
人の = person's
目の = eye's
中にあ = inside
る = !
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
自分を信じる means “believe in yourself,” “have faith in yourself,” or “believe in myself” (can be myself or yourself depending on if you're saying it to yourself or someone else).
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
黑 is the color black in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean Hanja.
In some contexts, this can mean “dark” or “evil.”
There is an alternate form of this character which is commonly used in modern Japan (shown to the right). If you want this alternate/Japanese form, just click on the character to the right, instead of the button above.
These are the Kanji for “Black Belt” in Japanese.
This would be the gift to buy someone who is about to achieve the rank of black belt, or perhaps for yourself, like a certificate on the wall to subtly show your accomplishment.
It should be mentioned that the title “black belt” is not a typical selection for a calligraphy wall scroll.
Note: with a tiny stroke difference on the second character, this also means black belt in Korean Hanja. Let me know if you need the exact Korean version (though any Korean who can read Hanja will know this is black belt).
烏 can mean raven or crow but is also used as an alternate way to write the color black.
Therefore, this is a symbol of the black raven (with emphasis on black). This can also mean rook or dark.
Notes: This can be the Japanese surname Karasu, or Chinese surname Wu.
Ability is more important than looks
不管黑猫白猫能捉着老鼠的就是好猫 literally translates as: It doesn't matter [if a] cat [is] black [or] white, [as long as it] can catch mice, it's a good cat.
This proverb was either composed or made famous by Deng XiaoPing in 1961 when he exclaimed, “I don't care if it's a white cat or a black cat. It's a good cat so long as it catches mice” when his critics pointed out that his ideas were Capitalistic (free market). The response was meant to say, “It does not matter if it's Communist or Capitalist, as long as it works.”
This is a Chinese proverb that can be used to suggest one should disregard looks or a person's race, as long as they can do the job. It can also be used as a metaphor for many other situations.
Deng XiaoPing probably saved China from collapse (as the Soviet Union experienced). He changed China’s economy from pure Communism to a hybrid where the free market (Capitalism) is encouraged. More about Deng XiaoPing
身土不二 (Shindofuni) is originally a Buddhist concept or proverb referring to the inseparability of body-mind and geographical circumstances.
This reads, “Body [and] earth [are] not two.”
Other translations or matching ideas include:
Body and land are one.
Body and earth can not be separated.
Body earth sensory curation.
You are what you eat.
Indivisibility of the body and the land (because the body is made from food and food is made from the land).
Going further, this speaks of our human bodies and the land from which we get our food being closely connected. This phrase is often used when talking about natural and organic vegetables coming directly from the farm to provide the healthiest foods in Japan.
Character notes: 身(shin) in this context does not just mean your physical body but a concept including both body and mind.
土 (do) refers to the soil, earth, clay, land, or in some cases, locality. It's not the proper name of Earth, the planet. However, it can refer to the land or realm we live in.
Japanese note: This has been used in Japan, on and off, since 1907 as a slogan for a governmental healthy eating campaign (usually pronounced as shindofuji instead of the original shindofuni in this context). It may have been hijacked from Buddhism for this propaganda purpose, but at least this is “healthy propaganda.”
Korean note: The phrase 身土不二 was in use by 1610 A.D. in Korea, where it can be found in an early medical journal.
In modern South Korea, it's written in Hangul as 신토불이. Korea used Chinese characters (same source as Japanese Kanji) as their only written standard form of the language until about a hundred years ago. Therefore, many Koreans will recognize this as a native phrase and concept.
See Also: Strength and Love in Unity
佛は衆生の中に在り is “Butsu wa shujo no naka ni ari” and means that the Buddha (potential for Buddhahood) exists in all beings in the universe.
So yes, your dog has the potential to be a Buddha (but only in a future reincarnation as a human). But all things, from the tiny cricket to the humpback whale have Buddha nature within them. If one takes the time to look and contemplate, one will see the Buddha in all things.
In Japan, sometimes the Buddha character is written 仏 instead of 佛, so you might see the whole phrase written as 仏は衆生の中に在り.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
失意泰然 is a very old Japanese proverb that suggests “keeping calm and collected at times of disappointment,” or “maintaining a serene state of mind when faced with adversity.”
It's hard to relate individual character meanings to the overall meaning unless you also understand Japanese grammar. The word order is very different than English. That being said, here's the character meaning breakdown:
失 To miss, lose or fail.
意 Feelings, thoughts, meaning.
泰 Safe, peaceful.
然 Like that, in that way, however, although.
Using these definitions in English, we might say, “Although you may fail or lose, have a feeling of peace and calm.”
鷲 is the way to write black eagle or condor in Chinese.
It means eagle (sometimes vulture) in Japanese Kanji. 鷲 hasn't been in common use in Korean for hundreds of years, so it's hard to say what bird it represented in old Korean Hanja.
There are other multi-character words that express different specific species of birds of prey (bald eagle, osprey, golden eagle, etc).
If you need a more specific title, just contact me.
把舵的不慌乘船的稳当 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: [If the] helmsman is not nervous, the passengers [will feel] secure.
Figuratively, this means: If the leader appears confident, his/her followers will gain confidence also.
This is a great suggestion that a confident leader inspires confidence in his/her troops or followers. Of course, a nervous leader will create fear in troops or followers.
道場で泣き戦場で笑う is a Japanese phrase that means “Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield.”
You'll see this phrase in a lot of dojos as a kind of philosophical joke.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: The More We Sweat in Training the Less We Bleed in Battle
信仰 means firm belief, faith, persuasion, conviction, and sometimes religion or creed in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
This clearly fits the religious connotation of the English word “devotion.”
This is often used to refer to a person of faith or a religious person.
This can be directly translated as “firm belief,” “creed,” “conviction,” or simply as “religious,” depending on context.
Some will also use this to mean “trust in God” in Japanese (though the term for God is not actually in this title).
It should be noted that this word is a little strange alone on a wall scroll.
While this can be pronounced in Japanese, it’s not a great selection for a wall scroll if your audience is Japanese.
See Also: Faith | Trust | Devotion | Trust | Trust in God
失敗並非一種選擇 is probably the best way to say, “Failure is not an option,” in Chinese.
Just don't forget that some ancient Chinese proverbs suggest that failure is a learning opportunity that leads to success or innovation. So don't plan to fail but failure is only a waste if nothing is learned from the failure.
See Also: Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success | Failure is the Mother of Success
信念 expresses the idea of “having a belief” or “trusting in the unseen.”
信念 could also be translated as beliefs or convictions.
Note: Also considered to be one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.
See Also: Devotion | Dedication | Trust
深謀遠慮 is a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean proverb that means “deep plans and distant thoughts,” “to plan far ahead,” or “far sight and deep design.”
鏡花水月 is an old Asian proverb that means “flowers in a mirror and the moon reflected in the lake” or “flowers reflected on a mirror and the moon reflected on the water's surface.”
Literally, 鏡花水月 reads “Mirror Flower, Water Moon.”
Figuratively this can be used to represent a lot of different ideas. It can be used to express an unrealistic rosy view or viewing things through rose-tinted spectacles. So you can use it to relay an idea about something that is visible but has no substance,
something that can be seen but not touched, or something beautiful but unattainable such as dreams or a mirage.
This expression is used to describe things like the subtle and profound beauty of poems that cannot be described in words.
鏡 = Mirror (or lens)
花 = Flower(s)
水 = Water
月 = Moon
Can also be written 水月鏡花 (just a slight change in word/character order).
永駐我心 is one of a few ways to write “always in my heart” or “forever in my heart” in Chinese.
The first character means eternal, forever, or always.
The second character means resides, in, or stationed (in the case of troops).
The third character means me, my, or mine.
The last character means heart (but can also mean mind or soul).
永遠に私の心の中に means “forever in my heart” or “always in my heart” in Japanese.
The character breakdown:
永遠 (eien) eternity; perpetuity; immortality; permanence.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing.
私の (watashi no) my; mine.
心の中 (kokoro no naka) the middle of one's mind; the midst of one's heart.
に (ni) indicates the location of a person or thing (makes this “in” the middle of one's heart).
Note: There’s more than one way to say "Forever in My Heart" in Japanese, so you’ll find another version in our database. This is the very verbose version.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
天之御中主神 is a phrase submitted by a customer.
I do not have information on the origin of this phrase.
整 is a single Chinese character that can mean: in good order, whole, complete, entire, in order, orderly, to repair, to mend, to renovate, and/or to fix something or somebody.
This was added for a customer who wanted a single character that meant orderly. It's kind of unusual for a wall scroll.
My Korean Hanja dictionary defines it as orderly, neat, tidy, and/or whole.
Note: In Japanese, this Kanji is usually understood as a male given name Hitoshi (other Kanji can also be Hitoshi). It is used in combination with other Kanji or Hiragana to create words about orderliness. Unless your name is Hitoshi, this single character is best if your audience is Chinese.
整然 is orderly, systematic, well-organized, trim, neat, tidy, and accurate in Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja.
This would be understood but is not used in Chinese languages.
This Japanese proverb simply reads, “[In] Flowers it's Cherry Blossoms, [In] Men it's Warriors.”
花は櫻木人は武士 is meant to say that of all the flowers in the world, the cherry blossom is the best. And of all men in the world, the Samurai or Warrior is the best
This proverb has been around for a long time. It's believed to have been composed sometime before the Edo Period in Japan (which started in 1603).
Some will drop one syllable and pronounce this, “hana wa sakura hito wa bushi.” That's “sakura” instead of “sakuragi,” which is like saying “cherry blossom” instead of “cherry tree.”
The third character was traditionally written as 櫻. But in modern Japan, that became 桜. You may still see 櫻 used from time to time on older pieces of calligraphy. We can do either one, so just make a special request if you want 櫻.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
黑龍之家 was added by special request of a customer. This phase is natural in Chinese, but it is not a common or ancient title.
The first character is black.
The second is dragon.
The third is a possessive modifier (like making “dragon” into “dragon's”).
The fourth character means home (but in some context can mean “family” - however, here it would generally be understood as “home”).
精, 氣, 神 are the characters jing, qi, and shen.
As a set, these three characters are known in English as the treasures of traditional Chinese medicine, the treasures of Qi Gong, or the three treasures of Taoism / Daoism.
Sometimes this set is titled 三寶 (sānbǎo) or “three treasures,” but here, we're writing each treasure out.
Here's how these characters are perceived in this context...
Jing: nutritive essence; refined; perfected; pure
Qi: vitality; energy; force; breath; vigor
Shen: spirit; soul; mind; being
To keep it simple, you can use “essence, vitality, and spirit” to define these.
闇打狐狸明打狼 is a Chinese proverb that translates as: Hunt foxes stealthily, [and] hunt wolves openly [just as they do].
Figuratively, this means:
Different opponents require different appropriate strategies.
This is a suggestion that you should know your enemy and know that each enemy is different, therefore requires a specialized approach (attack).
See Also: Art of War Military
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."
The art of balancing your life
This 平衡人生 title suggests that you are actively trying to keep your life in balance.
Think of this as the action verb of seeking or having a balanced life.
The first two characters mean balance, equilibrium, or keeping things equal.
The last two characters mean “life.” Literally “human 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.
生活中的每一次呼吸 means “life in every breath” in Chinese.
This phrase is more like “every breath in life” as if it's a quantity of breaths that makes up your life.
There are many ways to understand this phrase in English, so this is one of a few ways it could be translated into Chinese. If you’re looking for a different meaning, please contact me.
吐く息一つにも生命が宿り means “life in every breath” in Japanese.
This phrase is more like “every single breath as you live and dwell.”
The characters breakdown this way:
吐く息 (hakuiki) to breathe; exhaled air; one's breath; breathing.
一つ (hitotsu) one; only; just.
にも (nimo) also; too; as well; even.
生命 (seimei) life; existence; living.
が (ga) particle.
宿り (yadori) to lodge; to dwell; lodging; abode; shelter.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
白酒紅人面黃金黑世心 literally says: [Just as] white liquor makes people's faces turn red, [So] yellow gold makes people's hearts turn black.
This is a warning about the nature of greed. The suggestion is that one who lusts for gold and riches will eventually have a black heart (or become a heartless greedy bastard). As a wall scroll, this is a reminder and warning to keep yourself from following the greedy path.
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.
現世 is a very short way to write “live in the moment” or “live in the now” in Japanese.
This short word is open to interpretation. It's used in Japanese Buddhism to mean “the current epoch” or “the current age” (the current age is but a brief moment in the greater scope of existence). In that context, this is pronounced “utsushiyo” or “ustusiyo” in Japanese. Otherwise, it's pronounced “gensei” in Japanese.
Other translation possibilities include:
Note: This is also a word in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. While the meaning is more or less the same, this is not recommended for a wall scroll if your audience is Chinese or Korean. This selection is best if your audience is Japanese.
安居樂業 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja proverb for “living in peace and working happily,” or “to live in peace and be content with one's occupation.”
生活于繁榮中 means “live in prosperity.” It's kind of a suggestion to be prosperity the center of your world.
This is the way some people want to live (and you should always live for what you love). However, this phrase does not suggest a peaceful life - rather one that is always busy. It's not for everyone, but it might be for you.
See Also: Prosperity
Spirit, Sword & Body as One
气剑体一致 often gets translated as “Mind Sword Body,” or “Spirit, Sword, and Body as One.” But I think these translations don't tell you enough about what this is really saying.
In this context, 気, which is the modern Japanese version of 氣, means spiritual and unseen energy or “life energy.” In some cases, 気 can be translated as spirit, feeling, or nature. If defined as the mind, it's more about the invisible or intangible parts of one's mind (or soul).
剣 is the Japanese version of 劍 meaning sword.
体 is the modern Japanese version of 體 meaning body.
The Kanji 一 means one, and in this case, suggests “all in one.”
The Kanji 到 means to send, deliver, or convey. But together, 一到 suggests all these things in agreement, union cooperation, or in concert.
Note: Arguments exist as to whether this should be romanized as Kikentaiitchi, Kikentaiicchi, or kikentaiichi. Technically, if you drop the last character, you get 気剣体一 and kikentaiichi (ki ken tai ichi), which is also a valid phrase.
生態平衡 is a title about the way and balance of nature.
The first two characters mean nature or the way of life.
The second two characters mean balance or balanced.
Note: We have two versions of this title on our website. This is the one we recommend, as it is a little more natural (no pun intended).
自然界の均衡 is a verbose way to say “nature in balance” in Japanese.
The first three Kanji have the meaning of “the natural world” or “the natural kingdom” (kind of like the animal kingdom but including plants and all things biological).
The third character is a Hiragana that acts to connect the two ideas here.
The last two Kanji mean equilibrium or balance.
決して諦めるな is a Japanese term that informally means “never give up.”
It's also a Japanese way to say “never surrender.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Tenacity | Perseverance | Hope
Age is just a number
老當益壯 is a Chinese proverb that means “old but vigorous” or “hale and hearty despite the years.”
Said of someone who is more spirited when he/she grows older.
The story behind this Chinese proverb:
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a man named Ma Yuan. He had been planning to herd animals on the frontier since he was young. When he grew up, Ma became a minor official of a county.
Once, he was sending some prisoners to another location. He felt pity for them, so he set them free, and then he fled to another county in the north. He herded animals there, and thus his dream came true. He always said: “If you want to be a great man, the poorer you are, the firmer in spirit you have to be; the older you are, the more spirited you should be.”
Later, when he was even older, Ma Yuan became a famous general of the Eastern Han Dynasty and contributed to many battles.
This Japanese title can be translated as “for this time only,” “chance meeting,” “one meeting, one opportunity,” “never again,” or “one chance in a lifetime.”
The characters literally mean “one time one meeting” - of course, the Kanji characters have meaning far beyond a direct translation like this.
Some might use this proverb to talk of an opportunity that presents itself just once in your life. It could also be a one-and-only chance meeting with your true soul mate. An expression of any event that might happen once in a lifetime.
This is primarily a Japanese title, however, there is also a Traditional Chinese (and old Korean) version of this proverb. Just the last character is different.
The traditional form was used in Japan before WWII and in Korea prior to 1900. This title is somewhat known in China.
If you want the older traditional form, just click on the character to the right.
守土有責 is a Chinese proverb that expresses one's duty to defend the country.
守 means to guard, defend, keep watch, abide by the law, and/or observe (rules or ritual).
土 means land, earth, or soil.
有 is a possessive modifier in effect meaning “is a.”
責 means duty or responsibility.
So you get a literal translation of “Protecting [the] land is [a] duty/responsibility.”
打たれ強い is often used as a martial arts term.
It means being able to take a lot of punishment or being able to take a hit. In Japanese baseball, it can also refer to the pitcher's ability to keep his cool when the batter gets a hit. 打たれ強い is generally about being resilient and strong in the face of criticism or adversity.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
力愛不二 is a proverb that literally means:
“Strength [and] Love [are] Not Two [separate ideas/concepts/things].”
You'll find this proverb translated from Japanese to English as:
Love and strength are not separate.
Power and love are indivisible.
Strength and love in harmony.
Strength and love stand together.
Old Japanese grammar is quite different than English, and so this proverb says a lot within the brevity of just 4 characters. If you just read these characters directly as “Strength Love Not Two,” you'd probably miss the real meaning.
According to the Swedish Shorinji Kempo Federation, this is the second characteristic of Shorinji Kempo.
This post really explains the concept best in my opinion: Bushido by MS: Riki Ai Fu Ni, which states: "Riki Ai Funi" is the philosophy that power (Riki) and love (Ai) are indivisible. More concretely, a person, who is powerful but does not have love, cannot control and misuse his/her power; on the other hand, a person, who has loved ones but is not powerful enough, cannot protect himself/herself nor loved ones.
六段 is the Japanese title for the 6th Degree or 6th Level.
This applies mostly to martial arts and earning the title of a 6th-degree black belt.
The first character is simply the number 6.
The second character is “dan” which is often translated as “degree” in the context of Japanese martial arts. 六段 means grade, rank, level. When a number is in front like this, it refers to a senior rank in martial arts or games of strategy such as go, shogi, chess, etc.
In Chinese, 鴟 is the Scops Owl. In Japanese, this is the black kite (Milvus migrans).
Colloquially in Japanese, this can refer to a construction worker who walks on or erects scaffolding. It can also be a firefighter up high on a ladder or building.
將軍 is the more Chinese and Korean Hanja version or General.
There is a slight variation in the way the first character is written compared to the Japanese Shogun (将軍) title.
So if you want to specifically refer to a Chinese or Korean General, this is the way. Japanese people would still easily identify this as “shogun.”
Note: This term is also used for Admiral in Korean in a certain context (if you need a better title for Admiral, just let me know).
Zazen
坐禪 describes the act of sitting in a state of deep meditation.
You'll notice that the second character is Chan/Zen (often used to title the meditative form of Buddhism).
In Korean Hanja, this means “religious meditation” (roughly the same as the Chinese definition).
Buddhists may define this as sitting in dhyāna, abstract meditation, fixed abstraction, or contemplation.
Japanese note: This will make sense in Japanese but the Kanji shown to the left are partially in ancient/traditional Japanese form. Japanese Buddhists may use 坐禪, 坐禅, 座禪, or 座禅. The most standard/modern Japanese form of this word is shown to the right. Click on the Kanji to the right (instead of the button above) if you want this specifically Japanese version.
A state of mind
入靜 is used in Taoism and Qi Gong to describe the state you can reach while sitting quietly in meditation. It contains the idea of achieving a highly-tranquil and peaceful state. Some may describe this state as “sleeping while still awake.”
If you have a relaxation or meditation room, this is the calming wall scroll that you would want hanging in that room.
鼈 refers to a species of turtle.
鼈 is Trionyx Sinensis.
鼈 refers to different turtles in different languages. See individual language notes below:
Japanese: 鼈 means “snapping turtle” or “mud turtle.” But rarely used as a single Kanji like this in Japanese.
Chinese: 鼈 means soft-shelled turtle. A specific species, Trionyx Sinensis is native to Asia.
In China, this species is related to the “wang ba,” a soft-shelled turtle sometimes known in English as a banjo turtle (due to its long neck, and general shape). Unfortunately, there is a word, “wang ba dan” which means the egg of this species of turtle. That term has come to mean “bastard” in Chinese (a turtle hatches from an abandoned egg, and does not know who his mother or father is). 鼈 is not a good selection for a wall scroll if your audience is Chinese.
In Korean, this character can be pronounced (though most Koreans would have to look it up in a dictionary). It has not been in common use in Korea for at least a few hundred years.
General notes: You may notice that the bottom half of this character is the same as some other turtle-related titles. That bottom half is actually an ancient character that means “toad.” Though not seen in this way today, most turtle-related characters hold the meaning of “a toad with a shell” in their ancient origin. That toad character is rarely used alone anymore but you can see what it looks like in the image to the right.
There is more than one way to translate the ancient Chinese military proverb, 平时多流汗战时少流血. Here are a few interpretations:
A drop of sweat spent in a drill is a drop of blood saved in war.
More practice will give one a better chance of success in real situations.
The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.
I heard this many times when I was a U.S. Marine but I had no idea at the time that it was actually an old Chinese proverb.
See Also: Blood Sweat and Tears
相信上帝 means exactly what the title suggests. The first two characters mean “trust” or “believe,” and the second two mean “God” (as in the God of Abraham and the God of Zion).
Thisis also how the American phrase “In God We Trust” as seen on U.S. Currency would be translated into Chinese. It would also be correct to say that this means “Believe in God,” though, in this arrangement/context, one would be more likely to interpret it as “trust.”
神の信仰 is the simplest way to express “Trust in God” in Japanese.
The first character means God, deity, divinity, or spirit (in this case, it will be read as God).
The second character is a particle that links the ideas.
The last two characters mean faith, belief, or creed in a religious context.
神を信ぜよ is a way to express “Trust in God” in Japanese.
The first character is “God.”
The second character is a particle that links the ideas here.
The last three characters are a word that means “to believe,” “to believe in,” “to place trust in,” “to confide in,” and “to have faith in.”
Basically, this is the Japanese phrase for “Have faith in God,” “Belief in God,” or “Trust in God.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言 is a nice Asian proverb if you know a vintner or wine seller - or wine lover - although the actual meaning might not be exactly what you think or hope.
The literal meaning is that someone drinking wine is more likely to let the truth slip out. It can also be translated as “People speak their true feelings after drinking alcohol.”
It's long believed in many parts of Asia that one can not consciously hold up a facade of lies when getting drunk, and therefore the truth will come out with a few drinks.
I've had the experience where a Korean man would not trust me until I got drunk with him (I was trying to gain access to the black market in North Korea which is tough to do as an untrusted outsider) - so I think this idea is still well-practiced in many Asian countries.
Please note that there are two common ways to write the second character of this phrase. The way it's written will be left up to the mood of the calligrapher, unless you let us know that you have a certain preference.
人生で一番大事な日は二日ある。生まれた日と、なぜ生まれたかを分かった日 is Mark Twain's quote, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why” in Japanese.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
宇宙平衡 is a proverb that is simply Universe Balanced (we might say “Balanced Universe” in English).
The first two characters mean the Universe. However, in some contexts, it can mean cosmic, cosmos, or outer space.
The second two characters mean balance or balanced (can also mean equilibrium).
The Way of Buddha Truth
In Taoist and Buddhist contexts, 行道 means to “Walk in the Way.” In Buddhism, that further means to follow the Buddha truth. In some Buddhist sects, this can mean making a procession around a statue of the Buddha (always with the right shoulder towards the Buddha).
Outside of that context, this can mean route (when going somewhere), the way to get somewhere, etc.
In Japanese, this can be the surname or given name Yukimichi.
花園里的戰士好過戰場上的園丁 is the Chinese for the phrase, “It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”
This proverb is purported to come from the following exchange:
A student approaches his samurai master and says,
“Teacher, you instruct me how to fight, yet you preach to me about peace. How do I reconcile the two?”
The samurai responds,
“Because it is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”
This literally means: [The value of] soldiers/warriors lies in [their] quality.
兵在精 is part of a longer phrase that ends with “not [just] in [their] quantity.”
兵在精 is a well-known phrase in military circles, so the second part is suggested when one hears or reads these three characters.
See Also: 兵在精而不在多
玄武 can refer to the Black Tortoise (an ancient Chinese constellation of stars- part of the seven mansions of the north sky).
In Daoism, this is the God of the North sky.
This also refers to a Black Tortoise god, said to rule over the northern heavens in Japanese. Can also be pronounced/romanized as genmu or when used as a personal name, Hirotake in Japanese.
The most famous tattoo in Chinese history
盡忠報國 is a proverb that is the tattoo worn on the back of Yue Fei, a famous Chinese warrior who lived until 1142 A.D.
The tattoo can be translated as “Serve the country with the utmost loyalty.” More literally, it means “[The] Ultimate Loyalty [is too] Duty [of] Country.”
Legend has it that this tattoo once saved his life when he was accused of treason.
The first two characters have come to create a word that means “serve the country faithfully” or “die for the country.” Note: It's more a willingness to die for one's country than the actual act of dying.
The last two characters have come to mean “Dedicate oneself to the service of one's country.”
Both of these words are probably only in the Chinese lexicon because of this famous tattoo.
If you break it down, character-by-character, here is what you get:
1. To the utmost, to the limit of something, the ultimate.
2. Loyalty or duty (a sense of duty to one's master, lord, country, or job).
3. Report, recompense, give back to (in this case, you are giving yourself to your country as payback).
4. Country, state, nation, kingdom.
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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 | |
Eight Black Horses | 黑八馬 黑八马 | hēi bā mǎ hei1 ba1 ma3 hei ba ma heibama | hei pa ma heipama |
|
Year-In Year-Out Have Abundance | 年年有餘 年年有馀 | nián nián yǒu yú nian2 nian2 you3 yu2 nian nian you yu niannianyouyu | nien nien yu yü niennienyuyü |
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In the Abyss of Infinite Bitterness - Turn to the Shore | 苦海無邊回頭是岸 苦海无边回头是岸 | kǔ hǎi wú biān huí tóu shì àn ku3 hai3 wu2 bian1 hui2 tou2 shi4 an4 ku hai wu bian hui tou shi an kuhaiwubianhuitoushian | k`u hai wu pien hui t`ou shih an kuhaiwupienhuitoushihan ku hai wu pien hui tou shih an |
|
Happiness in the Afterlife | 冥福 | mei fuku / meifuku | míng fú / ming2 fu2 / ming fu / mingfu | |
Always with a Book in Hand | 手不釋卷 手不释卷 | shǒu bù shì juàn shou3 bu4 shi4 juan4 shou bu shi juan shoubushijuan | shou pu shih chüan shoupushihchüan |
|
You are Always in My Heart | 你一直在我心中 | nǐ yī zhí zài wǒ xīn zhōng ni3 yi1 zhi2 zai4 wo3 xin1 zhong1 ni yi zhi zai wo xin zhong niyizhizaiwoxinzhong | ni i chih tsai wo hsin chung niichihtsaiwohsinchung |
|
Any success can not compensate for failure in the home | 所有的成功都無法補償家庭的失敗 所有的成功都无法补偿家庭的失败 | suǒ yǒu de chéng gōng dōu wú fǎ bǔ cháng jiā tíng de shī bài suo3 you3 de cheng2 gong1 dou1 wu2 fa3 bu3 chang2 jia1 ting2 de shi1 bai4 suo you de cheng gong dou wu fa bu chang jia ting de shi bai | so yu te ch`eng kung tou wu fa pu ch`ang chia t`ing te shih pai so yu te cheng kung tou wu fa pu chang chia ting te shih pai |
|
Black Belt | 黑帶 黑带 | hēi dài / hei1 dai4 / hei dai / heidai | hei tai / heitai | |
Beautiful Life Life in Perfect Harmony | 和美 | wa mi / wami | hé měi / he2 mei3 / he mei / hemei | ho mei / homei |
You are always a beauty in your lover’s eyes | 情人眼里出西施 | qíng rén yǎn lǐ chū xī shī qing2 ren2 yan3 li3 chu1 xi1 shi1 qing ren yan li chu xi shi qingrenyanlichuxishi | ch`ing jen yen li ch`u hsi shih chingjenyenlichuhsishih ching jen yen li chu hsi shih |
|
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder | 美しさは見る人の目の中にある | utsukushi-sa wa miru hito no me no naka ni aru | ||
Believe in Yourself | 相信自己 | xiāng xìn zì jǐ xiang1 xin4 zi4 ji3 xiang xin zi ji xiangxinziji | hsiang hsin tzu chi hsianghsintzuchi |
|
Believe in Yourself | 自分を信じる | jibun o shinjiru jibunoshinjiru | ||
Black | 黑 黑 / 黒 | kuro | hēi / hei1 / hei | |
Black Belt | 黒帯 黑帯 | kuroobi / kurobi | ||
Black Dragon | 黒龍 黒龙 | koku ryuu / kokuryuu / koku ryu | hēi lóng / hei1 long2 / hei long / heilong | hei lung / heilung |
Black Dragon | 玄龍 玄龙 | xuān lóng xuan1 long2 xuan long xuanlong | hsüan lung hsüanlung |
|
Black Dragon | 墨龍 墨龙 | mò lóng / mo4 long2 / mo long / molong | mo lung / molung | |
Black Flag Gate Hek Ki Boen | 黑旗門 黑旗门 | hēi qí mén hei1 qi2 men2 hei qi men heiqimen | hei ch`i men heichimen hei chi men |
|
Black Raven | 烏 乌 | karasu | wū / wu1 / wu | |
Black or white cat matters not as long as it can catch mice | 不管黑貓白貓能捉著老鼠的就是好貓 不管黑猫白猫能捉着老鼠的就是好猫 | bù guǎn hēi māo bái māo néng zhuō zhe lǎo shǔ de jiù shì hǎo mǎo bu4 guan3 hei1 mao1 bai2 mao1 neng2 zhuo1 zhe lao3 shu3 de jiu4 shi4 hao3 mao3 bu guan hei mao bai mao neng zhuo zhe lao shu de jiu shi hao mao | pu kuan hei mao pai mao neng cho che lao shu te chiu shih hao mao | |
Black Tiger Fist | 黑虎拳 | hēi hǔ quán hei1 hu3 quan2 hei hu quan heihuquan | hei hu ch`üan heihuchüan hei hu chüan |
|
Black Wolf | 黑狼 | hēi láng / hei1 lang2 / hei lang / heilang | ||
Body and Earth in Unity | 身土不二 | shindofuni / shindofuji | ||
The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being | 佛は衆生の中に在り | butsu wa shujou no naka ni ari butsuwashujounonakaniari butsu wa shujo no naka ni ari | ||
Keep Calm in Face of Adversity | 失意泰然 | shitsuitaizen | ||
Chinese Traditional Medicine | 中醫 中医 | zhōng yī / zhong1 yi1 / zhong yi / zhongyi | chung i / chungi | |
Black Eagle Condor | 鷲 鹫 | washi | jiù / jiu4 / jiu | chiu |
The Confident Helmsman Inspires Confidence in the Passengers | 把舵的不慌乘船的穩當 把舵的不慌乘船的稳当 | bǎ tuò de bù huāng chéng chuán de wěn dang ba3 tuo4 de bu4 huang1 cheng2 chuan2 de wen3 dang ba tuo de bu huang cheng chuan de wen dang | pa t`o te pu huang ch`eng ch`uan te wen tang pa to te pu huang cheng chuan te wen tang |
|
Cry in the Dojo - Laugh on the Battlefield | 道場で泣き戦場で笑う | doujou de naki senjou de warau dojo de naki senjo de warau | ||
Religious Devotion Faith in God Religious Faith | 信仰 | shin kou / shinkou / shin ko | xìn yǎng / xin4 yang3 / xin yang / xinyang | hsin yang / hsinyang |
Failure in Not an Option | 失敗並非一種選擇 失败并非一种选择 | shī bài bìng fēi yì zhǒng xuǎn zé shi1 bai4 bing4 fei1 yi4 zhong3 xuan3 ze2 shi bai bing fei yi zhong xuan ze | shih pai ping fei i chung hsüan tse | |
Faith Trusting in the Unseen | 信念 | shinnen | xìn niàn / xin4 nian4 / xin nian / xinnian | hsin nien / hsinnien |
Far-Sighted in Deep Thought | 深謀遠慮 深谋远虑 | shinbouenryo / shinboenryo shinboenryo / shinboenryo | shēn móu yuǎn lǜ shen1 mou2 yuan3 lu:4 shen mou yuan lu: shenmouyuanlu: | shen mou yüan lü shenmouyüanlü |
Flower in the Mirror, Moon on Water | 鏡花水月 镜花水月 | kyou ka sui getsu kyoukasuigetsu kyo ka sui getsu | jìng huā shuǐ yuè jing4 hua1 shui3 yue4 jing hua shui yue jinghuashuiyue | ching hua shui yüeh chinghuashuiyüeh |
Forever In My Heart | 永遠在我心中 永远在我心中 | yǒng yuǎn zài wǒ xīn zhōng yong3 yuan3 zai4 wo3 xin1 zhong1 yong yuan zai wo xin zhong yongyuanzaiwoxinzhong | yung yüan tsai wo hsin chung yungyüantsaiwohsinchung |
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Always in My Heart | 永駐我心 永驻我心 | yǒng zhù wǒ xīn yong3 zhu4 wo3 xin1 yong zhu wo xin yongzhuwoxin | yung chu wo hsin yungchuwohsin |
|
Forever In My Heart | 永遠在我心 永远在我心 | yǒng yuǎn zài wǒ xīn yong3 yuan3 zai4 wo3 xin1 yong yuan zai wo xin yongyuanzaiwoxin | yung yüan tsai wo hsin yungyüantsaiwohsin |
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Forever In My Heart | いつまでも私の心の中に | i tsu ma de mo watashi no kokoro no naka ni | ||
Forever In My Heart | 永遠に私の心の中に | ei en ni watashi no kokoro no naka ni | ||
God in the Glorious Center of Heaven | 天之御中主神 | tiān zhī yù zhōng zhǔ shén tian1 zhi1 yu4 zhong1 zhu3 shen2 tian zhi yu zhong zhu shen tianzhiyuzhongzhushen | t`ien chih yü chung chu shen tienchihyüchungchushen tien chih yü chung chu shen |
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Go-Dan 5th Degree Black Belt | 五段 | go dan / godan | ||
In Good Order | 整 | hitoshi / hitoshi | zhěng / zheng3 / zheng | cheng |
In Good Order Organized | 整然 | seizen | ||
Hiding in the Leaves - Hagakure | 葉隠れ | hagakure | ||
In Flowers the Cherry Blossom, In Men the Samurai | 花は櫻木人は武士 花は桜木人は武士 | hana wa sakuragi hito wa bushi | ||
Home of the Black Dragon | 黑龍之家 黑龙之家 | hēi lóng zhī jiā hei1 long2 zhi1 jia1 hei long zhi jia heilongzhijia | hei lung chih chia heilungchihchia |
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Three Treasures of Chinese Medicine | 精氣神 精气神 | jīng qì shén jing1 qi4 shen2 jing qi shen jingqishen | ching ch`i shen chingchishen ching chi shen |
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The Nature of Enlightenment in One's Mind | 覺性 觉性 | kakushou / kakusho | jué xìng / jue2 xing4 / jue xing / juexing | chüeh hsing / chüehhsing |
Hunt Foxes with Stealth, Hunt Wolves in the Open | 闇打狐狸明打狼 暗打狐狸明打狼 | àn dǎ hú li míng dǎ láng an4 da3 hu2 li ming2 da3 lang2 an da hu li ming da lang andahulimingdalang | an ta hu li ming ta lang antahulimingtalang |
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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 |
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Life in Balance Balancing Life | 平衡人生 | hei kou jin sei heikoujinsei hei ko jin sei | píng héng rén shēng ping2 heng2 ren2 sheng1 ping heng ren sheng pinghengrensheng | p`ing heng jen sheng pinghengjensheng ping heng jen sheng |
Life in Harmony Balanced Life | 調和生活 | cho wa sei katsu chowaseikatsu | ||
Life in Every Breath | 生活中的每一次呼吸 | shēng huó zhōng de měi yī cì hū xī sheng1 huo2 zhong1 de mei3 yi1 ci4 hu1 xi1 sheng huo zhong de mei yi ci hu xi | sheng huo chung te mei i tz`u hu hsi sheng huo chung te mei i tzu hu hsi |
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Life in Every Breath | 吐く息一つにも生命が宿り | hakuiki hitotsu nimo seimei ga yadori | ||
Just as Liquor Turns a Face Red, Gold Turns a Heart Black | 白酒紅人面黃金黑世心 白酒红人面黄金黑世心 | bái jiǔ hóng rén miàn huáng jīn hēi shì xīn bai2 jiu3 hong2 ren2 mian4 huang2 jin1 hei1 shi4 xin1 bai jiu hong ren mian huang jin hei shi xin | pai chiu hung jen mien huang chin hei shih hsin | |
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 |
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Live In The Moment Live In The Now | 現世 现世 | gen sei / gensei | xiàn shì / xian4 shi4 / xian shi / xianshi | hsien shih / hsienshih |
Live in Peace and Contentment | 安居樂業 安居乐业 | an kyo raku gyou ankyorakugyou an kyo raku gyo | ān jū lè yè an1 ju1 le4 ye4 an ju le ye anjuleye | an chü le yeh anchüleyeh |
Live in Prosperity | 生活于繁榮中 生活于繁荣中 | shēng huó yú fán róng zhōng sheng1 huo2 yu2 fan2 rong2 zhong1 sheng huo yu fan rong zhong shenghuoyufanrongzhong | sheng huo yü fan jung chung shenghuoyüfanjungchung |
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Madly in Love | 愛得死去活來 爱得死去活来 | ài de sǐ qù huó lái ai4 de5 si3 qu4 huo2 lai2 ai de si qu huo lai aidesiquhuolai | ai te ssu ch`ü huo lai aitessuchühuolai ai te ssu chü huo lai |
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Energy Sword Body in Concert | 気剣体一致 / 氣劍體一致 气剑体一致 | ki ken tai icchi kikentaiicchi ki ken tai ichi | ||
Nana-Dan 7th Degree Black Belt | 七段 | nana dan / nanadan | ||
Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 自然平衡 | zì rán píng héng zi4 ran2 ping2 heng2 zi ran ping heng ziranpingheng | tzu jan p`ing heng tzujanpingheng tzu jan ping heng |
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Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 生態平衡 生态平衡 | shēng tài píng héng sheng1 tai4 ping2 heng2 sheng tai ping heng shengtaipingheng | sheng t`ai p`ing heng shengtaipingheng sheng tai ping heng |
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Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 自然界の均衡 | shizenkai no kinkou shizenkainokinkou shizenkai no kinko | ||
Nature in Balance Balanced Nature | 自然の調和 | shizen no cho wa shizennochowa | ||
Never Give In Never Succumb Never Lose | 決して諦めるな | kesshite akirameruna kesshiteakirameruna keshite akirameruna | ||
No arrogance in victory, No despair in defeat | 勝不驕敗不餒 胜不骄败不馁 | shèng bù jiāo bài bù něi sheng4 bu4 jiao1 bai4 bu4 nei3 sheng bu jiao bai bu nei shengbujiaobaibunei | sheng pu chiao pai pu nei shengpuchiaopaipunei |
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Old, But More Vigorous in Spirit | 老當益壯 老当益壮 | lǎo dāng yì zhuàng lao3 dang1 yi4 zhuang4 lao dang yi zhuang laodangyizhuang | lao tang i chuang laotangichuang |
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Once in a Lifetime | 一期一會 一期一会 | ichigo ichie ichigoichie | yī qī yī huì yi1 qi1 yi1 hui4 yi qi yi hui yiqiyihui | i ch`i i hui ichiihui i chi i hui |
Pearl in the Palm | 掌上明珠 | zhǎng shàng míng zhū zhang3 shang4 ming2 zhu1 zhang shang ming zhu zhangshangmingzhu | chang shang ming chu changshangmingchu |
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Duty to Defend and Protect Country | 守土有責 守土有责 | shǒu tǔ yǒu zé shou3 tu3 you3 ze2 shou tu you ze shoutuyouze | shou t`u yu tse shoutuyutse shou tu yu tse |
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One who is drenched in rain does not fear drops of dew | 被雨淋過的人不怕露水 被雨淋过的人不怕露水 | bèi yǔ lín guò de rén bù pà lù shuǐ bei4 yu3 lin2 guo4 de ren2 bu4 pa4 lu4 shui3 bei yu lin guo de ren bu pa lu shui | pei yü lin kuo te jen pu p`a lu shui pei yü lin kuo te jen pu pa lu shui |
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Reincarnation Life in Flux | 輪廻転生 | rinne tenshou rinnetenshou rinne tensho | ||
Resilient in the Face of Adversity | 打たれ強い | u ta re tsuyo i utaretsuyoi | ||
Strength and Love in Unity | 力愛不二 力爱不二 | riki ai fu ni rikiaifuni | ||
Roku-Dan 6th Degree Black Belt | 六段 | roku dan / rokudan | ||
Scops Owl Black Kite | 鴟 鸱 | tonbi / tobi | chī / chi1 / chi | ch`ih / chih |
Chinese or Korean Army General | 將軍 将军 | shougun / shogun | jiāng jūn jiang1 jun1 jiang jun jiangjun | chiang chün chiangchün |
Sit in Meditation | 坐禪 坐禅 | za zen / zazen | zuò chán / zuo4 chan2 / zuo chan / zuochan | tso ch`an / tsochan / tso chan |
Sit Quietly in Meditation | 入靜 入静 | rù jìng / ru4 jing4 / ru jing / rujing | ju ching / juching | |
Japanese Snapping Turtle Chinese Soft Shell Turtle | 鼈 | suppon / supon | biē / bie1 / bie | pieh |
The More We Sweat in Training, The Less We Bleed in Battle | 平時多流汗戰時少流血 平时多流汗战时少流血 | píng shí duō liú hàn zhàn shí shǎo liú xuè ping2 shi2 duo1 liu2 han4 zhan4 shi2 shao3 liu2 xue4 ping shi duo liu han zhan shi shao liu xue | p`ing shih to liu shih shao liu hsüeh ping shih to liu shih shao liu hsüeh |
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Take Refuge in the Three Treasures | 南無三寶 南无三宝 | na mu san bou namusanbou na mu san bo | nán mo sān bǎo nan2 mo san1 bao3 nan mo san bao nanmosanbao | nan mo san pao nanmosanpao |
Take Refuge in the Three Treasures | 歸依三寶 归依三宝 | ki e san bou kiesanbou ki e san bo | guī yī sān bǎo gui1 yi1 san1 bao3 gui yi san bao guiyisanbao | kuei i san pao kueiisanpao |
Together Forever in Love | 永遠愛在一起 永远爱在一起 | yǒng yuǎn ài zài yī qǐ yong3 yuan3 ai4 zai4 yi1 qi3 yong yuan ai zai yi qi yongyuanaizaiyiqi | yung yüan ai tsai i ch`i yungyüanaitsaiichi yung yüan ai tsai i chi |
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Trust in God | 信靠上帝 | xìn kào shàng dì xin4 kao4 shang4 di4 xin kao shang di xinkaoshangdi | hsin k`ao shang ti hsinkaoshangti hsin kao shang ti |
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Trust in God In God We Trust | 相信上帝 | xiāng xìn shàng dì xiang1 xin4 shang4 di4 xiang xin shang di xiangxinshangdi | hsiang hsin shang ti hsianghsinshangti |
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Trust in God Belief in God | 神の信仰 | kami no shin kou kaminoshinkou kami no shin ko | ||
Trust in God Faith in God | 神を信ぜよ | kami wo shin ze yo kamiwoshinzeyo | ||
In Wine there is Truth | 酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言 酒后吐真言 | jiǔ hòu tǔ zhēn yán jiu3 hou4 tu3 zhen1 yan2 jiu hou tu zhen yan jiuhoutuzhenyan | chiu hou t`u chen yen chiuhoutuchenyen chiu hou tu chen yen |
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The two most important days in your life... | 人生で一番大事な日は二日ある生まれた日となぜ生まれたかを分かった日 | Jinsei de ichiban daijina hi wa futsuka aru. Umaretahi to, naze umareta ka o wakatta hi | ||
The Universe in Balance Balanced Universe | 宇宙平衡 | u chuu hei kou uchuuheikou u chu hei ko | yǔ zhòu píng héng yu3 zhou4 ping2 heng2 yu zhou ping heng yuzhoupingheng | yü chou p`ing heng yüchoupingheng yü chou ping heng |
Walk in the Way | 行道 | yukimichi | xíng dào / xing2 dao4 / xing dao / xingdao | hsing tao / hsingtao |
It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war | 花園里的戰士好過戰場上的園丁 花园里的战士好过战场上的园丁 | huā yuán lǐ de zhàn shì hǎo guò zhàn chǎng shàng de yuán dīng huā yuán lǐ de zhàn shì hǎo guò zhàn chǎng shàng de yuán dīng ài wēng huā yuán lǐ de zhàn shì hǎo guò zhàn chǎng shàng de yuán dīng hua1 yuan2 li3 de zhan4 shi4 hao3 guo4 zhan4 chang3 shang4 de yuan2 ding1 hua1 yuan2 li3 de zhan4 shi4 hao3 guo4 zhan4 chang3 shang4 de yuan2 ding1 ai4 weng1 hua1 yuan2 li3 de zhan4 shi4 hao3 guo4 zhan4 chang3 shang4 de yuan2 ding1 hua yuan li de zhan shi hao guo zhan chang shang de yuan ding hua yuan li de zhan shi hao guo zhan chang shang de yuan ding ai weng hua yuan li de zhan shi hao guo zhan chang shang de yuan ding | hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan ch`ang shang te yüan ting hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan ch`ang shang te yüan ting ai weng hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan ch`ang shang te yüan ting hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan chang shang te yüan ting hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan chang shang te yüan ting ai weng hua yüan li te chan shih hao kuo chan chang shang te yüan ting |
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The Value of Warriors Lies in Their Quality | 兵在精 | bīng zài jīng bing1 zai4 jing1 bing zai jing bingzaijing | ping tsai ching pingtsaiching |
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Xuan Wu Genbu Black Tortoise God | 玄武 | genbu | xuán wǔ / xuan2 wu3 / xuan wu / xuanwu | hsüan wu / hsüanwu |
Ultimate Loyalty to Your Country | 盡忠報國 尽忠报国 | jìn zhōng bào guó jin4 zhong1 bao4 guo2 jin zhong bao guo jinzhongbaoguo | chin chung pao kuo chinchungpaokuo |
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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. |
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 Chinese Country Scenes in Black Kanji, Chinese Country Scenes in Black Characters, Chinese Country Scenes in Black in Mandarin Chinese, Chinese Country Scenes in Black Characters, Chinese Country Scenes in Black in Chinese Writing, Chinese Country Scenes in Black in Japanese Writing, Chinese Country Scenes in Black in Asian Writing, Chinese Country Scenes in Black Ideograms, Chinese Chinese Country Scenes in Black symbols, Chinese Country Scenes in Black Hieroglyphics, Chinese Country Scenes in Black Glyphs, Chinese Country Scenes in Black in Chinese Letters, Chinese Country Scenes in Black Hanzi, Chinese Country Scenes in Black in Japanese Kanji, Chinese Country Scenes in Black Pictograms, Chinese Country Scenes in Black in the Chinese Written-Language, or Chinese Country Scenes in Black in the Japanese Written-Language.