Buy an 緣 calligraphy wall scroll here!
Personalize your custom “緣” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “緣” title below...
1. Predestined Love / Love by Fate
3. The Mysterious Bond Between People
5. The Karma/Fate/Destiny that Brings Lovers Together
6. Tea Fate
7. Yuan Fen
The invisible force that brings people together forever
緣 represents the fate that brings and bonds people together.
緣 is a complicated single character. It can mean a lot of different things depending on how you read it.
In Japanese, it can mean fate, destiny, a mysterious force that binds two people together, a relationship between two people, bond, link, connection, family ties, affinity, opportunity, or chance (to meet someone and start a relationship). It can also mean “someone to rely on,” relative, reminder, memento, or the female given name, Yori.
It's the same in Chinese, where it's defined as cause, reason, karma, fate, or predestined affinity.
In the Buddhist context, it's Pratyaya. This is the concept of indirect conditions, as opposed to direct causes. It's when something happens (meeting someone) by circumstance or a contributing environment. Instead of a direct cause or act, it is a conditioning cause without direct input or action by the involved people.
Occasionally, this character is used in a facetious way to say hem, seam, or edge of clothing. In this case, it's the seam that brings or holds the clothing together.
Note: Japanese will tend to use the variant of this Kanji shown to the right. If you want this version (and are ordering this from the Japanese master calligrapher), click on the Kanji at the right instead of the button above.
有緣 means: related; brought together by fate; same karma; those who have the cause, link, or connection.
有緣 is a common word in Chinese but usually only used in the context of Buddhism in Japanese.
Buddhists will say this refers to those that are influenced by and responsive to the Buddha.
姻緣 means “Destiny that brings lovers together.” It can also be translated technically as “Predestined matrimonial affinity” (wow, talk about taking the romance out of this word - that was from the Oxford C-E dictionary).
This speaks to the fate (or karma) that brings a husband and wife together. I would translate this as “Together by fate” or “Joined by destiny” but in the context of marriage. You could use this for non-married lovers, but the first character has a suggestion that this refers to those that are married.
茶緣 is a special title for the tea lover. This kind of means “tea fate,” but it's more spiritual and hard to define. Perhaps the tea brought you in to drink it. Perhaps the tea will bring you and another tea-lover together. Perhaps you were already there, and the tea came to you. Perhaps it's the ah-ha moment you will have when drinking the tea.
I've been told not to explain this further, as it will either dilute or confuse the purposefully-ambiguous idea embedded in this enigma.
I happen to be the owner of a piece of calligraphy written by either the son or nephew of the last emperor of China, which is the title he wrote. It was given to me at a Beijing tea house in 2001. 茶緣 is where I learned to love tea after literally spending weeks tasting and studying everything I could about Chinese tea. I did not understand the significance of the authorship or the meaning of the title at all. Some 10 years later, I realized the gift was so profound and had such providence. Only now do I realize the value of a gift that it is too late to give proper thanks for. It was also years later that I ended up in this business and could have the artwork properly mounted as a wall scroll. It has been borrowed for many exhibitions and shows and always amazes native Chinese and Taiwanese who read the signature. This piece of calligraphy I once thought was just a bit of ink on a thin and wrinkled piece of paper, is now one of my most valued possessions. And fate has taught me to be more thankful for seemingly simple gifts.
緣分 or Yuan Fen is the fate or chance that brings people together.
This can also mean a predestined affinity or relationship. Basically this is about destiny.
The Buddhist idea of Fate
因緣 is the Buddhist concept of a chance meeting or an opportunity that presents itself by fate.
Sometimes this is used to describe a cosmic chain of events or cause and effect.
It also is used to describe predestined relationships between people - and sometimes married couples (although if you want one about marriage, try this: Fate / Destiny of Lovers.
因緣 can also be translated as origin, karma, destiny, affinity, connection, and relation. This all depends on context - seen alone on a wall scroll, this will be read with a “fate/chance” meaning by a Chinese person or a Korean person who can read Hanja.
The more complex definition of this word would be, “Direct causes and indirect conditions, which underlie the actions of all things.”
This concept is known as nidana in the original Sanskrit. Also sometimes presented as hetupratyaya (or “hetu and prataya”), which I believe is Pali.
Note: Japanese will tend to use this version of the second Kanji:
If you order this from the Japanese master calligrapher, expect that you’ll get this version. However, this word often carries a negative connotation in Japanese (bad things happen), as it is used that way in a certain Japanese idiom. Therefore, this may not be the best choice if Japanese is your target language.
姻緣紅線 is the legendary red string of destiny that binds all soul mates or lovers together.
In ancient Chinese culture, a mythological matchmaker named 月老 (Yuè Lǎo) was the controller of the fate that led lovers to meet. He did this by tying a celestial red string to the ankle of each person. Sometime during their life, they will meet and marry as fate dictates.
While the origin of the red string comes from China, it has spread to other parts of Asia (such as Japan, where it's known as 赤い糸).
緣份 specifically represents the fate or destiny that brings two people together.
This is like the chance meeting of two people that leads sometime later to marriage.
This could also be the chance meeting of two business people who become partners and build a huge and successful company.
This idea is often associated with a fateful meeting leading to good fortune.
Some will define this word as “Destiny brings you two together” or “Meant to be.”
Note: The second character can also be written without the left radical, as shown to the right. If you have a preference, please let use know in the special instructions for your project. There is no difference in meaning or pronunciation, just two (alternate) ways to write the same character.
有緣千里來相會 means that fate or destiny has caused us to meet from a thousand miles away.
The 有緣 part suggests something that is connected as if by a thread due to fate, destiny, or karma.
This romantic phrase is seen in Chinese greeting cards. It relays the idea that your love was meant to be and that you were destined to meet (regardless of what distance or obstacles might have made such a meeting unlikely).
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 緣 search...
Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
因緣 因缘 see styles |
yīn yuán yin1 yuan2 yin yüan innen |
More info & calligraphy: Fate / Opportunity / Chancehetupratyaya. Cause; causes; 因 hetu, is primary cause, 緣 pratyaya, secondary cause, or causes, e. g. a seed is 因, rain, dew, farmer, etc., are 緣. The 十二因緣 twelve nidānas or links are 'the concatenation of cause and effect in the whole range of existence'. |
姻緣 姻缘 see styles |
yīn yuán yin1 yuan2 yin yüan |
More info & calligraphy: The Karma/Fate/Destiny that Brings Lovers Together |
情緣 情缘 see styles |
qíng yuán qing2 yuan2 ch`ing yüan ching yüan |
More info & calligraphy: Predestined Love / Love by Fate |
有緣 有缘 see styles |
yǒu yuán you3 yuan2 yu yüan uen |
More info & calligraphy: Karma ConnectionThose who have the cause, link, or connection, i. e. are influenced by and responsive to the Buddha. |
緣分 缘分 see styles |
yuán fèn yuan2 fen4 yüan fen |
More info & calligraphy: Yuan Fen |
親緣 亲缘 see styles |
qīn yuán qin1 yuan2 ch`in yüan chin yüan |
More info & calligraphy: Family Bond / Family Ties |
緣 缘 see styles |
yuán yuan2 yüan en |
cause; reason; karma; fate; predestined affinity; margin; hem; edge; along pratyaya means conviction, reliance, but with Buddhists especially it means 'a co-operating cause, the concurrent occasion of an event as distinguished from its proximate cause'. M.W. It is the circumstantial, conditioning, or secondary cause, in contrast with 因 hetu, the direct or fundamental cause. hetu is as the seed, pratyaya the soil, rain, sunshine, etc. To reason, conclude. To climb, lay hold of. The mind 能緣can reason, the objective is 所緣, the two in contact constitute the reasoning process. The four kinds of causes are 因緣; 次第緣; 緣緣, and 增上緣 q.v. |
三緣 三缘 see styles |
sān yuán san1 yuan2 san yüan sanen |
The three nidānas or links with the Buddha resulting from calling upon him, a term of the Pure Land sect: (a) 親緣 that he hears those who call his name, sees their worship, knows their hearts and is one with them; (b) 近緣 that he shows himself to those who desire to see him; (c) 增上緣 that at every invocation aeons of sin are blotted out, and he and his sacred host receive such a disciple at death. |
不緣 不缘 see styles |
bù yuán bu4 yuan2 pu yüan fuen |
not contingent |
事緣 事缘 see styles |
shì yuán shi4 yuan2 shih yüan jien |
matter |
二緣 二缘 see styles |
èr yuán er4 yuan2 erh yüan nien |
two kinds of conditions |
五緣 五缘 see styles |
wǔ yuán wu3 yuan2 wu yüan goen |
five conditions |
人緣 人缘 see styles |
rén yuán ren2 yuan2 jen yüan |
relations with other people |
他緣 他缘 see styles |
tā yuán ta1 yuan2 t`a yüan ta yüan taen |
external conditions |
何緣 何缘 see styles |
hé yuán he2 yuan2 ho yüan kaen |
what conditions? |
依緣 依缘 see styles |
yī yuán yi1 yuan2 i yüan een |
referential object |
俗緣 俗缘 see styles |
sú yuán su2 yuan2 su yüan zokuen |
mundane entanglements |
內緣 内缘 see styles |
nèi yuán nei4 yuan2 nei yüan naien |
The condition of perception arising from the five senses; also immediate, conditional, or environmental causes, in contrast with the more remote. |
具緣 具缘 see styles |
jù yuán ju4 yuan2 chü yüan guen |
fulfillment of conditions |
凸緣 凸缘 see styles |
tū yuán tu1 yuan2 t`u yüan tu yüan |
flange |
初緣 初缘 see styles |
chū yuán chu1 yuan2 ch`u yüan chu yüan shoen |
first condition |
前緣 前缘 see styles |
qián yuán qian2 yuan2 ch`ien yüan chien yüan zenen |
affinities from previous lifetimes |
募緣 募缘 see styles |
mù yuán mu4 yuan2 mu yüan boen |
(of a monk) to beg for food 募化 To raise subscriptions. |
化緣 化缘 see styles |
huà yuán hua4 yuan2 hua yüan keen |
(of a monk) to beg The cause of a Buddha's or bodhisattva's coming to the world, i. e. the transformation of the living; also, a contribution to the needs of the community. |
取緣 取缘 see styles |
qǔ yuán qu3 yuan2 ch`ü yüan chü yüan shuen |
to take as cause |
同緣 同缘 see styles |
tóng yuán tong2 yuan2 t`ung yüan tung yüan dōen |
same conditions |
名緣 名缘 see styles |
míng yuán ming2 yuan2 ming yüan myōen |
conditions for naming |
命緣 命缘 see styles |
mìng yuán ming4 yuan2 ming yüan myōen |
conditions of life |
唯緣 唯缘 see styles |
wéi yuán wei2 yuan2 wei yüan yuien |
only conditions [not causes] |
善緣 善缘 see styles |
shàn yuán shan4 yuan2 shan yüan |
good karma |
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Predestined Love Love by Fate | 情緣 情缘 | qíng yuán qing2 yuan2 qing yuan qingyuan | ch`ing yüan chingyüan ching yüan |
|
Family Bond Family Ties | 親緣 亲缘 | qīn yuán / qin1 yuan2 / qin yuan / qinyuan | ch`in yüan / chinyüan / chin yüan | |
The Mysterious Bond Between People | 緣 / 縁 缘 | en | yuán / yuan2 / yuan | yüan |
Karma Connection | 有緣 有缘 | uen | yǒu yuán / you3 yuan2 / you yuan / youyuan | yu yüan / yuyüan |
The Karma/Fate/Destiny that Brings Lovers Together | 姻緣 姻缘 | yīn yuán / yin1 yuan2 / yin yuan / yinyuan | yin yüan / yinyüan | |
Tea Fate | 茶緣 茶缘 | chá yuán / cha2 yuan2 / cha yuan / chayuan | ch`a yüan / chayüan / cha yüan | |
Yuan Fen | 緣分 缘分 | yuán fèn / yuan2 fen4 / yuan fen / yuanfen | yüan fen / yüanfen | |
Fate Opportunity Chance | 因緣 因缘 / 因縁 | in nen / innen | yīn yuán / yin1 yuan2 / yin yuan / yinyuan | yin yüan / yinyüan |
The Red Thread of Fate | 姻緣紅線 姻缘红线 | yīn yuán hóng xiàn yin1 yuan2 hong2 xian4 yin yuan hong xian yinyuanhongxian | yin yüan hung hsien yinyüanhunghsien |
|
Fate Chance Meeting | 緣份 / 緣分 缘份 / 缘分 | yuán fèn / yuan2 fen4 / yuan fen / yuanfen | yüan fen / yüanfen | |
Brought Together from 1000 Miles Away by Fate | 有緣千里來相會 有缘千里来相会 | yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì you3 yuan2 qian1 li3 lai2 xiang1 hui4 you yuan qian li lai xiang hui youyuanqianlilaixianghui | yu yüan ch`ien li lai hsiang hui yu yüan chien li lai hsiang hui |
|
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. |
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All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.
When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to my art mounting workshop in Beijing where a wall scroll is made by hand from a combination of silk, rice paper, and wood.
After we create your wall scroll, it takes at least two weeks for air mail delivery from Beijing to you.
Allow a few weeks for delivery. Rush service speeds it up by a week or two for $10!
When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.
The wall scroll that Sandy is holding in this picture is a "large size"
single-character wall scroll.
We also offer custom wall scrolls in small, medium, and an even-larger jumbo size.
Professional calligraphers are getting to be hard to find these days.
Instead of drawing characters by hand, the new generation in China merely type roman letters into their computer keyboards and pick the character that they want from a list that pops up.
There is some fear that true Chinese calligraphy may become a lost art in the coming years. Many art institutes in China are now promoting calligraphy programs in hopes of keeping this unique form
of art alive.
Even with the teachings of a top-ranked calligrapher in China, my calligraphy will never be good enough to sell. I will leave that to the experts.
The same calligrapher who gave me those lessons also attracted a crowd of thousands and a TV crew as he created characters over 6-feet high. He happens to be ranked as one of the top 100 calligraphers in all of China. He is also one of very few that would actually attempt such a feat.
Check out my lists of Japanese Kanji Calligraphy Wall Scrolls and Old Korean Hanja Calligraphy Wall Scrolls.