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Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in Chinese / Japanese...

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See also: Martial Arts Words and Phrases

Switched to secondary search mode due to lack of results using primary.
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Look up Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in my Japanese Kanji & Chinese Character Dictionary(My dictionary is a different system then the calligraphy search you just tried)

If you want a special phrase, word, title, name, or proverb, feel free to contact me, and I will translate your custom calligraphy idea for you.


  1. Always with a Book in Hand

  2. Black Tiger Fist

  3. The Law of Creation and Destruction

  4. Danketsu Karate-Do

  5. Dharma / The Law

  6. Dragon Fist

  7. Drunken Fist

  8. Eagle Claw Overturning Fist

  9. Fist

10. Five Elements Tai Chi Fist

11. Flying Dragon Karate-Do

12. I give you my hand

13. Goju Ryu Karate-Do

14. Iron Fist

15. Isshin Ryu Karate Do

16. Japanese Karate Association

17. Hand-to-Hand Fighting / Grappling

18. Kakuto Karate

19. Karate

20. Tang Soo Do / Tang Hand Way

21. Karate-Do

22. Karate-Do Shinyo-Kai

23. Karate Ni Sente Nashi

24. Kenpo / Kempo / Quan Fa / Chuan Fa

25. Kenka Karate

26. Kempo Karate / Law of the Fist Empty Hand

27. Law of the Fist Karate / Kempo Karate

28. Changquan / Long Fist

29. Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do

30. Monkey Fist

31. Neijia Fist

32. Nihon Karate-Do

33. Nippon Karate-Do Genbu-Kai

34. Nippon Karate Kyokai

35. Nippon Kempo

36. Nothingness / Empty / Void

37. Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate-Do

38. Okinawa Karate

39. Ryukyu Kempo

40. Shidokan

41. Shidokan Karate-Do

42. Shito-Ryu Ki-Me-Kan Karate-Do

43. Shito-Ryu Karate-Do

44. Shorinji Kempo / Kenpo

45. Shotokan Karate-Do

46. Snow Leopard Karate-Do

47. Southern Kingdom Fist

48. Tang Hand

49. Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do

50. Wado-Ryu Karate

51. White Crane Fist

52. White Crane Karate

53. White Crane Kempo

54. Wing Chun Fist Maxims

55. Wing Chun Fist

56. Wudang Fist

57. Wu Xing Fist

58. Five Ancestors Fist


Always with a Book in Hand

 shǒu bù shì juàn
Always with a Book in Hand Scroll

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.

Black Tiger Fist

 hēi hǔ quán
Black Tiger Fist Scroll

黑虎拳 is Hei Hu Quan or “Black Tiger Fist” - a school of Chinese Martial Arts.

The Law of Creation and Destruction

 shì shēng miè fǎ
 zeshoumeppou
The Law of Creation and Destruction Scroll

是生滅法 is a Buddhist term for “the law of arising and ceasing,” or, “the law of creation and destruction.”

Everything has a beginning and an end, birth and death, etc. All things follow this law.

Danketsu Karate-Do

 dan ketsu kara te dou
Danketsu Karate-Do Scroll

団結空手道 is the title for Danketsu Karate-Do, a dojo located in Stroudsburg, PA.

団結 (danketsu) means union, unity, or combination.

空手道 (karate-do) means “empty hand way.”


If you need you martial arts school/dojo/academy added to my database, just give me the info (actual Chinese/Japanese text if you have it).

Dharma / The Law

 fǎ
 hou
 
Dharma / The Law Scroll

法 is the simple way to write “law” or in a Buddhist context “Dharma.”

This can also mean method, way, or Buddhist teaching. It's also an abbreviation for the country of France.

The Buddhist context exists in Chinese and Korean Hanja but I have not yet confirmed that this means more than “law” when used alone in Japanese.

 lóng quán
Dragon Fist Scroll

龍拳 is a title that literally means “Dragon Fist.”

Drunken Fist

(A legitimate style of Kung Fu)

 zuì quán
 suiken
Drunken Fist Scroll

醉拳 is Drunken Fist, a traditional Chinese martial art/technique of Kung Fu.

It is a northern style of martial art that imitates a drunk person in its movements. Many staggering movements serve to deceive the opponent and keep them off-balance.

Some consider Drunken Fist to be among the more complex styles of martial arts due to the need for robust joints and fingers.


See Also:  Drunken Monkey

Drunken Fist

 suiken
Drunken Fist Scroll

酔拳 is the Japanese version of the title for Drunken Fist or Drunken Boxing.

Eagle Claw Overturning Fist

 yīng zhuǎ fān zi quán
Eagle Claw Overturning Fist Scroll

鷹爪翻子拳 is the title of a Chinese martial arts style known as “Ying Zhua Fan Zi Quan” or “Eagle Claw Overturning Fist.”

This style was derived from a combination of 鷹爪派 (Eagle Claw School) and 子母拳 (Son-Mother Fist). The title “son-mother” may seem odd, but it refers to a fist or punches seemingly coming out of another fist or punch. In modern times, 子母彈 is a title for “cluster bomb” (bombs coming out of another bomb).

 quán
 kobushi
 
Fist Scroll

拳 is the simplest way to express “fist” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Five Elements Tai Chi Fist

 wǔ xíng tài jí quán
 go gyou tai kyoku ken
Five Elements Tai Chi Fist Scroll

五行太極拳 is a certain school or style of Tai Chi (Taiji).

The characters literally mean “Five Elements Tai Chi Fist.”

Notes:
In Taiwan, it would be Romanized as “Wu Hsing Tai Chi Chuan” - see the standard Mandarin method above in the gray box (used in mainland China and the official Romanization used by the Library of Congress).

The last three characters are sometimes translated as “Grand Ultimate Fist,” so the whole thing can be “Five Elements Grand Ultimate Fist” if you wish.

I have not confirmed the use of this title in Korean but if it is used, it's probably only by martial arts enthusiasts. The pronunciation is correct, as shown above for Korean.

Flying Dragon Karate-Do

 fēi lóng kòng shǒu dào

 hi ryuu kara te dou
Flying Dragon Karate-Do Scroll

飛龍空手道 is the title Flying Dragon Karate-Do.

I give you my hand

 watashi no te o ataeru
I give you my hand Scroll

私の手を与える means “I give you my hand,” in Japanese.


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

Goju Ryu Karate-Do

 gou juu ryuu kara te dou
Goju Ryu Karate-Do Scroll

剛柔流空手道 is the title of the Goju-Ryu Karate-Do school of martial arts.

Iron Fist

Tie Quan / Tieh Chuan

 tiě quán
 tekken
Iron Fist Scroll

鐵拳 is a common theme used by various schools of martial arts.

鐵 means “iron” but, in some cases, can mean “indisputable.”
拳 means fist.

Some schools use the older/Taiwanese way to Romanize the iron fist, so you may have seen it spelled “Tieh Chuan” instead of “Tie Quan.” Neither way is technically incorrect.

Note that in Mandarin, the first part of the first character sounds like the English word “tea,” blending into a soft “-eh” sound. The second character sounds a lot like “chew on” but as if it is one syllable.


鉄After WWII in Japan, the Kanji for iron was simplified. This new Kanji form is shown to the right. If you want this modern Japanese version, please click on the Kanji to the right, instead of the button above. The characters shown to the left would still be considered the old or ancient Japanese version of this title.

Isshin Ryu Karate Do

 i sshin ryuu kara te dou
Isshin Ryu Karate Do Scroll

一心流空手道 is the full title for Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do.

The literal meaning is “one heart method empty hand way.”

There are other ways to translate this, but if you are looking for this title, you already know that.

This would make a great wall scroll for your dojo or private studio if you study this form of Japanese (technically from Okinawa) Karate.

Because this is a specifically-Japanese title, I strongly recommend that you select our Japanese Master Calligrapher to create this artwork.

Japanese Karate Association

 rì běn kōng shǒu xié huì
 ni hon kara te kyou kai
Japanese Karate Association Scroll

日本空手協会 is the Kanji for Nihon Karate Kyōkai or Japanese Karate Association.

Hand-to-Hand Fighting / Grappling

Kakuto

 kakutou / kakuto
Hand-to-Hand Fighting / Grappling Scroll

挌闘 is a Japanese word that means hand-to-hand fighting, grappling, or scuffling.

In the old days, this might refer to a street fight but now it can apply to martial arts and MMA techniques or bouts.


Sometimes written as 挌闘 instead of 格闘 (first Kanji varies slightly)

Kakuto Karate

 kaku tou kara te
Kakuto Karate Scroll

格闘空手 is Kakutō Karate and means Fighting Karate and/or Combat Karate.

 kōng shǒu
 kara te
Karate Scroll

空手 is the short and widely-used-in-English version of karate-do without the “do” or “dao” at the end.


Literal meaning: Empty Hand.

Tang Soo Do / Tang Hand Way

 táng shǒu dào
 kara te do
Tang Soo Do / Tang Hand Way Scroll

唐手道 is the alternate title for Karate-do.

This title uses a character, 唐, which represents the Tang Dynasty of China. Thus, this is often translated as the “Tang Hand Way” or incorrectly, “Tang Fist Way.”
I have also seen some call it “China Hand Way.”
Many in Korea refer to and romanize these characters as “Tang Soo Do” (당수도) where these characters refer to a kind of Korean style of Karate.

There is not a lot of information on this title but some believe that a simplified form of Kung Fu that started in China and ended up very popular in Japan used this title initially. It was later changed in Japan to a different Karate title which means “Empty Hand” (as in, without weapons).

Note: When used in Korean, this is pronounced 당수도. This title is often romanized as “Tang Soo Do,” “Tangsudo,” “Dang Su Do,” or “Dangsudo.” The last two romanizations on that list are the official Korean government romanization, though martial arts schools tend to use other non-standard versions.

 kōng shǒu dào
 kara te dou
Karate-Do Scroll

The literal meaning of 空手道 is “empty hand method” or “empty hand way.”

Credit is given that karate started in China but migrated and became refined and vastly popular in Japan.

Karate is a martial art that uses no blades or weapons other than the “natural weapons” God gave to humans (fists and feet). The last character somehow became optional, but the meaning of that character is “method” or “the way” as in Taoism / Daoism.

Karate-Do reached Korea, where it is known as 공수도 which can be romanized as “Kong Soo Do” or “Gong Su Do.”

Karate-Do Shinyo-Kai

 kara te dou shin you kai
Karate-Do Shinyo-Kai Scroll

空手道心養会 is the Japanese Kanji for
Karate-Dō Shinyō-Kai.

Karate Ni Sente Nashi

 karate ni sente nashi
Karate Ni Sente Nashi Scroll

空手に先手なし means there is no first attack in Karate, or there is no first strike in Karate.


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

Kenpo / Kempo / Quan Fa / Chuan Fa

 quán fǎ
 kenpou
Kenpo / Kempo / Quan Fa / Chuan Fa Scroll

拳法 is a form of martial arts that can be translated in several ways.

Some will call it “fist principles,” “the way of the fist,” or even “law of the fist.” The first character literally means fist. The second can mean law, method, way, principle, or Buddhist teaching.

Kempo is really a potluck of martial arts. Often a combination of Chinese martial arts such as Shaolin Kung Fu with Japanese martial arts such as Karate, Jujutsu (Jujitsu), Aikido, and others. You may see the term “Kempo Karate,” which basically means Karate with other disciplines added. In this way, Kempo becomes an adjective rather than a title or school of martial arts.

These facts will long be argued by various masters and students of Kempo. Even the argument as to whether it should be spelled “kenpo” or “Kempo” ensues at dojos around the world (the correct Romaji should actually be “kenpou” if you precisely follow the rules).

The benefit of Kempo is that the techniques are easier to learn and master than pure Kung Fu (wu shu). Students are often taught basic Karate moves, kicks, and punches before augmenting the basic skills with complex Kung Fu techniques. This allows students of Kempo to achieve a level where they can defend themselves or fight in a relatively short amount of time (a few years rather than a decade or more).

Because the definition of this word is so fluid, I should make some notes here:

1. Purists in Okinawa will claim that “Okinawa Kenpo” or “Ryukyu Hon Kenpo” is the original and true version of this martial art from the old kingdom. It is actually little or no connection between Okinawa Kenpo and the way the word is used elsewhere.

2. In Chinese, where these characters are pronounced “quan fa” (sometimes Romanized as “chuan fa” because the Chinese-pinyin “q” actually sounds like an English “ch” sound), these characters do not hold the connotation of being a mixed martial art. It is simply defined as “the law of the fist.”

3. My Japanese dictionary oddly defines Kenpo as the “Chinese art of self-defense.” I personally don't feel this is the most common way that people perceive the word but just something you should know.

Kenka Karate

 kanka karate
Kenka Karate Scroll

This is the title Kenka Karate in Japanese.


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

Kempo Karate / Law of the Fist Empty Hand

 kōng shǒu quán fǎ
 kara te ken pou
Kempo Karate / Law of the Fist Empty Hand Scroll

空手拳法 is the Kanji title for Kempo Karate.

The first two characters mean “karate” - technically they express “empty hand.”

The last two express “fist law” which is Romanized from Japanese as “Kenpo” or “Kempo.”

That “empty hand” translation can be understood better when you grasp the idea that karate is a martial art without weapons (other than the weapons organic to your body, such as your foot, hand, fist, etc). When you practice karate, you do so with empty hands (no weapons).

Note: There is also an antiquated way to write karate. It has the same pronunciation but a different first character which means “Tang” as in the Tang Dynasty. Some dojos use that form - let us know if you need that alternate form, and we'll add it.

Law of the Fist Karate / Kempo Karate

 quán fǎ táng shǒu
 ken pou kara te
Law of the Fist Karate / Kempo Karate Scroll

The first two characters mean “fist law” which is Romanized from Japanese as “Kenpo” or “Kempo.”

The last two are a secondary way to express “karate.”

Notes:
The more common way to express “karate” is literally “empty hand” (meaning “without weapons in your hand”). This version would be translated literally as “Tang hand” (as in the Tang Dynasty) or “China hand” (sometimes “Tang” means “China” in Japanese). Even though the character for “Tang” is used instead of “empty,” it's still pronounced “kara-te” in Japanese.

拳法唐手 is not commonly used in China - so please consider it to be a Japanese-only title.

Many Japanese people will say the last two Kanji are the old and antiquated way of saying Karate. This fact does not stop this title from existing, as these four characters are often seen in Kenpo / Kempo Dojos around the western world.

Changquan / Long Fist

 cháng quán
Changquan / Long Fist Scroll

長拳 is the title for Changquan or Chang Quan, meaning Long Fist.

This style comes from the 北少林 (Northern Shaolin). Changquan belongs to the Northern Chinese School of Martial Arts.

Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do

 matsu bayashi ryuu kara te dou
Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Scroll

鬆林流空手道 is the Japanese title for the Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do school of martial arts.

If directly translated, it means “Pine Forest Style Empty Hand Way.”

Notes:
1. 松林流 can be pronounced Matsubayashi-Ryū or Shōrin-Ryū. This can be confusing as Shōrin can also represent 少林 which refers to the Shaolin (little forest) style.
2. 松 can also be written in the traditional form of 鬆.

Monkey Fist

Saruken

 saruken
Monkey Fist Scroll

猿拳 is the Japanese martial arts title, “Monkey Fist,” referring to Monkey-Style Kung Fu.

猿拳 is very similar to a Chinese term that uses a different first character (the characters for ape and monkey were reversed when Japan borrowed Chinese characters, so this would be “Ape Fist” if a Chinese person read it).

 hóu quán
Monkey Fist Scroll

猴拳 literally means what you think, it's the “Monkey Fist” school of Kung Fu. A style that mimics the punches and movements of monkeys and apes.

Becoming popular during the Qing Dynasty, this style can trace its origins back to as early as the Song Dynasty. Some of the romance and popularity of this style comes from the novel “Journey to the West” which features the Monkey King and his fighting skills.

This novel and martial arts style has spawned a stream of Hong Kong movies featuring the Monkey King and other Kung Fu style variations such as “Drunken Monkey” and “Monkey Stealing Peaches” (a technique of disabling your opponent by grabbing and yanking on his testicles).


Note: This kind of makes sense in Korean Hanja and Japanese Kanji but probably unknown by all Koreans and Japanese except those who have an interest in this form of Kung Fu.

 nèi jiā quán
 naikaken
Neijia Fist Scroll

内家拳 is Neijia Fist or internal martial arts.

内家拳 is a Chinese martial arts style based on spiritual, mental, or qi-related aspects.

This style is somewhat known in martial arts circles in Japan as well.

Nihon Karate-Do

 ni hon kara te do
Nihon Karate-Do Scroll

日本空手道 is the title Nihon Karate Do in Japanese Kanji.

The literal meaning is “Japan(ese) empty hand way.”

Nippon Karate-Do Genbu-Kai

Japanese Genbu Karate Club

 rì běn kōng shǒu dào xuán wǔ huì
 ni ppon kara te dou gen bu kai
Nippon Karate-Do Genbu-Kai Scroll

日本空手道玄武會 is the title for Nippon Karate-Do Genbu-Kai.
A Japanese karate association of the Genbu school.

Note that while this title does make perfect sense in Chinese, it is really a Japanese title. In fact, the first word is “Japanese/Japan.”


If you’d like your martial arts school, dojo or club added to our calligraphy database for easy ordering of a custom calligraphy wall scroll, just contact me.

Nippon Karate Kyokai

 nippon karate kyokai
Nippon Karate Kyokai Scroll

日本空手協会 is the title for Nippon Karate Kyokai in Japanese Kanji.

Nippon Kempo

 nippon kenpou / nihon kenpou
Nippon Kempo Scroll

日本拳法 is the title for Nippon Kempo, Japanese Kempo, Nihon Kempo, or Nippon Kenpo.

While Kempo or Kenpo is already a Japanese term, this has the word “Japan” (Nippon) to drive home the fact that this refers to the Japanese martial art of Kenpo.

Nothingness / Empty / Void

 xū kōng
 kokuu
Nothingness / Empty / Void Scroll

虛空 means empty space, empty sky, or void.

In the Buddhist context, it can mean “emptiness of the material world.” This can also be used as an adjective to modify other words with a meaning of unreal or insubstantial.

Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate-Do

 oki nawa gou juu ryuu kara te dou
Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate-Do Scroll

沖縄剛柔流空手道 is the title of the Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate-Do school of martial arts.

Okinawa Karate

 chōng shéng kōng shǒu
 oki nawa kara te
Okinawa Karate Scroll

沖縄空手 is the title for Okinawa Karate.

Ryukyu Kempo

 Ryuu kyuu ken pou
Ryukyu Kempo Scroll

琉球拳法 is the Kanji for the Japanese martial arts school, Ryukyu Kempo.

Shidokan (Karate)

 shi dou kan
Shidokan (Karate) Scroll

士道館 is the Japanese title for Shidōkan, a style of full-contact karate.

士道館 is a newer karate style founded in 1980 by Yoshiji Soeno.

Shidokan Karate-Do

 shi dou kan kara te dou
Shidokan Karate-Do Scroll

士道館空手道 is the full Japanese title for Shidōkan Karate-Do, a style of full-contact karate.

This is a newer karate style, founded in 1980 by Yoshiji Soeno.

Shito-Ryu Ki-Me-Kan Karate-Do

 mì dōng liú qì mù guǎn kōng shǒu dào
 shito-ryu ki-me-kan karate-dou
Shito-Ryu Ki-Me-Kan Karate-Do Scroll

糸東流氣目館空手道 is the title for Shito-Ryu Ki-Me-Kan Karate-Do.
A school of Karate.

Note that while this title can be pronounced in Chinese, it only makes complete sense in Japanese.

Shito-Ryu Karate-Do

 shii tou ryuu kara te dou
Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Scroll

糸東流空手道 is the title for Shito-Ryu Karate-Do.

Shorinji Kempo / Kenpo

 shào lín sì quán fǎ
 shourinji kenpou
Shorinji Kempo / Kenpo Scroll

少林寺拳法 is a specific type of martial art in Japan that claims origins in the Kung Fu practiced in the original Shaolin Monastery of China.

The first three characters mean “Shaolin Monastery,” and you might notice the Japanese is pronounced in a very similar way. The reason is, many words were “borrowed” from the original Chinese when Japan did not have a written language and simply absorbed Chinese characters into their language around the 5th century. When a Japanese word did not exist, the Chinese pronunciation was often absorbed as well as the written form.

The last two characters mean “fist law” or “method of the fist.” It has long been argued as to whether the Japanese for these characters should be Romanized as “kempo” or “kenpo.” The official method should be “kenpou” but it's common to drop the “u” that comes after the “o.”

I imagine if you are looking for this title, you already know what it means, so the above is simply extra information that a student of Shorinji Kempo might want to know.

Shotokan Karate-Do

 sōng tāo guǎn kōng shǒu dào
 shou tou kan kara te dou
Shotokan Karate-Do Scroll

鬆濤館空手道 art the Japanese Kanji that make up the title for Shotokan Karate.

This should be considered a Japanese-only title. It does make sense and is pronounceable in Chinese and Korean but only as a title for a building (perhaps a martial arts hall) surrounded by pine trees - followed by the characters for “The empty hand method” (kong shou dao / Karate-do). Also, the first two characters were simplified in both Japanese and Chinese. The third character was simplified in Chinese but not Japanese.

Upon request, we can offer the fully traditional Chinese version but be sure you know what you are asking for.

Note: This would be understood in Chinese and Korean Hanja by a person from those cultures familiar with martial arts and various schools of Japanese karate.

Snow Leopard Karate-Do

 xuě bào kōng shǒu dào
 yukihyou karate
Snow Leopard Karate-Do Scroll

雪豹空手道 is the Japanese (and Chinese) title for Snow Leopard Karate-Do.

Southern Kingdom Fist

 nán guó quán
Southern Kingdom Fist Scroll

南國拳 means Southern Kingdom Fist in Chinese.

I don't know if this is a widely-known style of martial arts. I added it because people were searching my website for it.

 táng shǒu
 kara te
Tang Hand Scroll

唐手 is a very seldom-used title for Karate.

This title uses a character that represents the Tang Dynasty of China. Thus, this is often translated as the “Tang Hand” or, incorrectly, “Tang Fist.”

I have also seen some call it “China Hand.”


There is not a lot of information on this title but some believe that a simplified form of Kung Fu that started in China, and ended up very popular in Japan used this title initially. It was later changed in Japan to a different Karate title which means "Empty Hand" (as in, without weapons).

I am sure that some will suggest a different history or argue a different origin. I think that nobody can be sure.

Note: Just like the more conventional Karate title, this one can have the "way" or "method" character added to the end, as in Karate-Do.

Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do

 ue chi ryuu kara te dou
Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Scroll

上地流空手道 is the title of the Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do school of Okinawan martial arts.

Uechi means “higher stages of practice” in a Buddhist context.

Wado-Ryu Karate

 wa dou ryuu kara te
Wado-Ryu Karate Scroll

和道流空手 is the Japanese martial arts title, “Wado-Ryu Karate.”


See Also:  Wado-Kai

White Crane Fist

 bái hè quán
White Crane Fist Scroll

白鶴拳 is the title for the White Crane Fist style of martial arts.

白鶴拳 is also known as “Baihequan” or “Fujian White Crane.”

White Crane Karate

 shiro tsuru kara te
White Crane Karate Scroll

This is the title for White Crane Karate in Japanese Kanji.

White Crane Kempo

 hakka ku ken pou
White Crane Kempo Scroll

白鶴拳法 means White Crane Kenpo.

This can be romanized as Hakutsuru Kempo or Hakkaku Kenpō in Japanese.

Wing Chun Fist Maxims

Wing Chun Kuen Kuit

Wing Chun Fist Maxims Scroll

This text is the chant or poem of Wing Chun.

I call it a “chant” because it was meant to be a somewhat rhythmic poem to help practitioners memorize many aspects of Wing Chun.

The Chinese text:
1 有手黐手,無手問手
2 來留區送, 甩手直沖
3 怕打終歸打, 貪打終被打
4 粘連迫攻, 絕不放鬆
5 來力瀉力, 借力出擊
6 步步追形, 點點朝午
7 以形補手, 敗形不敗馬
8 腰馬一致, 心意合一
9 拳由心發, 動法無形
10 活人練活死功夫

You will see this referred to as “Wing Chun Kuem Kuit.” This Cantonese romanization is popular in the west (and there is no official way to romanize Cantonese, so many variations exist). In Mandarin, it would be, “Yong Chun Quan Jue.” The last character (kuit or kyut from Cantonese, jue or chüeh from Mandarin) kind of means “secrets of the art.” It's a short way to write 口訣, meaning “mnemonic chant” or “rhyme for remembering.”

In the west (especially in the military), we often use acronyms to remember things. There are no initials to make acronyms in Chinese, so in ancient times, chants like this are used to remember vast amounts of information. I will presume you already know the meaning of the 10 maxims, so I will skip that to keep this calligraphy entry from getting too large.

Some think 练拳者必记 is the title but that just says, “(When) training (the) fist, people should remember:.” Therefore, I've not included that in the calligraphy. However, you can put a note in the special instructions if you want it added.

Note: On a traditional calligraphy wall scroll, the characters will be written in vertical columns, starting from the right, and proceeding left.


Note: This is an except and variation from a huge 口訣. These 10 maxims are used extensively in Wing Chun training, and you’ll find them all over the internet. Just know there is a much longer version out there, along with several variations and excepts like this one. If you know of, or want a different version, just contact me, and I will add it for you.

Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 1)

Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 1) Scroll

A customer asked me to split these Wing Chun maxims into two parts, so he could order a couplet. I thought this was a good idea, so it's been added here.

The Chinese text of part 1:
1 有手黐手,無手問手
2 來留區送, 甩手直沖
3 怕打終歸打, 貪打終被打
4 粘連迫攻, 絕不放鬆
5 來力瀉力, 借力出擊

A couplet is a set of two wall scrolls that start and finish one phrase or idea. Often, couplets are hung with the first wall scroll on the right side, and the second on the left side of a doorway or entrance. The order in Chinese is right-to-left, so that's why the first wall scroll goes on the right as you face the door.

Of course, couplets can also be hung together on a wall. Often they can be hung to flank an altar, or table with incense, or even flanking a larger central wall scroll. See an example here from the home of Confucius

Be sure to order both parts 1 and 2 together. One without the other is like Eve without Adam.

Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 2)

Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 2) Scroll

A customer asked me to split these Wing Chun maxims into two parts, so he could order a couplet.

It thought this was a good idea, so it's been added here.

Chinese text of Part 2:
6 步步追形, 點點朝午
7 以形補手, 敗形不敗馬
8 腰馬一致, 心意合一
9 拳由心發, 動法無形
10 活人練活死功夫

Be sure to order both part 1 and part 2 together. They need to be a matched set. It will be incomplete as a single wall scroll. Also, each wall scroll is handmade, so if you order them separately, weeks or months apart, they will vary a little by length, shade of paper, etc.

Wing Chun Fist

 yǒng chūn quán
 wing chun kuen
Wing Chun Fist Scroll

詠春拳 is the title for the “Wing Chun” school of martial arts but with the addition of the character for “fist” at the end. So this is “Wing Chun Fist” or literally “Singing Spring Fist.”

There are lots of alternate Cantonese romanizations for this, such as “Wing Chun Kuen,” “Wing Tsun Cheun,” “Eng Chun Pai,” and “Wing Ceon Kyun.” The characters are the same; just the lack of a standard Cantonese romanization means that people make up their own based on what they think it sounds like.

 wǔ dāng quán
Wudang Fist Scroll

武當拳 means Wudang Quan or Wudang Fist.

Wudang (sometimes romanized as Wutang or Wu Tang) refers to a Mountain range in northwest Hubei. The Wudang martial arts style refers to a version of Shaolin Kung Fu.

Wu Xing Fist

Five Forms Fist of Kung Fu

 wǔ xíng quán
 gokeiken
Wu Xing Fist Scroll

五形拳 is “Wu Xing Fist” or “Five Form Fist.”

The forms refer to Dragon, Snake, Tiger, Crane, and Leopard.

This term is used in Kung Fu, and is recognized by both Chinese and Japanese practitioners of martial arts.

Five Ancestors Fist

 wǔ zǔ quán
Five Ancestors Fist Scroll

五祖拳 is a martial arts concept (or school) known as Five Ancestors' Fist.

The first character means five.
The second means ancestor, forefather, or grandparents.
The third means fist.

The ancestors referred to by this title and whose attributes contribute to this style are as follows:
1. Grace of the White Crane.
2. Agility of the Monkey.
3. Precision and skill of Emperor Taizu (great mythical ancestor).
4. Power of Luohan (Buddhist arhat).
5. Breath of Damo (founder of Buddhism, or the first Buddha).




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

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
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
Black Tiger Fist黑虎拳hēi hǔ quán
hei1 hu3 quan2
hei hu quan
heihuquan
hei hu ch`üan
heihuchüan
hei hu chüan
The Law of Creation and Destruction是生滅法
是生灭法
zeshoumeppou
zeshomepo
shì shēng miè fǎ
shi4 sheng1 mie4 fa3
shi sheng mie fa
shishengmiefa
shih sheng mieh fa
shihshengmiehfa
Danketsu Karate-Do団結空手道dan ketsu kara te dou
danketsukaratedou
dan ketsu kara te do
Dharma
The Law
hou / hofǎ / fa3 / fa
Dragon Fist龍拳
龙拳
lóng quán
long2 quan2
long quan
longquan
lung ch`üan
lungchüan
lung chüan
Drunken Fist醉拳suikenzuì quán / zui4 quan2 / zui quan / zuiquantsui ch`üan / tsuichüan / tsui chüan
Drunken Fist酔拳suiken
Eagle Claw Overturning Fist鷹爪翻子拳
鹰爪翻子拳
yīng zhuǎ fān zi quán
ying1 zhua3 fan1 zi5 quan2
ying zhua fan zi quan
yingzhuafanziquan
ying chua fan tzu ch`üan
yingchuafantzuchüan
ying chua fan tzu chüan
Fistkobushiquán / quan2 / quanch`üan / chüan
Five Elements Tai Chi Fist五行太極拳
五行太极拳
go gyou tai kyoku ken
gogyoutaikyokuken
go gyo tai kyoku ken
wǔ xíng tài jí quán
wu3 xing2 tai4 ji2 quan2
wu xing tai ji quan
wuxingtaijiquan
wu hsing t`ai chi ch`üan
wuhsingtaichichüan
wu hsing tai chi chüan
Flying Dragon Karate-Do飛龍空手道
飞龙空手道
hi ryuu kara te dou
hiryuukaratedou
hi ryu kara te do
fēi lóng kòng shǒu dào
fei1 long2 kong4 shou3 dao4
fei long kong shou dao
feilongkongshoudao
fei lung k`ung shou tao
feilungkungshoutao
fei lung kung shou tao
I give you my hand私の手を與える
私の手を与える
watashi no te o ataeru
watashinoteoataeru
Goju Ryu Karate-Do剛柔流空手道
刚柔流空手道
gou juu ryuu kara te dou
goujuuryuukaratedou
go ju ryu kara te do
Iron Fist鐵拳
铁拳 / 鉄拳
tekken / tekentiě quán / tie3 quan2 / tie quan / tiequant`ieh ch`üan / tiehchüan / tieh chüan
Isshin Ryu Karate Do一心流空手道i sshin ryuu kara te dou
isshinryuukaratedou
i shin ryu kara te do
Japanese Karate Association日本空手協會
日本空手協会
ni hon kara te kyou kai
nihonkaratekyoukai
ni hon kara te kyo kai
rì běn kōng shǒu xié huì
ri4 ben3 kong1 shou3 xie2 hui4
ri ben kong shou xie hui
ribenkongshouxiehui
jih pen k`ung shou hsieh hui
jihpenkungshouhsiehhui
jih pen kung shou hsieh hui
Hand-to-Hand Fighting
Grappling
格闘 / 挌闘
格闘
kakutou / kakuto
kakuto / kakuto
Kakuto Karate格闘空手kaku tou kara te
kakutoukarate
kaku to kara te
Karate空手kara te / karatekōng shǒu
kong1 shou3
kong shou
kongshou
k`ung shou
kungshou
kung shou
Tang Soo Do
Tang Hand Way
唐手道kara te do / karatedotáng shǒu dào
tang2 shou3 dao4
tang shou dao
tangshoudao
t`ang shou tao
tangshoutao
tang shou tao
Karate-Do空手道kara te dou
karatedou
kara te do
kōng shǒu dào
kong1 shou3 dao4
kong shou dao
kongshoudao
k`ung shou tao
kungshoutao
kung shou tao
Karate-Do Shinyo-Kai空手道心養会kara te dou shin you kai
karatedoushinyoukai
kara te do shin yo kai
Karate Ni Sente Nashi空手に先手なしkarate ni sente nashi
karatenisentenashi
Kenpo
Kempo
Quan Fa
Chuan Fa
拳法kenpou / kenpoquán fǎ / quan2 fa3 / quan fa / quanfach`üan fa / chüanfa / chüan fa
Kenka Karateけんか空手kanka karate
kankakarate
Kempo Karate
Law of the Fist Empty Hand
空手拳法kara te ken pou
karatekenpou
kara te ken po
kōng shǒu quán fǎ
kong1 shou3 quan2 fa3
kong shou quan fa
kongshouquanfa
k`ung shou ch`üan fa
kungshouchüanfa
kung shou chüan fa
Law of the Fist Karate
Kempo Karate
拳法唐手ken pou kara te
kenpoukarate
ken po kara te
quán fǎ táng shǒu
quan2 fa3 tang2 shou3
quan fa tang shou
quanfatangshou
ch`üan fa t`ang shou
chüanfatangshou
chüan fa tang shou
Changquan
Long Fist
長拳
长拳
cháng quán
chang2 quan2
chang quan
changquan
ch`ang ch`üan
changchüan
chang chüan
Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do松林流空手道matsu bayashi ryuu kara te dou
matsu bayashi ryu kara te do
Monkey Fist猿拳saruken
Monkey Fist猴拳hóu quán / hou2 quan2 / hou quan / houquanhou ch`üan / houchüan / hou chüan
Neijia Fist内家拳naikakennèi jiā quán
nei4 jia1 quan2
nei jia quan
neijiaquan
nei chia ch`üan
neichiachüan
nei chia chüan
Nihon Karate-Do日本空手道ni hon kara te do
nihonkaratedo
Nippon Karate-Do Genbu-Kai日本空手道玄武會
日本空手道玄武会
ni ppon kara te dou gen bu kai
nipponkaratedougenbukai
ni pon kara te do gen bu kai
rì běn kōng shǒu dào xuán wǔ huì
ri4 ben3 kong1 shou3 dao4 xuan2 wu3 hui4
ri ben kong shou dao xuan wu hui
jih pen k`ung shou tao hsüan wu hui
jih pen kung shou tao hsüan wu hui
Nippon Karate Kyokai日本空手協會
日本空手協会
nippon karate kyokai
nipponkaratekyokai
nipon karate kyokai
Nippon Kempo日本拳法nippon kenpou / nihon kenpou
nipon kenpo / nihon kenpo
Nothingness
Empty
Void
虛空
虚空
kokuu / kokuxū kōng / xu1 kong1 / xu kong / xukonghsü k`ung / hsükung / hsü kung
Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate-Do沖縄剛柔流空手道
沖縄刚柔流空手道
oki nawa gou juu ryuu kara te dou
oki nawa go ju ryu kara te do
Okinawa Karate沖縄空手oki nawa kara te
okinawakarate
chōng shéng kōng shǒu
chong1 sheng2 kong1 shou3
chong sheng kong shou
chongshengkongshou
ch`ung sheng k`ung shou
chungshengkungshou
chung sheng kung shou
Ryukyu Kempo琉球拳法Ryuu kyuu ken pou
Ryuukyuukenpou
Ryu kyu ken po
Shidokan (Karate)士道館shi dou kan
shidoukan
shi do kan
Shidokan Karate-Do士道館空手道shi dou kan kara te dou
shidoukankaratedou
shi do kan kara te do
Shito-Ryu Ki-Me-Kan Karate-Do糸東流氣目館空手道
糸东流気目馆空手道
shito-ryu ki-me-kan karate-dou
shito-ryu ki-me-kan karate-do
mì dōng liú qì mù guǎn kōng shǒu dào
mi4 dong1 liu2 qi4 mu4 guan3 kong1 shou3 dao4
mi dong liu qi mu guan kong shou dao
mi tung liu ch`i mu kuan k`ung shou tao
mi tung liu chi mu kuan kung shou tao
Shito-Ryu Karate-Do糸東流空手道
糸东流空手道
shii tou ryuu kara te dou
shiitouryuukaratedou
shi to ryu kara te do
Shorinji Kempo
Kenpo
少林寺拳法shourinji kenpou
shourinjikenpou
shorinji kenpo
shào lín sì quán fǎ
shao4 lin2 si4 quan2 fa3
shao lin si quan fa
shaolinsiquanfa
shao lin ssu ch`üan fa
shaolinssuchüanfa
shao lin ssu chüan fa
Shotokan Karate-Do鬆濤館空手道
松涛館空手道
shou tou kan kara te dou
shoutoukankaratedou
sho to kan kara te do
sōng tāo guǎn kōng shǒu dào
song1 tao1 guan3 kong1 shou3 dao4
song tao guan kong shou dao
songtaoguankongshoudao
sung t`ao kuan k`ung shou tao
sungtaokuankungshoutao
sung tao kuan kung shou tao
Snow Leopard Karate-Do雪豹空手道yukihyou karate
yukihyoukarate
yukihyo karate
xuě bào kōng shǒu dào
xue3 bao4 kong1 shou3 dao4
xue bao kong shou dao
xuebaokongshoudao
hsüeh pao k`ung shou tao
hsüehpaokungshoutao
hsüeh pao kung shou tao
Southern Kingdom Fist南國拳
南国拳
nán guó quán
nan2 guo2 quan2
nan guo quan
nanguoquan
nan kuo ch`üan
nankuochüan
nan kuo chüan
Tang Hand唐手kara te / karatetáng shǒu
tang2 shou3
tang shou
tangshou
t`ang shou
tangshou
tang shou
Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do上地流空手道ue chi ryuu kara te dou
uechiryuukaratedou
ue chi ryu kara te do
Wado-Ryu Karate和道流空手wa dou ryuu kara te
wadouryuukarate
wa do ryu kara te
White Crane Fist白鶴拳
白鹤拳
bái hè quán
bai2 he4 quan2
bai he quan
baihequan
pai ho ch`üan
paihochüan
pai ho chüan
White Crane Karate白鶴空手shiro tsuru kara te
shirotsurukarate
White Crane Kempo白鶴拳法
白鹤拳法
hakka ku ken pou
hakkakukenpou
haka ku ken po
Wing Chun Fist Maxims有手黐手無手問手來留區送甩手直沖怕打終歸打貪打終被打粘連迫攻絕不放鬆來力瀉力借力出擊步步追形點點朝午以形補手敗形不敗馬腰馬一致心意合一拳由心發動法無形活人練活死功夫
有手黐手无手问手来留区送甩手直冲怕打终归打贪打终被打粘连迫攻绝不放松来力泻力借力出击步步追形点点朝午以形补手败形不败马腰马一致心意合一拳由心发动法无形活人练活死功夫
Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 1)有手黐手無手問手來留區送甩手直沖怕打終歸打貪打終被打粘連迫攻絕不放鬆來力瀉力借力出擊
有手黐手无手问手来留区送甩手直冲怕打终归打贪打终被打粘连迫攻绝不放松来力泻力借力出击
Wing Chun Fist Maxims (Part 2)步步追形點點朝午以形補手敗形不敗馬腰馬一致心意合一拳由心發動法無形活人練活死功夫
步步追形点点朝午以形补手败形不败马腰马一致心意合一拳由心发动法无形活人练活死功夫
Wing Chun Fist詠春拳
咏春拳
yǒng chūn quán
yong3 chun1 quan2
yong chun quan
yongchunquan
yung ch`un ch`üan
yungchunchüan
yung chun chüan
Wudang Fist武當拳
武当拳
wǔ dāng quán
wu3 dang1 quan2
wu dang quan
wudangquan
wu tang ch`üan
wutangchüan
wu tang chüan
Wu Xing Fist五形拳gokeikenwǔ xíng quán
wu3 xing2 quan2
wu xing quan
wuxingquan
wu hsing ch`üan
wuhsingchüan
wu hsing chüan
Five Ancestors Fist五祖拳wǔ zǔ quán
wu3 zu3 quan2
wu zu quan
wuzuquan
wu tsu ch`üan
wutsuchüan
wu tsu chüan
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line.
In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese.


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Some people may refer to this entry as Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Kanji, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Characters, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in Mandarin Chinese, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Characters, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in Chinese Writing, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in Japanese Writing, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in Asian Writing, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Ideograms, Chinese Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand symbols, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Hieroglyphics, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Glyphs, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in Chinese Letters, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Hanzi, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in Japanese Kanji, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand Pictograms, Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in the Chinese Written-Language, or Kempo Karate Law of the Fist Empty Hand in the Japanese Written-Language.

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