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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

West in Chinese / Japanese...

Buy a West calligraphy wall scroll here!

Personalize your custom “West” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “West” title below...


  1. West

  2. Journey to the West

  3. Jericho

  4. Wine / Alcohol / Sake

  5. Drunken Monkey Kung Fu

  6. Monkey King

  7. Aysia

  8. Happiness / Joy

  9. Palestine

10. Drunken Monkey

11. Zen Garden

12. Meditation

13. Pure Land / Jodo

14. Rose

15. Monkey King

16. American Samoa

17. Shin Buddhism

18. Fu Dog / Foo Dog

19. Guardian Angel

20. Heike Star / Betelgeuse

21. Wukong / Goku

22. Sun Wukong / Son Goku

23. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

24. Aikido

25. Happiness / Joyful / Joy

26. Sun Tzu - Art of War

27. Accountant / CPA

28. Wing Chun Fist Maxims

29. Diamond

30. Engineer

31. Monkey Fist

32. 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary

33. Love

34. Chess

35. Hua Mulan

36. Ninja

37. Sensei / Master / Teacher / Mister

38. Mind Body Spirit

39. Shogun / Japanese General

40. Double Happiness

41. Confucius

42. Kung Fu / Gong Fu

43. Qi Gong / Chi Kung

44. Mountain Travels Poem by Dumu


West

Direction

 xī
 nishi
 
West Scroll

西 is west, as in the direction, in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Journey to the West

 xī yóu jì
 sei yuu ki
Journey to the West Scroll

西遊記 is the original title of the novel Journey to the West.

Written during the Ming dynasty, this novel by Wu Cheng'en (吳承恩) is one of the four classic stories of Chinese literature.

Sometimes this book is titled, Pilgrimage to the West, Monkey King, or Magic Monkey.

Many movies and TV series depict or adapt portions of this story.

 jié lǐ kē
Jericho Scroll

This is the Chinese name for Jericho (as in the town in West Bank).

Wine / Alcohol / Sake

 jiǔ
 sake / shu
 
Wine / Alcohol / Sake Scroll

酒 is the Chinese character, Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji which means alcohol.

This can refer to wine (esp. rice wine), liquor, spirits, sake, or to alcoholic beverages in general.

In the west, we tend to say “sake” to mean Japanese rice wine, however, this character is a little ambiguous in Japanese. It literally just means alcohol and is often pronounced “shu” in Japanese. Specifically, in Japanese, you might want to ask for “seishu” or 清酒 to get the sake that you are used to in the west. Seishu literally means “clear alcohol.”

Drunken Monkey Kung Fu

 zuì hóu gōng fu
Drunken Monkey Kung Fu Scroll

醉猴功夫 is the title for Drunken Monkey Kung Fu (Gong Fu).

The martial arts style was inspired by the novel, “Journey to the West.”


See Also:  Monkey Fist

 měi hóu wáng
Monkey King Scroll

美猴王 is the specific title for “Monkey King.”

A character made famous by the ancient novel Journey to the West.

It literally means “Handsome/Beautiful Monkey King.”


See Also:  Monkey Fist | Drunken Monkey

 ài xī yà
Aysia Scroll

愛西亞 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Aysia.

The meaning is “Love West Asia,” although it will be read as a name, rather than this meaning by most.

Happiness / Joy

 xǐ
 
Happiness / Joy Scroll

禧 is the type of happiness known in the west as “joy.”

The radical on the right side of this character is often seen alone (with the same meaning - and we do recommend that version because it's more universal).

 bā lè sī tǎn
Palestine Scroll

巴勒斯坦 is the Chinese name for Palestine.

Currently, this refers to the Palestinian territories (collectively the territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip) but will still be the same title if a state of Palestine is established.


See Also:  Asia | Israel

Drunken Monkey

 zuì hóu
Drunken Monkey Scroll

醉猴 is the short title for Drunken Monkey (often used as a title for a style of martial arts or kung fu which mimics the movements of a drunk monkey).

This martial arts style was inspired by the novel, “Journey to the West.”


See Also:  Monkey Fist

 chán yuán
 zen sono
Zen Garden Scroll

禪園 literally means “meditation garden.”

The first character happens to be known as Zen in the west (the pronunciation comes from Japanese) but this title is not often used in Japan (won't be recognized as a Japanese title).

The title “Zen Garden” was made up by westerners I'm afraid.

 míng xiǎng
 mei sou
Meditation Scroll

This encompasses the idea of meditation.

It's also a term used to describe a deep form of daydreaming, exploring one's imagination, the act of contemplating, or the idea of contemplation. 冥想 is often associated with Buddhism; however, the word “Zen” in Japanese (or “Chan” in Chinese) is probably more commonly used (or better known in the west).


See Also:  Zen

Pure Land / Jodo

Also a sect of Buddhism

 jìng tǔ
 jou do
Pure Land / Jodo Scroll

淨土 literally means “pure land” or “clean earth.”

淨土 is also the abbreviated title of a Buddhist sect that involves faith in the rebirth of Buddha Amitabha (Amitābha) in the Western Heaven. Sometimes this sect is translated as “Paradise of the West.” Other titles of this school of Buddhism include Amidism or Elysium.


See Also:  Nirvana | Shin Buddhism

Rose

(Name used in botany and some poems)

 yě qiáng wēi
 nobara
Rose Scroll

野薔薇 is both the technical term for rose in the science of botany. However, it also means wild rose and can be found in some forms of poetry as well.

If you are wondering, this word for rose sounds good in Chinese, not like a super-technical such as the Latin words we use for scientific terms in the west).

 hóu wáng
Monkey King Scroll

猴王 is the short title for “Monkey King.” This can refer to the character made famous by the ancient novel Journey to the West.

This literally reads “Monkey King.” However, this title is open to interpretation and could be used for someone who is the boss of the primate exhibit at the zoo or certain characters in Chinese opera.


See Also:  Monkey Fist | Drunken Monkey

American Samoa

 měi shǔ sà mó yà
American Samoa Scroll

This is the Chinese name for the territory of American Samoa (formerly known as Eastern Samoa).

This should not be confused with Independent Somoa which is to the west.

If you want just a general “Samoa” title, just use the plain “Samoa” entry, as it does not actually designate western, eastern, American, or independent.


See Also:  Oceania

Shin Buddhism

True Pure Land Buddhism

 jou do shin shuu
Shin Buddhism Scroll

浄土真宗 is known in the west as “Shin Buddhism.”

This is a school of Japanese “Pure Land Buddhism.” This form is also known as “True Pure Land Buddhism” or “Jodoshinshu” (jōdoshinshū).

If you are looking for this title, you probably already know the rest of the story.


See Also:  Pure Land Buddhism

Fu Dog / Foo Dog

 shí shī zi
Fu Dog / Foo Dog Scroll

While known in the west as fu dogs or foo dogs, these are actually guardian lions.

These are the lion statues traditionally placed at the entrance of Chinese imperial palaces, imperial tombs, temples, and high-ranking officials' homes. These days, you are more likely to see them at the entrance to a fancy Chinese restaurant.

石獅子 means “stone lion(s).”

Guardian Angel

 shǒu hù tiān shǐ
 shu go ten shi
Guardian Angel Scroll

守護天使 is the title used for guardian angel in Chinese and Japanese Kanji.

It's used in the same way we use this title in the west - such as a guardian angel watching out for you and allowing you to survive a disaster or accident.

The first two characters mean to guard and protect. The second two mean “angel” (literally “Heaven's messenger”).

Heike Star / Betelgeuse

 hei ke boshi
Heike Star / Betelgeuse Scroll

平家星 is the old Japanese title for the Betelgeuse star in the constellation Orion.

While also known as Alpha Orionis or Betelgeuse in the West, this was the “Heike star” in Japan.

The powerful Taira clan, known colloquially as the 平家 (Heike clan), adopted this star's red color as its symbol sometime in the late 800s AD. They called the star 平家星 (Heike-boshi).

Wukong / Goku

Monkey King

 wù kōng
 go kuu
Wukong / Goku Scroll

悟空 is the short name or given name of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, from the ancient Chinese novel Journey to the West.

This title is also known as the given name of the Monkey King in Japanese. This can also be Goku, short for Son Goku, a fictional character of the Dragon Ball Japanese manga series (also based loosely on the Monkey King).

Sun Wukong / Son Goku

Monkey King

 sūn wù kōng
 son go kuu
Sun Wukong / Son Goku Scroll

孫悟空 is the name Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King. He is the main character with supernatural powers in the ancient Chinese novel Journey to the West.

This title is also known as the real name of the Monkey King in Japanese. This can also be the Son Goku, better known as simply Goku, a fictional character of the Dragon Ball Japanese manga series.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

 wò hǔ cáng lóng
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Scroll

臥虎藏龍 is the movie title of the Kung Fu epic that was very popular in the west a few years back.

This is a re-ordering of an ancient Chinese proverb that refers to undiscovered talents.

The movie was one of the most popular Chinese foreign films to ever debut in the USA but received a lukewarm reception in China.

Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.

 hé qì dào
 ai ki dou
Aikido Scroll

合気道 is the modern Japanese way to write Aikido.

Aikido is often referred to as the defensive martial art.

While Aikido was born in Japan, it has become a somewhat famous form of defensive tactics taught to soldiers and Marines, as well as some law enforcement officers in the West.

Looking at the characters, the first means “union” or “harmony.”
The second character means “universal energy” or “spirit.”
The third means “way” or “method.”


Please note that while the original 合氣道 characters can be pronounced in Chinese, this word is not well-known in China and is not considered part of the Chinese lexicon.

Note: It is somewhat accepted that this is the origin of Hapkido in Korea. And other than a modern simplification to the middle Kanji of this 3-Kanji word, it is written the same in Korean Hanja.


See Also:  Martial Arts | Hapkido

Happiness / Joyful / Joy

 xǐ
 ki / yorokobi
 
Happiness / Joyful / Joy Scroll

喜 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja for the kind of happiness known in the west as “joy.”

喜 can also be translated as rejoice, enjoyment, delighted, pleased, or “take pleasure in.” Sometimes it can mean “to be fond of” (in a certain context).

If you write two of these happiness/joy characters side by side, you create another character known in English as “double happiness,” which is a symbol associated with weddings and happy marriages.


There is another version of this character that you will find on our website with an additional radical on the left side (exactly same meaning, just an alternate form). The version of happiness shown here is the commonly written form in China, Japan and South Korea (banned in North Korea).


See Also:  Contentment | Happiness | Joy

Sun Tzu - Art of War

military strategy, tactics, and procedure

 sūn zǐ bīng fǎ
 son shi hyou hou
Sun Tzu - Art of War Scroll

孫子兵法 is the full title of the most famous book of military proverbs about warfare.

The English title is “Sun Tzu's The Art of War.”

The last two characters have come to be known in the west as “The Art of War,” but a better translation would be “military strategy and tactics,” “military skills” or “army procedures.”

Note: Sometimes the author's name is Romanized as “Sun Zi” or “Sunzi.”

It's written the same in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.


See Also:  Military | Warrior

Accountant / CPA

 kuài jì shī
Accountant / CPA Scroll

會計師 is the occupational or legal title of an accountant in Chinese and Korean.

In Asia, particular studies and certifications are needed to obtain this title. Therefore, this is the closest match to the English term for Certified Public Accountant. Such a professional might have a sign on his desk or a name badge that has his/her name on it and this title in Chinese characters. It's not too common to see this on a wall scroll in Asia, but you can take such liberties in the west.

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.

 jīn gāng
 kon gou
Diamond Scroll

金剛 is a common way to call diamonds in Chinese and Japanese.

Traditionally, there were not that many diamonds that made their way to Asia, so this word does not have the deep cultural significance that it does in the west (thanks mostly to De Beers' marketing). Therefore, this word was kind of borrowed from other uses.

This title can also refer to vajra (a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond that originally refers to an indestructible substance); hard metal; pupa of certain insects; Vajrapani, Buddha's warrior attendant; King Kong; adamantine; Buddhist symbol of the indestructible truth.

 gōng chéng shī
Engineer Scroll

工程師 is the occupational title of an engineer in Chinese.

In China, an engineer might have a sign on his desk or a name badge with his/her name on it and this title. It's not too common to see this on a wall scroll in China, but you are allowed to take such liberties in the west.

Note that in China, a wall scroll like this is sometimes given to a teacher who builds (engineers) the spirits of their students. It's a way to honor a teacher, and in this case, the meaning departs from an occupational title.

 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.

50th Golden Wedding Anniversary

 xìng fú jīn hūn
 kou fuku kin kon
50th Golden Wedding Anniversary Scroll

幸福金婚 means “Happy Golden Anniversary” and is a great gift for a couple who is celebrating 50 years together.

The first two characters mean happy, blessed, or happiness.

The last two characters mean “couple's golden anniversary.” It means “golden wedding” or “golden marriage,” but this is only used for the 50-year-mark of a marriage (the same way we use gold to represent 50 years in the west).

幸福金婚 is a nice title to use with an inscription. You could request something like, “Happy 50th Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” to be written down the side of this title in smaller Chinese characters.


Please note: This can be pronounced and understood in Japanese but not as commonly used in Japan. Japanese people who read this will understand it but might tend to feel it’s of Chinese origin.

 ài
 ai
 
Love Scroll

愛 universally means love in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, old Korean Hanja, and old Vietnamese.

愛 is one of the most recognized Asian symbols in the West and is often seen on tee shirts, coffee mugs, tattoos, and more.

愛 can also be defined as affection, to be fond of, to like, or to be keen on. It often refers to romantic love, and is found in phrases like, “I love you.” But in Chinese, one can say, “I love that movie” using this character as well.

This can also be a pet name or part of a pet name in the way we say “dear” or “honey” in English.

This can be a girl’s name “Ai” in both Chinese and Japanese.


More about this character:

This may be hard to imagine as a westerner but the strokes at the top of this love character symbolize family & marriage.

心The symbol in the middle is a little easier to identify. It is the character for "heart" (it can also mean "mind" or "soul"). I guess you can say that no matter if you are from the East or the West, you must put your heart into your love.

友The strokes at the bottom create a modified character that means "friend" or "friendship."

I suppose you could say that the full meaning of this love character is to love your family, spouse, and friends with all of your heart, since all three elements exist in this character.


See Also:  I Love You | Caring | Benevolence | Friendliness | Double Happiness Happy Marriage Wall Scroll

 qí
 go
 
Chess Scroll

棋 is the most simple or generic way to write “chess” in Asia.

棋 is part of other more specific words for board games of strategy such as the western version of chess, Chinese chess, Weiqi, or Go.

In Japanese, this single character is pronounced “Go” and often refers to the game known in the west as “Go” (not just the 5-in-a-row version but also the complicated encirclement game of strategy known in China as Weiqi).

In Chinese, this can be more ambiguous as to which game of chess you speak.

If you like any version of chess, or games of intense strategy, this can be the character to hang on the wall in your game room.

 huā mù lán
Hua Mulan Scroll

花木蘭 is the name of the famous Chinese woman warrior Hua Mulan.

She was made famous in the west by Disney's animated movie, “Mulan.”

Most of the historical information about her comes from an ancient poem. It starts with a concerned Mulan, as she is told a man from each family is to serve conscription in the army. Her father is too old, and her brother is too young. Mulan decides to take the place of her father. After twelve years of war, the army returns, and the best warriors are awarded great posts in the government and riches. Mulan turns down all offers and asks only for a good horse for the long trip home. When Mulan greets visiting comrades wearing her old clothes, they are shocked to find the warrior they rode into battle with for years is actually a woman.

 rěn zhě
 ninja
Ninja Scroll

In feudal Japan, ninjas or shinobi (literally, “one who is concealed” or “one that endures”) were sometimes assassins and agents of espionage. The ninja, like samurai, followed their special code of conduct.

The role of the ninja has been romanticized in many American movies (and to a lesser extent in Japanese movies). Because the ninja craze has taken off in the west, Japan has followed the trend, and you'll see plenty of ninja-related imagery in Japan.

忍Note that when writing this as Kanji, Japanese tend to write the first character in the form shown to the right. If you select a Japanese calligrapher, please expect that form. Our Chinese calligraphers can also write it in Japanese form, but only if you request it (in the special instructions about your order during checkout).


See Also:  Samurai | Warrior | Ninjitsu

Sensei / Master / Teacher / Mister

 xiān shēng
 sen sei
Sensei / Master / Teacher / Mister Scroll

先生 is sensei, which is associated in the west with a master or instructor of karate, aikido, judo, and other Japanese martial arts.

In reality, this is a term of respect for almost any professional or skilled person (doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.). Sometimes, it is used for musicians and artists who have achieved a certain level of fame, skill, or accomplishment.

It should be noted that this is also a courtesy title in Chinese but more like calling someone “mister” or “gentleman.” It doesn't have the “master” or “teacher” meaning in Chinese - see our Chinese “Master / Sifu / Shi Fu” entry if your audience is Chinese.

In Korean Hanja, this means teacher, instructor, schoolmaster, or schoolmistress.

This entry is for educational purposes. 先生 is kind of a strange thing to put on a wall scroll. It's a title that is used more orally to show respect rather than something written in calligraphy. If you feel it is appropriate in your circumstances, we will create a piece of sensei Japanese calligraphy artwork for you.

Mind Body Spirit

 shēn xīn líng
 mi shin rei
Mind Body Spirit Scroll

身心靈 is probably the best way to express the idea of “Body, Mind, and Spirit” in Chinese and old Korean Hanja. We are actually using the word “heart” here because, for thousands of years, the heart was thought to be the place where your thoughts, feelings, and emotions came from. We do something similar in the west when we say “warm-hearted” or “I love you with all of my heart.” In this context, heart = mind in Asian language and culture.

The very literal translation of these three characters is “body, heart & spirit,” which could also be interpreted as “body, mind & soul.”

We have arranged these characters in this order because it simply “feels” like the proper order in the Chinese language. Word lists like this are not so common for calligraphy artwork, so we must be careful to put them in the most natural order. It should be noted that this is not a common title in Asia, nor is it considered an actual phrase (as it lacks a clear subject, verb, and object).


霊In Japanese Kanji, they use an alternate form of the character for soul or spirit. If you want this using the Japanese alternate, please click on the Kanji shown to the right instead of the button above.

Japanese disclaimer: This is not a natural phrase/list in Japanese. While not totally-natural in Chinese, this word list is best if your audience is Chinese.

Shogun / Japanese General

 jiāng jūn
 shougun
Shogun / Japanese General Scroll

将軍 or Shogun, in the simplest definition, is a General, but you could also use words such as commander, lord, overlord, highest ranking, or commanding officer.

The title “Shogun” has held some slightly ambiguous meanings at times in Japanese history.

In the west, when someone mentions “Shogun,” we may be filled with thoughts of gallant warriors. Some might even think of the TV mini-series with Richard Chamberlain. Often westerners use the words, Samurai and Shogun interchangeably, but that's really not technically correct. In the case of the Samurai, the Shogun was a designated (by the emperor) leader of a gild of Samurai. In this context, the Shogun was a Samurai lord. Or effectively, a commanding officer of a company of Samurai - to put it in modern military terms.

Sometimes a Shogun was a general; other times, he was the leader of a military government in Japan - but not a front-line warrior like a Samurai.

Variants of the same characters are used in China for the rank and title of a General of the People's Liberation Army (and the same term and characters have been used for the last 2200 years since the Qin Dynasty).

Double Happiness

(Happy wedding and marriage)

 xǐ
Double Happiness Scroll

囍 is a common gift for Chinese couples getting married or newly married couples.

As we say in the west, “Two heads are better than one” Well, in the east, two “happinesses” are certainly better than one.

Some will suggest this is a symbol of two happinesses coming together. Others see it as a multiplication of happiness because of the union or marriage.

囍 is not really a character that is pronounced very often - it's almost exclusively used in written form. However, if pressed, most Chinese people will pronounce this “shuang xi” (double happy) although literally there are two “xi” characters combined in this calligraphy (but nobody will say “xi xi”).

Double Happiness Portrait Red If you select this character, I strongly suggest the festive bright red paper for your calligraphy. Part of my suggestion comes from the fact that red is a good luck color in China, and this will add to the sentiment that you wish to convey with this scroll to the happy couple.

 kǒng zǐ
 koushi
Confucius Scroll

孔子 is how to write the name of the great sage, known in the West as Confucius.

His real name is Kongzi (The name Confucius is a westernized version of his name - his family name is Kong, and “zi” was added as a title of distinction).

He lived some 2500 years ago in Qufu, a town in modern-day Shandong Province of Northern China (about 6 hours south of Beijing by bus). He was a consort to Emperors, and after his death, the impact of his philosophies still served to advise emperors, officials, and common people for generations.

Also during these thousands of years, the Kong family remained powerful in China, and the Kong estate was much like the Vatican in Rome. The Kong estate existed as if on sovereign ground with its own small garrison of guards and the privileges of a kingdom within an empire.

This was true up until the time the Kong family had to flee to Taiwan in 1949 when the Red Army took victory over the Nationalists during the Revolution. The home of Confucius was later razed and all statues were defaced or stolen during the Cultural Revolution. Finally, after years of smearing his name and image, it is once again okay to celebrate the teachings of Confucius in mainland China.


Known as Khổng Tử in Vietnamese.

Kung Fu / Gong Fu

 gōng fu
 gung fu
 kan fu / ku fu
Kung Fu / Gong Fu Scroll

功夫 or Kung Fu is one of the most famous types of martial arts in the world - and not just because of Bruce Lee.

Some translate the meaning as “Accomplishment by Great Effort.” I think this is partially true, but directly translated, it literally means “Merit/Achievement/Accomplishment Man.” The word “fu” can sometimes mean “husband” or “porter,” but in this case, it can only mean “man.” However, few in China will think “man” when they hear the word “Gong Fu” spoken.

This term is also used for things other than martial arts. In fact, it's used to refer to a person with excellent skills in crafts that require a lot of effort to master, such as cooking, tea ceremonies, and calligraphy.

What a lot of people don't know is that the spelling of “Kung Fu” was actually taken from the old Wade Giles form of Romanization. Using this method, the sounds of the English “G” and “K” were both written as “K” and an apostrophe after the “K” told you it was supposed to sound like a “G.” Nobody in the west knew this rule, so most people pronounce it with a “K-sound.” And so, Gong Fu will always be Kung Fu for most westerners.

Also, just to educate you a little more, the “O” in “Gong” has a sound like the English word “oh.”

The popular Chinese dish “Kung Pao Chicken” suffers from the same problem. It should actually be “Gong Bao Chicken.”

Historical note: Many will claim that Kung Fu was invented by the monks of the Shaolin monastery. This fact is argued in both directions by scholars of Chinese history. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the Shaolin Monks brought the original fame to Kung Fu many generations ago.


Japanese note: While most Japanese martial artists will recognize these characters, Katakana is more often used to approximate the pronunciation of "Kung Fu" with "カンフー." Some will argue as to whether this should be considered a Japanese word at all.


See Also:  Bruce Lee

Qi Gong / Chi Kung

 qì gōng
 ki kou
Qi Gong / Chi Kung Scroll

氣功 or Qigong is the title of a technique that is somewhere between medical practice, meditation, and in some cases, religion.

The definition is blurred depending on which school of Qigong you are following. In some cases, it is even incorporated with martial arts.

Some people (even Chinese people) mix this title with Tai Chi (Tai Qi) exercises.

Lately, in China, people will claim to practice Tai Chi rather than Qigong because the Qigong title was recently used as a cover for an illegal pseudo-religious movement in China with the initials F.G. or F.D. (I can not write those names here for fear of our website being banned in China).

You can learn those names and more here: Further info about Qigong

If you are wondering why I wrote “Qi Gong” and “Chi Kung” as the title of this calligraphy entry, I should teach you a little about the various ways in which Chinese can be Romanized. One form writes this as “Chi Kung” or “Chikung” (Taiwan). In the mainland and elsewhere, it is Romanized as “Qi Gong” or “Qigong.” The pronunciation is the same in Taiwan, mainland, and Singapore Mandarin. Neither Romanization is exactly like English. If you want to know how to say this with English rules, it would be something like “Chee Gong” (but the “gong” has a vowel sound like the “O” in “go”).

Romanization is a really confusing topic and has caused many Chinese words to be mispronounced in the west. One example is “Kung Pao Chicken,” which should actually be more like “Gong Bao” with the “O” sounding like “oh” for both characters. Neither the Romanization system in Taiwan nor the Mainland is perfect, in my opinion, and leads to many misunderstandings.


In modern Japan, you may see this written as 気功, but the original 氣功 is still recognized. If you need the Japanese version, please contact me.

Mountain Travels Poem by Dumu

 yuǎn shàng hán shān shí jìng xiá bái yún shēng chù yǒu rén jiā tíng chē zuò ài fēng lín wǎn shuàng yè hóng yú èr yuè huā
Mountain Travels Poem by Dumu Scroll

This poem was written almost 1200 years ago during the Tang dynasty.

It depicts traveling up a place known as Cold Mountain, where some hearty people have built their homes. The traveler is overwhelmed by the beauty of the turning leaves of the maple forest that surrounds him just as night overtakes the day, and darkness prevails. His heart implores him to stop, and take in all of the beauty around him.

First, before you get to the full translation, I must tell you that Chinese poetry is a lot different than what we have in the west. Chinese words simply don't rhyme in the same way that English or other western languages do. Chinese poetry depends on rhythm and a certain beat of repeated numbers of characters.

I have done my best to translate this poem keeping a certain feel of the original poet. But some of the original beauty of the poem in its original Chinese will be lost in translation.


Far away on Cold Mountain, a stone path leads upwards.
Among white clouds, people's homes reside.
Stopping my carriage I must, as to admire the maple forest at nights fall.
In awe of autumn leaves showing more red than even flowers of early spring.


Hopefully, this poem will remind you to stop, and “take it all in” as you travel through life.
The poet's name is “Du Mu” in Chinese that is: 杜牧.
The title of the poem, “Mountain Travels” is: 山行
You can have the title, poet's name, and even “Tang Dynasty” written as an inscription on your custom wall scroll if you like.

More about the poet:

Dumu lived from 803-852 AD and was a leading Chinese poet during the later part of the Tang dynasty.
He was born in Chang'an, a city in central China and the former capital of the ancient Chinese empire in 221-206 BC. In present-day China, his birthplace is currently known as Xi'an, the home of the Terracotta Soldiers.

He was awarded his Jinshi degree (an exam administered by the emperor's court which leads to becoming an official of the court) at the age of 25 and went on to hold many official positions over the years. However, he never achieved a high rank, apparently because of some disputes between various factions, and his family's criticism of the government. His last post in the court was his appointment to the office of Secretariat Drafter.

During his life, he wrote scores of narrative poems, as well as a commentary on the Art of War and many letters of advice to high officials.

His poems were often very realistic and often depicted everyday life. He wrote poems about everything, from drinking beer in a tavern to weepy poems about lost love.

The thing that strikes you most is the fact even after 1200 years, not much has changed about the beauty of nature, toils, and troubles of love and beer drinking.




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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
West西nishixī / xi1 / xihsi
Journey to the West西遊記
西游记
sei yuu ki / seiyuuki / sei yu kixī yóu jì
xi1 you2 ji4
xi you ji
xiyouji
hsi yu chi
hsiyuchi
Jericho傑里科
杰里科
jié lǐ kē
jie2 li3 ke1
jie li ke
jielike
chieh li k`o
chiehliko
chieh li ko
Wine
Alcohol
Sake
sake / shujiǔ / jiu3 / jiuchiu
Drunken Monkey Kung Fu醉猴功夫 / 醉猴功伕
醉猴功夫
zuì hóu gōng fu
zui4 hou2 gong1 fu
zui hou gong fu
zuihougongfu
tsui hou kung fu
tsuihoukungfu
Monkey King美猴王měi hóu wáng
mei3 hou2 wang2
mei hou wang
meihouwang
Aysia愛西亞
爱西亚
ài xī yà
ai4 xi1 ya4
ai xi ya
aixiya
ai hsi ya
aihsiya
Happiness
Joy
xǐ / xi3 / xihsi
Palestine巴勒斯坦bā lè sī tǎn
ba1 le4 si1 tan3
ba le si tan
balesitan
pa le ssu t`an
palessutan
pa le ssu tan
Drunken Monkey醉猴zuì hóu / zui4 hou2 / zui hou / zuihoutsui hou / tsuihou
Zen Garden禪園
禅园
zen sono / zensonochán yuán
chan2 yuan2
chan yuan
chanyuan
ch`an yüan
chanyüan
chan yüan
Meditation冥想mei sou / meisou / mei somíng xiǎng
ming2 xiang3
ming xiang
mingxiang
ming hsiang
minghsiang
Pure Land
Jodo
淨土
净土
jou do / joudo / jo dojìng tǔ / jing4 tu3 / jing tu / jingtuching t`u / chingtu / ching tu
Rose野薔薇
野蔷薇
nobarayě qiáng wēi
ye3 qiang2 wei1
ye qiang wei
yeqiangwei
yeh ch`iang wei
yehchiangwei
yeh chiang wei
Monkey King猴王hóu wáng / hou2 wang2 / hou wang / houwang
American Samoa美屬薩摩亞
美属萨摩亚
měi shǔ sà mó yà
mei3 shu3 sa4 mo2 ya4
mei shu sa mo ya
meishusamoya
Shin Buddhism浄土真宗jou do shin shuu
joudoshinshuu
jo do shin shu
Fu Dog
Foo Dog
石獅子
石狮子
shí shī zi
shi2 shi1 zi5
shi shi zi
shishizi
shih shih tzu
shihshihtzu
Guardian Angel守護天使
守护天使
shu go ten shi
shugotenshi
shǒu hù tiān shǐ
shou3 hu4 tian1 shi3
shou hu tian shi
shouhutianshi
shou hu t`ien shih
shouhutienshih
shou hu tien shih
Heike Star
Betelgeuse
平家星hei ke boshi
heikeboshi
Wukong
Goku
悟空go kuu / gokuu / go kuwù kōng / wu4 kong1 / wu kong / wukongwu k`ung / wukung / wu kung
Sun Wukong
Son Goku
孫悟空
孙悟空
son go kuu / songokuu / son go kusūn wù kōng
sun1 wu4 kong1
sun wu kong
sunwukong
sun wu k`ung
sunwukung
sun wu kung
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon臥虎藏龍
卧虎藏龙
wò hǔ cáng lóng
wo4 hu3 cang2 long2
wo hu cang long
wohucanglong
wo hu ts`ang lung
wohutsanglung
wo hu tsang lung
Aikido合氣道
合気道
ai ki dou / aikidou / ai ki dohé qì dào
he2 qi4 dao4
he qi dao
heqidao
ho ch`i tao
hochitao
ho chi tao
Happiness
Joyful
Joy
ki / yorokobixǐ / xi3 / xihsi
Sun Tzu - Art of War孫子兵法
孙子兵法
son shi hyou hou
sonshihyouhou
son shi hyo ho
sūn zǐ bīng fǎ
sun1 zi3 bing1 fa3
sun zi bing fa
sunzibingfa
sun tzu ping fa
suntzupingfa
Accountant
CPA
會計師
会计师
kuài jì shī
kuai4 ji4 shi1
kuai ji shi
kuaijishi
k`uai chi shih
kuaichishih
kuai chi shih
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
Diamond金剛
金刚
kon gou / kongou / kon gojīn gāng / jin1 gang1 / jin gang / jingangchin kang / chinkang
Engineer工程師
工程师
gōng chéng shī
gong1 cheng2 shi1
gong cheng shi
gongchengshi
kung ch`eng shih
kungchengshih
kung cheng shih
Monkey Fist猴拳hóu quán / hou2 quan2 / hou quan / houquanhou ch`üan / houchüan / hou chüan
50th Golden Wedding Anniversary幸福金婚 / 倖福金婚
幸福金婚
kou fuku kin kon
koufukukinkon
ko fuku kin kon
xìng fú jīn hūn
xing4 fu2 jin1 hun1
xing fu jin hun
xingfujinhun
hsing fu chin hun
hsingfuchinhun
Love
aiài / ai4 / ai
Chessgoqí / qi2 / qich`i / chi
Hua Mulan花木蘭
花木兰
huā mù lán
hua1 mu4 lan2
hua mu lan
huamulan
Ninja忍者ninjarěn zhě / ren3 zhe3 / ren zhe / renzhejen che / jenche
Sensei
Master
Teacher
Mister
先生sen sei / senseixiān shēng
xian1 sheng1
xian sheng
xiansheng
hsien sheng
hsiensheng
Mind Body Spirit身心靈 / 身心霊
身心灵
mi shin rei
mishinrei
shēn xīn líng
shen1 xin1 ling2
shen xin ling
shenxinling
shen hsin ling
shenhsinling
Shogun
Japanese General
將軍
将军
shougun / shogunjiāng jūn
jiang1 jun1
jiang jun
jiangjun
chiang chün
chiangchün
Double Happiness
喜喜
xǐ / xi3 / xihsi
Confucius孔子koushi / koshikǒng zǐ / kong3 zi3 / kong zi / kongzik`ung tzu / kungtzu / kung tzu
Kung Fu
Gong Fu
功夫kan fu / ku fu
kanfu / kufu
gōng fu / gong1 fu / gong fu / gongfukung fu / kungfu
Qi Gong
Chi Kung
氣功
气功
ki kou / kikou / ki koqì gōng / qi4 gong1 / qi gong / qigongch`i kung / chikung / chi kung
Mountain Travels Poem by Dumu遠上寒山石徑斜白雲生處有人家停車坐愛楓林晚霜葉紅於二月花
远上寒山石径斜白云生处有人家停车坐爱枫林晚霜叶红于二月花
yuǎn shàng hán shān shí jìng xiá bái yún shēng chù yǒu rén jiā tíng chē zuò ài fēng lín wǎn shuàng yè hóng yú èr yuè huā
yuan3 shang4 han2 shan1 shi2 jing4 xia2 bai2 yun2 sheng1 chu4 you3 ren2 jia1 ting2 che1 zuo4 ai4 feng1 lin2 wan3 shuang4 ye4 hong2 yu2 er4 yue4 hua1
yuan shang han shan shi jing xia bai yun sheng chu you ren jia ting che zuo ai feng lin wan shuang ye hong yu er yue hua
yüan shang han shan shih ching hsia pai yün sheng ch`u yu jen chia t`ing ch`e tso ai feng lin wan shuang yeh hung yü erh yüeh hua
yüan shang han shan shih ching hsia pai yün sheng chu yu jen chia ting che tso ai feng lin wan shuang yeh hung yü erh yüeh hua
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line.
In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese.


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All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.

When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to my art mounting workshop in Beijing where a wall scroll is made by hand from a combination of silk, rice paper, and wood.
After we create your wall scroll, it takes at least two weeks for air mail delivery from Beijing to you.

Allow a few weeks for delivery. Rush service speeds it up by a week or two for $10!

When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.


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

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