Many custom options...

Tan Paper and Copper Silk Love Wall Scroll
Red Paper and Ivory Silk Love Wall Scroll
Orange Paper Love Scroll
Crazy Blue and Gold Silk Love Scroll


And formats...

Love Vertical Portrait
Love Horizontal Wall Scroll
Love Vertical Portrait

Not what you want?

Try other similar-meaning words, fewer words, or just one word.

Human Race Humanity Mankind in Chinese / Japanese...

Buy a Human Race Humanity Mankind calligraphy wall scroll here!

Personalize your custom “Human Race Humanity Mankind” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “Human Race Humanity Mankind” title below...


  1. Human Race / Humanity / Mankind

  2. Human Nature

  3. The Tao or Dao of Being Human / Humanity

  4. Empathy / Humanity

  5. Oneness of Heaven and Humanity

  6. Kindheartedness / Benevolence / Humanity

  7. Love for Humanity / Brotherly Love

  8. Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World

  9. Speed

10. Morning Dew

11. Men Die for Wealth, Birds Die for Food

12. Life is a Dew Drop

13. Love and Honor

14. Birth Old-Age Sickness Death

15. Aryan

16. Blessed by Heaven

17. Mermaid

18. Ichigo

19. Hitori

20. Star Man

21. Life is Short

22. Fast

23. Fire and Water Have No Mercy

24. Worldwide Wish for Peace and Prosperity

25. Mermaid / Merman

26. Triple Truth of Japanese Buddhism

27. Relax

28. Life is Short

29. Kindness / Benevolence

30. Holy Man / Saint

31. Live for What You Love

32. Life is Good

33. Benevolence

34. Five Precepts

35. Black or white cat matters not as long as it can catch mice

36. Life in Balance / Balancing Life

37. Enjoy Life

38. Mercy / Compassion / Love

39. Life is Good / Life is Beautiful

40. Kansei Engineering / Sense Engineering

41. Life Goes On

42. Body

43. Siddhartha

44. Pain

45. The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being

46. Jin Shin Jyutsu

47. Tengu

48. Sword of Death

49. Goodness / Good Deed

50. Contentment

51. Forgiveness

52. Rise and Fall / Ups and Downs

53. A Life of Serenity Yields Understanding

54. Purified Spirit / Enlightened Attitude

55. Confucius: Golden Rule / Ethic of Reciprocity

56. Islam

57. Body and Earth in Unity

58. Running


Human Race / Humanity / Mankind

 rén lèi
 jinrui
Human Race / Humanity / Mankind Scroll

人類 is the way to say mankind or humankind in Chinese.

It's kind of the “animal title” for humans. 人類 is the word you would use if you said this phrase in Chinese, “Mammals include dolphins, monkeys, dogs, and humans among others.”

人類 is a weird selection for a calligraphy wall scroll. But a customer begged me to add this word.

Human Nature

 rén xìng
Human Nature Scroll

人性 is a title that is the essence of what it means to act and be human.

These two characters refer to the way we are as people.

人性 is also sometimes translated as human personality, human instinct, humanity, or humanism.

The first character literally means human or people.

The second character means nature. It can also mean property, quality, attribute, or essence. It can even be a modifier like “-ity” or “-ness,” which is why this word is also translated as “humanity.”

The Tao or Dao of Being Human / Humanity

 rén dào
 jindou
The Tao or Dao of Being Human / Humanity Scroll

人道 is literally the “The Way of Being Human,” or “The Human Way.” It can also be translated as “humanity.”

人道 has a secondary meaning of “sidewalk” as in “the way for people to walk” (in Japanese and Korean only). But as calligraphy artwork, nobody will read it with that translation.

Please note that there are two ways to Romanize Dao or Tao (Daoism = Taoism). It's the same word in Chinese.

Empathy / Humanity

 rén qíng
 ninjou
Empathy / Humanity Scroll

人情 is a title that can apply to a lot of meanings, including humanity, empathy, kindness, sympathy, human nature, human emotions, or human interaction.

Oneness of Heaven and Humanity

 tiān rén hé yī
Oneness of Heaven and Humanity Scroll

天人合一 is a title that represents the oneness of heaven and humanity. It conveys the idea that man is an integral part of nature.

You can also read this as “heaven and man in unity,” or “nature and man in unity.” The “man” is really “people” or “humans” and is not gender-specific in Chinese.

Kindheartedness / Benevolence / Humanity

 rén dé
 jintoku
Kindheartedness / Benevolence / Humanity Scroll

仁德 is a word that can be translated as love, kindheartedness, benevolence, and humanity.

The first character means benevolence by itself.
The second character means virtue or morality.

Japanese note: The second Kanji of this word has been slightly simplified (one tiny horizontal stroke removed). It is still readable for Japanese but if you select our Japanese calligrapher, expect that stroke to be missing on your wall scroll.

Love for Humanity / Brotherly Love

benevolence, love

 bó ài
 hakuai
Love for Humanity / Brotherly Love Scroll

In Chinese and Korean, 博愛 means a universal fraternity, brotherhood, or universal love.

In Japanese, this means charity, benevolence, philanthropy, or love for humanity.

Please note these subtle differences and take that into account depending on your intended audience (Chinese, Korean or Japanese).


See Also:  Benevolence | Altruism

Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World

 yí shì tóng rén
 isshidoujin
Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World Scroll

一視同仁 is how to write “universal benevolence.” This is also how to express the idea that you see all people the same.

If you are kind and charitable to everyone, this is the best way to state that virtue. It is the essence of being impartial to all mankind, regardless of social standing, background, race, sex, etc. You do not judge others, but instead, you see them eye to eye on the same level as you.


See Also:  Benevolence | Compassion | Equality | Justice | Right Decision | Selflessness | Work Unselfishly for the Common

 gāo sù
 kousoku
Speed Scroll

高速 means “high speed” or “in high gear” in Chinese and Japanese Kanji.

In old Korean Hanja, it also means “high speed” but can also be a nickname for “rapid transit.”

高速 is the best selection if you want to say “speed” in regard to your race car, race boat, or lifestyle. You need this word, which literally means “high speed,” as the Asian word for “speed” alone does not suggest whether you mean fast or slow.

 zhāo lù
 asatsuyu
Morning Dew Scroll

朝露 means morning dew in Chinese and Japanese.

In the Buddhist context, it figuratively represents the precarious brevity of human life, how ephemeral our life and possessions are, or how one should see human life as transient.

Men Die for Wealth, Birds Die for Food

 rén wèi cái sǐ niǎo wèi shí wáng
Men Die for Wealth, Birds Die for Food Scroll

人為財死鳥為食亡 is a Chinese proverb that literally states that human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food.

Figuratively it means that man will do anything in his means to become rich. Personally, I think dying for food is a more noble cause.

Often translated as “Men die in pursuit of wealth, birds die in pursuit of food. The 人 in this proverb just means human, so “men” is a placeholder for human with that translation - an English language problem that we have no easy gender-neutral nouns.

This proverb is meant to serve as a warning about the follies of greed.

Life is a Dew Drop

 rén shēng zhāo lù
 jin sei chou ro
Life is a Dew Drop Scroll

人生朝露 is a proverb that means “human life is like morning dew.”

Figuratively, this suggests the ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence.

Also translated as:
Man's life vanishes like a drop of dew.
A person's life is as fleeting as morning dew.
Life is as transient as morning due.

Love and Honor

 qíng yì
Love and Honor Scroll

情義 means to love and honor in Chinese. 情義 is more or less the kind of thing you'd find in marriage vows.

The first character suggests emotions, passion, heart, humanity, sympathy, and feelings.

In this context, the second character means to honor your lover's wishes and treat them justly and righteously (fairly). That second character can also be translated as “obligation,” as in the obligation a husband and wife have to love each other even through difficult times.

In the context outside of a couple's relationship, this word can mean “comradeship.”

Japanese may see this more as “humanity and justice” than “love and honor.” It's probably best if your target is Chinese.


This is the short and sweet form, there is also a longer poetic form (you can find it here: Love and Honor if it’s not on the page you are currently viewing).


See Also:  Love and Honor

Birth Old-Age Sickness Death

Born to Suffer

 shēng lǎo bìng sǐ
 shou rou byou shi
Birth Old-Age Sickness Death Scroll

生老病死 means “to be born, to grow old, to get sick and to die” or “birth, aging, sickness, and death.”

This is an old somewhat-morbid Chinese proverb that is also used in Korean and Japanese. It figuratively means the fate of humankind (i.e. mortality) or suggests that we are all born to suffer.

In the Buddhist context, there are the “four inevitables in human life” or “four afflictions that are the lot of every human” known as “四苦” (literally “four afflictions”). Sometimes this proverb is written with that affliction character, 苦, at the end like 生老病死苦.

 aariajin
Aryan Scroll

アーリア人 is the name Aryan in Japanese Katakana.

This also can be the ethnic or race title “Aryan” referring to “Indo-Iranian” or “Indo-European” people.


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Katakana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

Blessed by Heaven

 ten kei
Blessed by Heaven Scroll

天恵 means “Heaven's Blessing,” “Blessings from Heaven,” or “Blessed by Heaven” in Japanese Kanji.

Depending on the context in which this is used, it can also mean “gift of nature,” or even “natural resources” (as in Heaven or God bestowed things like oil, iron, gold, and other natural resources upon mankind).

 měi rén yú
Mermaid Scroll

美人魚 is the Chinese word for mermaid.

It literally means “beautiful human fish.”

Ichigo

Japanese animation character

 ichi go
Ichigo Scroll

一護 is Ichigo, as in 黒崎一護 (Kurosaki Ichigo), the Japanese animation character who is part human but with transient Shinigami powers.

 hito ri
Hitori Scroll

This is a Japanese given name, 人里, which romanizes as Hitori.

The meaning is something like “human habitation.” The first Kanji means a person, and the second means village.

 wài xīng rén
Star Man Scroll

外星人 means “star man” or “space alien” in Chinese.

It is not literally man as in male, but human - as the word 人 does not have a gender attached.

Life is Short

A 100-year-old is but a traveler passing through this life

 bǎi suì guāng yīn rú guò kè
Life is Short Scroll

百歲光陰如過客 directly translates as: [Even a] hundred-year-old [person] is [just a] traveler passing by.

The simple message is, “Human life is short.” Of course, there is an unspoken suggestion that you should make the best of your time here on earth.

Fast

Fast, as in a race car

 kuài
 yoshi
 
Fast Scroll

快 is the single character for “fast” in Chinese.

This applies to race cars, airplanes, rockets, etc.

This can also mean rapid, quick, speed, rate, soon, to make haste, clever, or sharp (of knives or wits). In some context it can mean cheerful or happy.

This is not a common choice for a wall scroll but if you're a speed freak, this may work for you.

Note: In Japanese, this usually has a meaning of pleasure, cheerful, delight, enjoyment, or the female given name Yoshi.

Fire and Water Have No Mercy

 shuǐ huǒ wú qíng
Fire and Water Have No Mercy Scroll

水火無情 is a Chinese proverb that means “fire [and] water have-not mercy.”

This serves to remind us that the forces of nature are beyond human control.

Some may also translate this as “implacable fate.”

Worldwide Wish for Peace and Prosperity

 qǐ shèng shì kāi tài píng
Worldwide Wish for Peace and Prosperity Scroll

啟盛世開太平 means “To bring flourishing peace and security to the world (our current era).”

It's a wish that a new door leading to peace and prosperity could be opened to mankind.

Character and word breakdown:
啟 to open; to start; to initiate; to enlighten or awaken.
盛世 a flourishing period; period of prosperity; a golden age.
開 to open; to start; to turn on.
太平 peace and security; peace and tranquility; peace; tranquility.
I don't like to do breakdowns like this, as the words altogether create their unique meaning (encompassed in the main title above).

Mermaid / Merman

(Unisex)

 rén yú
 nin gyo
Mermaid / Merman Scroll

人魚 is the Japanese Kanji, Korean Hanja, and Chinese word for “merman” or “mermaid.”

It literally means “human fish.”

人魚 is a non-gender-specific or unisex word in all three languages.

Triple Truth of Japanese Buddhism

 ningensei o saisei suruno wa kanyou na kokoro shinsetsu na kotoba houshi to omoi yari no seishin
Triple Truth of Japanese Buddhism Scroll

人間性を再生するのは寛容な心親切な言葉奉仕と思いやりの精神 is known as the Triple Truth of Buddhism in Japanese.

The Buddha ordered that all should know this triple truth...
A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things that renew humanity.

That is the English translation most commonly used for this Japanese Buddhist phrase. You might have seen this on a coffee cup or tee shirt.


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

Relax

Chill Out

 fàng sōng
Relax Scroll

This means to relax in Chinese.

In most cases it's used to suggest that a person “relax,” “hang loose” or “chill out.”

In context where this word is not applied to a human, it can mean to loosen, as in to loosen a knot in a rope.

Life is Short

 jinsei ha mijikai
Life is Short Scroll

人生は短い is “life is short” in Japanese.

The character breakdown:
人生 (jinsei) life (i.e., conception to death); human life, living, lifetime.
は (ha/wa) particle (means “is” in this case).
短い (mijikai) short.


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

Kindness / Benevolence

 rén cí
 jin ji
Kindness / Benevolence Scroll

仁慈 word is used in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Asian Buddhism to relay the important idea of loving kindness.

仁慈 can also be defined as: benevolent; charitable; kind; merciful; kind-hearted; benevolence; kindness; humanity; mercy.

In Japanese, this can also be the given name Hitoji. This would also be a good Mandarin Chinese given name romanized as Jentzu (in Taiwan) or Renci (which sounds like ren-tsuh).


See Also:  Love | Altruism | Kindness | Charity

Holy Man / Saint

 shèng rén
 seijin
Holy Man / Saint Scroll

聖人 can mean saint, sage, or holy man.

Note: There is more than one way to express this idea. This one really matches “Holy man” because the second character means “human” or “person” (therefore, this could equally mean “Holy woman”).

Live for What You Love

 jin sei ou ka
Live for What You Love Scroll

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

Life is Good

 rén shēng liáng hǎo
 jin sei ryou kou
Life is Good Scroll

人生良好 means “life is good” in Japanese.

The first two characters mean “life” (as in your or a human lifespan).

The last two characters mean “good.”

This also makes sense in Chinese but it reads more like, “life is all right.”

 rén
 jin
 
Benevolence Scroll

Beyond benevolence, 仁 can also be defined as “charity” or “mercy” depending on context.

The deeper meaning suggests that one should pay alms to the poor, care for those in trouble, and take care of his fellow man (or woman).

仁 is one of the five tenets of Confucius. In fact, it is a subject that Confucius spent a great deal of time explaining to his disciples.

I have also seen this benevolent-related word translated as perfect virtue, selflessness, love for humanity, humaneness, goodness, goodwill, or simply “love” in the non-romantic form.


This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here


See Also:  Altruism | Kindness | Charity | Confucius

Five Precepts

 wǔ jiè
 go kai
Five Precepts Scroll

五戒 is the title or name for the five precepts of Buddhism.

These are prohibitions against killing, theft, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication.
Also phrased as commandments against murder, stealing, adultery, false speech, and consuming intoxicating liquors.

These five precepts or “pañca-veramaṇī” apply to the Buddhist laity as well as monks and nuns. The observance of these five ensures rebirth in the human realm.

Black or white cat matters not as long as it can catch mice

Ability is more important than looks

 bù guǎn hēi māo bái māo néng zhuō zhe lǎo shǔ de jiù shì hǎo mǎo
Black or white cat matters not as long as it can catch mice Scroll

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

Life in Balance / Balancing Life

The art of balancing your life

 píng héng rén shēng
 hei kou jin sei
Life in Balance / Balancing Life Scroll

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.”

 jin sei o tano shi mi ni shi te i ru
Enjoy Life Scroll

人生を楽しみにしている is one way to write “enjoy life” in Japanese.

The character breakdown:
人生 (jinsei) life (i.e. conception to death) human lifetime, living.
を (o) connecting particle.
楽しみ (tanoshimi) enjoyment; pleasure; anticipation; looking forward to.
に (ni) connecting particle.
し (shi) to do; to cause; to become; to make (into).
て (te) connecting particle.
いる (iru) indicates continuing action or resulting state.


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

Mercy / Compassion / Love

 cí
 ji
 
Mercy / Compassion / Love Scroll

慈 is the simplest way to express the idea of compassion.

This can also mean love for your fellow humans, humanity, or living creatures. Sometimes this is extended to mean charity.

This term is often used in a Buddhist or Christian context. The concept was also spoken of by Laozi (Lao Tzu) in the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching).

慈 is considered the direct translation of the Sanskrit word मैत्री (maitrī) Pali word मेत्ता (mettā). In this context, it means benevolence, loving kindness, and goodwill.

This Chinese character is understood in Japanese but is usually used in compound words (not seen alone). Also used in old Korean Hanja, so it's very universal.


See Also:  Mercy | Benevolence | Forgiveness | Kindness

Life is Good / Life is Beautiful

 jinsei wa subarashii
Life is Good / Life is Beautiful Scroll

人生は素晴らしい means “life is good,” “life is great,” or “life is beautiful” in Japanese.

The first two characters mean “life” (as in your or a human lifespan).

The third character kind of means “is.”

The last five characters are a long adjective that means wonderful, splendid, and/or magnificent. In the context of life, it reads more like good or beautiful.


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

Kansei Engineering / Sense Engineering

 gǎn xìng gōng xué
 kansei kougaku
Kansei Engineering / Sense Engineering Scroll

In short, 感性工學 or Kansei engineering involves collecting data on human experiences with a product and then designing or engineering improvements based on those experiences or “senses.”

Some may define Kansei as “engineering around the human experience.”

There is a lot more to know about Kansei, but if you are looking for this word, you probably already know the big picture.

Note: This term is very new in China and is only used by businesses, factories, and engineers that are implementing TQM principles. While the characters have the same base meaning in both languages, this is a Japanese title that flows back into the Chinese language (in history, most things flowed from China to Japan). To a Chinese person unfamiliar with this concept, they may interpret this as “sense vocational studies,” which doesn't make much sense. You may have to explain the intended meaning to some Chinese viewers. But that can make it a great conversation piece.

Kansei is also a newer term in Korean and is only used in certain parts of the industry, with the definition of “Sensory Engineering.” Not yet in widespread use in Korea.

Above is the modern Japanese version of this title. The last character has a Traditional Chinese version, making this 感性工學 instead of 感性工学. If you want the Traditional Chinese version, please include special instructions or email me so that I make sure the calligrapher writes the version you want.


See Also:  Kaizen

Life Goes On

 jin sei ha tsudu ku
Life Goes On Scroll

人生は続く is a Japanese phrase that expresses, “Life Goes On.”

The first two characters mean “life” (literally “human life”).
The third character is a particle that connects the ideas in this phrase.
The last two characters mean “to continue,” “to last,” “to go on,” and “to occur again and again.”


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

 shēn
 mi
 
Body Scroll

身 is how to write “body” as in your human body, in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.

Depending on the context and certain language issues, this character can also mean: main part, hull, oneself, somebody, person, I, me, sword, lifetime, one's station in life, etc.

While this written word is universal in three languages, it still makes a rather odd selection for a wall scroll. Also, they tend to use 体 (karada) in Japanese for the body (depending on context).


See Also:  Karada

 xī dá duō
 shiddatta / shiddaruta
Siddhartha Scroll

悉達多 is the name Siddhartha (as in Siddhartha Gautama), the personal name for Śākyamuni.

This same Buddha is also known as “Shakyamuni Gautama,” “Gotama Buddha,” or “Tathagata.”

Siddhartha Gautama was a spiritual teacher in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent who founded Buddhism. He is generally seen by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddha (Sammāsambuddha) of known human history.

The actual meaning of this name in Chinese is the realization of all aims, or simply being prosperous.


This name is sometimes romanized from the original Sanskrit or Pali as Siddhattha (from Siddhattha Gotama), Siddharth, Siddhārtha, or Sarvāthasiddha.

Siddhārtha or Sarvāthasiddha can also be written as 悉達, 悉多, 悉多頞他, or 悉陀.

Pain

ache / sorrow

 tòng
 tsuu / ita
 
Pain Scroll

痛 means pain in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. It also means pain/hurt/bruise in Japanese but is seldom seen as a single Kanji (usually, at least a Hiragana is added to make the word “itai” which is what a Japanese person will scream when they are in pain).

Depending on the context, this word can mean hurt, ache, sorrow, or refer to damage to a human body. As a single character, the possible meanings are very open - so you can decide what it means to you, as long as the general meaning is still “painful.”


See Also:  Hurt

The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being

 butsu wa shujou no naka ni ari
The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being Scroll

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.

Jin Shin Jyutsu

 rén shén shù
 jin shin jutsu
Jin Shin Jyutsu Scroll

仁神術 is Jin Shin Jyutsu or Jin Shin Jutsu.

This is a practice of calming the mind and clearing the flow of Qi energy in the body. Jin Shin Jyutsu has some commonality with the practice of Reiki.

A good translation of 仁神術 would be “Benevolent Spirit Method.”

We can break that down into all of the possible meanings:

仁 = benevolence (esp. as a virtue of Confucianism), consideration, compassion, humanity, charity, kindness, or virtue.

神 = deity, soul, spirit, mysterious, psyche, god, divinity, spiritual powers, deva, divine, spiritual, or supernatural.

術 = way, method, means, art, trick, or plan. The correct romaji for this 術 Kanji should be “jutsu.” However, in martial arts, this is often written “jitsu” but in this case, “jyutsu” became common.

 tiān gǒu
 ten gu
Tengu Scroll

天狗 is the Japanese title for Tengu, which roughly translates as “heavenly dog.”

Tengu is a type of legendary creature found in Japanese folk religion and is also considered a type of Shinto god (kami) or yōkai (supernatural being).

The origin is Chinese, though this term is seldom used in Chinese anymore. It was a dog-like Chinese demon (Tiangou)

Although the title contains the word “dog,” the tengu are often depicted with human and bird-like characteristics. Sometimes they have large noses or beaks like birds.

Sword of Death

 satsu jin ken
Sword of Death Scroll

殺人剣 is a Japanese title for “Death Sword,” “Life Taking Sword,” or “satsujinken.”

This is the opposite of katsujinken or the “life-saving sword.” This title is not as commonly used in Japanese but pairs well when hung with katsujinken.

The first two Kanji are a word that translates as homicide, murder or kill (a person). 殺人剣 is specifically to kill a person (as the second character means person or human) as opposed to an animal, etc.

The last Kanji is the Japanese variant of the originally-Chinese character for a sword.


See Also:  Katsujinken

Goodness / Good Deed

 shàn
 zen
 
Goodness / Good Deed Scroll

善 means goodness, virtue, good deed, charitable, benevolent, well-disposed, nice, pleasant, kind, or simply, “good.”

善 is the kind of good that applies to someone's good character, or a good person in general.

Referring to someone with this word means that they have a well-aimed moral compass, and are charitable, giving, wise, and honest. Basically, this is a blanket statement for every good trait a human can have or all the things that make someone good.

In another context, it can mean to improve or perfect something or refer to someone who is good at something.

 zhī zú
 chisoku
Contentment Scroll

知足 means content with one's situation or to know contentment (hence happiness).

From the Zen Buddhist context, Chisoku or 知足 (knowing what’s enough) means always to know and be satisfied with one’s lot.

Human pain and suffering are born of greed, and that greed arises because we do not know what’s enough.

The Chinese philosopher, Menzi (372-289 BCE) said, “to nourish the mind, there is nothing better than to make the desires few.” This relays the idea that the best method to cultivate the mind is to have little desire.

 shù
 
Forgiveness Scroll

恕 means to forgive, show mercy, absolve, or excuse in Chinese and Korean Hanja (though mostly used in compound words in Korean).

恕 incorporates the pictogram of a heart at the bottom, and a woman and a mouth at the top. The heart portion has the most significance, as it is suggested that it is the heart's nature to forgive.
In Asian culture, as with most other cultures, forgiveness is an act of benevolence and altruism. In forgiving, you put yourself in someone else's shoes and show them the kindness that you would want them to show you. Confucius referred to this quality as “human-heartedness.”

Rise and Fall / Ups and Downs

Eiko-Seisui

 ei ko sei sui
Rise and Fall / Ups and Downs Scroll

This Japanese proverb can be translated as “flourish and wither, prosper and perish,” “life is full of fortune and misfortune,” or simply “vicissitudes of life.”

栄枯盛衰 / 榮枯盛衰 is about the rise and fall of human affairs or the ups and downs of life. Prosperity comes and goes, everything is fleeting and temporary, but like waves, another swell of prosperity may come.

Here's how the Kanji break down in this proverb:

栄 = prosper; thrive; flourish; boom.
枯 = wither; die.
盛 = prosperous; flourishing; thriving; successful; energetic; vigorous; enthusiastic.
衰 = become weaker; decline; get weak; die down; subside; abate; fail.


榮 Notes: The original version of the first character looks like the image to the right. In modern Japan, they simplified that Kanji a bit into the version shown above. If you have a preference for which style is used for your calligraphy, please let me know when you place your order.

Apparently, with that original version of the first character, this is also used in Korean Hanja. However, I have not confirmed that it’s used in the same way or is widely-known in Korean.

A Life of Serenity Yields Understanding

 dàn bó yǐ míng zhì, níng jìng ér zhì yuǎn
A Life of Serenity Yields Understanding Scroll

淡泊以明志寧靜而致遠 is a kind of complex ten-character proverb composed by Zhuge Liang about 1800 years ago.

This is a Chinese proverb that means “Leading a simple life will yield a clear mind, and having inner peace will help you see far (into the world).”

What I have translated as “simple life” means NOT being materialistic and NOT competing in the rat race.

The last word means “far” but the deeper meaning is that you will surpass what you can currently see or understand. Perhaps even the idea of opening up vast knowledge and understanding of complex ideas.

The whole phrase has a theme that suggests if you are NOT an aggressive cut-throat person who fights his way to the top no matter how many people he crushes on the way, and instead seek inner peace, you will have a happier existence and be more likely to understand the meaning of life.


See Also:  Serenity

Purified Spirit / Enlightened Attitude

A Japanese martial arts title/concept

 xǐ xīn
 sen shin
Purified Spirit / Enlightened Attitude Scroll

The first Kanji alone means to wash, bathe, primness, cleanse or purify.

The second Kanji means heart, mind, soul, or essence.

Together, these two Kanji create a word defined as “purified spirit” or “enlightened attitude” within Japanese martial arts.

洗心 is one of the five spirits of the warrior (budo) and is often used as a Japanese martial arts tenet. Under that context, it's often defined as a spirit that protects and harmonizes the universe. Senshin is a spirit of compassion that embraces and serves all humanity and whose function is to reconcile discord in the world. It holds all life to be sacred. It is the Buddha mind.

This title will only be familiar to Japanese who practice certain martial arts. Others may not recognize this word at all.

洗心 does not show up as a word in too many Chinese dictionaries, but it can be read and has the same meaning in Chinese.


先心 There is an issue with the first character. The original, and probably most correct version is shown above. However, many dojo documents and other sources have used a more simple first character. Arguments ensue about which version is correct. If you want to be correct in the Japanese language, use the "Select and Customize" button above. If you want to match the Kanji used by your dojo, click the Kanji shown to the right. There is a slightly different meaning with this first character which means before, ahead, previous, future, precedence.

Confucius: Golden Rule / Ethic of Reciprocity

Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself

 jǐ suǒ bú yù wù shī yú rén
Confucius: Golden Rule / Ethic of Reciprocity Scroll

Some may think of this as a “Christian trait,” but actually, it transcends many religions.

This Chinese teaching dates back to about 2,500 years ago in China. Confucius had always taught the belief in being benevolent (ren), but this idea was hard to grasp for some of his students, as benevolence could be kind-heartedness or an essence of humanity itself.

When answering Zhong Gong's question as to what "ren" actually meant, Confucius said:

己所不欲勿施于人 or "When you go out, you should behave as if you were in the presence of a distinguished guest; when people do favors for you, act as if a great sacrifice was made for you. Whatever you wouldn't like done to you, do not do that thing to others. Don't complain at work or home.”

Hearing this, Zhong Gong said humbly, “Although I am not clever, I will do what you say.”

From this encounter, the Chinese version of the “Golden Rule” or “Ethic of Reciprocity” came to be.
The characters you see above express, “Do not do to others whatever you do not want to be done to yourself.”


See Also:  Confucius Teachings | Benevolence

Islam

(phonetic version)

 yī sī lán jiào
Islam Scroll

伊斯蘭教 both means and sounds like “Islam” in Mandarin Chinese.

The first three characters sound like the word “Islam,” and the last character means “religion” or “teaching.” It's the most general term for “Islam” in China. The highest concentration of Muslims in China is Xinjiang (the vast region in northwest China that was called The East Turkistan Republic until 1949 and is sometimes called Chinese Turkistan, Uyghuristan). Here you will find Uygurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and others that are descendants of Turkmen (possibly mixed with Persians and Arabs). Many of their ancestors were traders who traveled the silk road to buy and sell spices and silk and exchange other goods from the Orient and the Middle East.

I spent some time in Xinjiang and got to know this community. They are strong people who can endure much. They are friendly and love to have a good time. I was a stranger but was treated by villagers (near China's border with Afghanistan) as if I was a good friend.
However, I have heard that it's best not to cross them, as in this land, the law is the blade, and everything is “eye for an eye.” The Chinese government has little control in Xinjiang, with almost no police officers except in the capital of Urumqi (so it's a 60-hour roundtrip train ride to seek the aid of law enforcement in most cases).

While few seem devout, there are at least small mosques in every village. And you will never see a man or woman outside without a head covering.

It should be noted that these people are all citizens of China, but they are officially of the Caucasian race. A visit to Xinjiang will change your idea of what it means to be Chinese.

Body and Earth in Unity

 shindofuni / shindofuji
Body and Earth in Unity Scroll

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

Running

...a race, a marathon, in competition

 sài pǎo
Running Scroll

賽跑 is the sport of running in Chinese.

This title suggests that this is running in a competition (not strictly for health).




This in-stock artwork might be what you are looking for, and ships right away...

Gallery Price: $400.00

Your Price: $138.88

Gallery Price: $22.00

Your Price: $12.00


The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Human Race
Humanity
Mankind
人類
人类
jinruirén lèi / ren2 lei4 / ren lei / renleijen lei / jenlei
Human Nature人性rén xìng / ren2 xing4 / ren xing / renxingjen hsing / jenhsing
The Tao or Dao of Being Human
Humanity
人道jindou / jindorén dào / ren2 dao4 / ren dao / rendaojen tao / jentao
Empathy
Humanity
人情ninjou / ninjorén qíng / ren2 qing2 / ren qing / renqingjen ch`ing / jenching / jen ching
Oneness of Heaven and Humanity天人合一tiān rén hé yī
tian1 ren2 he2 yi1
tian ren he yi
tianrenheyi
t`ien jen ho i
tienjenhoi
tien jen ho i
Kindheartedness
Benevolence
Humanity
仁德jintokurén dé / ren2 de2 / ren de / rendejen te / jente
Love for Humanity
Brotherly Love
博愛
博爱
hakuaibó ài / bo2 ai4 / bo ai / boaipo ai / poai
Impartial and Fair to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the World一視同仁
一视同仁
isshidoujin
ishidojin
yí shì tóng rén
yi2 shi4 tong2 ren2
yi shi tong ren
yishitongren
i shih t`ung jen
ishihtungjen
i shih tung jen
Speed高速kousoku / kosokugāo sù / gao1 su4 / gao su / gaosukao su / kaosu
Morning Dew朝露asatsuyuzhāo lù / zhao1 lu4 / zhao lu / zhaoluchao lu / chaolu
Men Die for Wealth, Birds Die for Food人為財死鳥為食亡
人为财死鸟为食亡
rén wèi cái sǐ niǎo wèi shí wáng
ren2 wei4 cai2 si3 niao3 wei4 shi2 wang2
ren wei cai si niao wei shi wang
jen wei ts`ai ssu niao wei shih wang
jen wei tsai ssu niao wei shih wang
Life is a Dew Drop人生朝露jin sei chou ro
jinseichouro
jin sei cho ro
rén shēng zhāo lù
ren2 sheng1 zhao1 lu4
ren sheng zhao lu
renshengzhaolu
jen sheng chao lu
jenshengchaolu
Love and Honor情義
情义
qíng yì / qing2 yi4 / qing yi / qingyich`ing i / chingi / ching i
Birth Old-Age Sickness Death生老病死shou rou byou shi
shouroubyoushi
sho ro byo shi
shēng lǎo bìng sǐ
sheng1 lao3 bing4 si3
sheng lao bing si
shenglaobingsi
sheng lao ping ssu
shenglaopingssu
Aryanアーリア人aariajin / ariajin
Blessed by Heaven天恵ten kei / tenkei
Mermaid美人魚
美人鱼
měi rén yú
mei3 ren2 yu2
mei ren yu
meirenyu
mei jen yü
meijenyü
Ichigo一護ichi go / ichigo
Hitori人里hito ri / hitori
Star Man外星人wài xīng rén
wai4 xing1 ren2
wai xing ren
waixingren
wai hsing jen
waihsingjen
Life is Short百歲光陰如過客
百岁光阴如过客
bǎi suì guāng yīn rú guò kè
bai3 sui4 guang1 yin1 ru2 guo4 ke4
bai sui guang yin ru guo ke
baisuiguangyinruguoke
pai sui kuang yin ju kuo k`o
paisuikuangyinjukuoko
pai sui kuang yin ju kuo ko
Fastyoshikuài / kuai4 / kuaik`uai / kuai
Fire and Water Have No Mercy水火無情
水火无情
shuǐ huǒ wú qíng
shui3 huo3 wu2 qing2
shui huo wu qing
shuihuowuqing
shui huo wu ch`ing
shuihuowuching
shui huo wu ching
Worldwide Wish for Peace and Prosperity啟盛世開太平
启盛世开太平
qǐ shèng shì kāi tài píng
qi3 sheng4 shi4 kai1 tai4 ping2
qi sheng shi kai tai ping
qishengshikaitaiping
ch`i sheng shih k`ai t`ai p`ing
chishengshihkaitaiping
chi sheng shih kai tai ping
Mermaid
Merman
人魚
人鱼
nin gyo / ningyorén yú / ren2 yu2 / ren yu / renyujen yü / jenyü
Triple Truth of Japanese Buddhism人間性を再生するのは寛容な心親切な言葉奉仕と思いやりの精神ningensei o saisei suruno wa kanyou na kokoro shinsetsu na kotoba houshi to omoi yari no seishin
ningensei o saisei suruno wa kanyo na kokoro shinsetsu na kotoba hoshi to omoi yari no seishin
Relax放鬆
放松
fàng sōng
fang4 song1
fang song
fangsong
fang sung
fangsung
Life is Short人生は短いjinsei ha mijikai
jinseihamijikai
Kindness
Benevolence
仁慈jin ji / jinjirén cí / ren2 ci2 / ren ci / rencijen tz`u / jentzu / jen tzu
Holy Man
Saint
聖人
圣人
seijinshèng rén
sheng4 ren2
sheng ren
shengren
sheng jen
shengjen
Live for What You Love人生謳歌jin sei ou ka
jinseiouka
jin sei o ka
Life is Good人生良好jin sei ryou kou
jinseiryoukou
jin sei ryo ko
rén shēng liáng hǎo
ren2 sheng1 liang2 hao3
ren sheng liang hao
renshenglianghao
jen sheng liang hao
jenshenglianghao
Benevolencejinrén / ren2 / renjen
Five Precepts五戒go kai / gokaiwǔ jiè / wu3 jie4 / wu jie / wujiewu chieh / wuchieh
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
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
Enjoy Life人生を楽しみにしているjin sei o tano shi mi ni shi te i ru
Mercy
Compassion
Love
jicí / ci2 / citz`u / tzu
Life is Good
Life is Beautiful
人生は素晴らしいjinsei wa subarashii
jinseiwasubarashii
jinsei wa subarashi
Kansei Engineering
Sense Engineering
感性工學
感性工学
kansei kougaku
kanseikougaku
kansei kogaku
gǎn xìng gōng xué
gan3 xing4 gong1 xue2
gan xing gong xue
ganxinggongxue
kan hsing kung hsüeh
kanhsingkunghsüeh
Life Goes On人生は続くjin sei ha tsudu ku
jinseihatsuduku
Bodymishēn / shen1 / shen
Siddhartha悉達多
悉达多
shiddatta / shiddarutaxī dá duō
xi1 da2 duo1
xi da duo
xidaduo
hsi ta to
hsitato
Paintsuu / ita / tsu / itatòng / tong4 / tongt`ung / tung
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
Jin Shin Jyutsu仁神術jin shin jutsu
jinshinjutsu
rén shén shù
ren2 shen2 shu4
ren shen shu
renshenshu
jen shen shu
jenshenshu
Tengu天狗ten gu / tengutiān gǒu / tian1 gou3 / tian gou / tiangout`ien kou / tienkou / tien kou
Sword of Death殺人剣
杀人剣
satsu jin ken
satsujinken
Goodness
Good Deed
zenshàn / shan4 / shan
Contentment知足chisokuzhī zú / zhi1 zu2 / zhi zu / zhizuchih tsu / chihtsu
Forgivenessshù / shu4 / shu
Rise and Fall
Ups and Downs
栄枯盛衰 / 榮枯盛衰
荣枯盛衰
ei ko sei sui
eikoseisui
A Life of Serenity Yields Understanding淡泊以明志寧靜而致遠
淡泊以明志宁静而致远
dàn bó yǐ míng zhì, níng jìng ér zhì yuǎn
dan4 bo2 yi3 ming2 zhi4, ning2 jing4 er2 zhi4 yuan3
dan bo yi ming zhi, ning jing er zhi yuan
tan po i ming chih, ning ching erh chih yüan
Purified Spirit
Enlightened Attitude
洗心
先心
sen shin / senshinxǐ xīn / xi3 xin1 / xi xin / xixinhsi hsin / hsihsin
Confucius: Golden Rule
Ethic of Reciprocity
己所不欲勿施於人
己所不欲勿施于人
jǐ suǒ bú yù wù shī yú rén
ji3 suo3 bu2 yu4, wu4 shi1 yu2 ren2
ji suo bu yu, wu shi yu ren
jisuobuyu,wushiyuren
chi so pu yü, wu shih yü jen
chisopuyü,wushihyüjen
Islam伊斯蘭教
伊斯兰教
yī sī lán jiào
yi1 si1 lan2 jiao4
yi si lan jiao
yisilanjiao
i ssu lan chiao
issulanchiao
Body and Earth in Unity身土不二shindofuni / shindofuji
Running賽跑
赛跑
sài pǎo / sai4 pao3 / sai pao / saipaosai p`ao / saipao / sai pao
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.


Dictionary

Lookup Human Race Humanity Mankind in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary


Successful Chinese Character and Japanese Kanji calligraphy searches within the last few hours...

7 Virtues of BushidoAbayaAbbieAbbyAbdullahAbdulrahmanAbimaelAbirAbsalomAdalenaAdamAdeelAdityaAdlaiAdnanAdolphAdrijaAdventureAetherAftabAgathaAgobartAgronAhmedAiki JujutsuAilaAileenAishaAishuAizaAjayAjinkyaAjmalAkashAkhilAkshayAlayAlbaAldanaAldinAldoAldzenAlexAlexandAlexanderAlinAlinaAlisaAlishaAllahAllysonAlmighty OmnipotentAlokAlomAlyaAmadiAmairaniAmanAmandaAmeliaAmelieAminAminaAmineAmiraAmirulAmjathAnarchyAndeeAndreanAndreeaAngelaAngelinaAngeloAngieAnikaAnilaAnkitaAnnabelleAnushaArcanaArchieAriaArloArmanArmandoArvidAsherAshokAshrafAslamAveryAyanAylaAyushAzharAzkaAzraBakiBarshaBartBasiaBasilBe Like WaterBe Like Water My FriendBe True to YourselfBeatriceBeckyBenevolenceBentonBergBertBibleBinnaBlacksmithBlancaBlessed by GodBorjeBraedenBrahmavihara - the Four ImmeasurablesBrianBrittneyBrockBruce LeeBryanBrysonBudo Kai JutsuBudo-KaiBushidokanBushidokan DojoByakuranCabralCallumCamillaCaoimheCardenasCarlCarmenCarpe DiemCaseyCassandraCassiusCatrinCaydenCelineChantalCharismaCharisseChelsyCherry BlossomChi EnergyChinaChop Wood Carry WaterChristaChung Shin Tong IlCiaraCindyClaireClarissaClaudeClaudiaCleoColbyColinConnellyConquerCourageCourage to ChangeCraneCrisCruzCullenDamarisDamianDanaDanicaDanielaDanielleDannyDaodejingDariusDarknessDarumaDavidDaviesDayanaDaynaDeanDebbieDeepakDelaDelaneyDeliaDelilahDestinyDeterminationDeviDevinDevotionDevyn

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.


A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

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.

A professional Chinese Calligrapher

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.

Trying to learn Chinese calligrapher - a futile effort

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.

A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

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 Human Race Humanity Mankind Kanji, Human Race Humanity Mankind Characters, Human Race Humanity Mankind in Mandarin Chinese, Human Race Humanity Mankind Characters, Human Race Humanity Mankind in Chinese Writing, Human Race Humanity Mankind in Japanese Writing, Human Race Humanity Mankind in Asian Writing, Human Race Humanity Mankind Ideograms, Chinese Human Race Humanity Mankind symbols, Human Race Humanity Mankind Hieroglyphics, Human Race Humanity Mankind Glyphs, Human Race Humanity Mankind in Chinese Letters, Human Race Humanity Mankind Hanzi, Human Race Humanity Mankind in Japanese Kanji, Human Race Humanity Mankind Pictograms, Human Race Humanity Mankind in the Chinese Written-Language, or Human Race Humanity Mankind in the Japanese Written-Language.