Click the "Customize" button next to your name below to start your personalized hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once calligraphy artwork...
1. Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once
2. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder
7. Failure is the Origin of Success
8. Failure is the Mother of Success
9. Gentleness
10. God is Good
11. God is Love
12. God Bless You / God Be With You
15. A Moment of Time is as Precious as Gold
16. Good and Evil
17. Good Night
19. Home is where the heart is
20. Inner Strength is Better than Outward Appearance
23. Joshua 1:9
24. Life is Good / Life is Beautiful
25. Life is Good
26. Life is Short
27. Life is What You Make of It
28. Jesus is Lord
29. Music is Life
32. Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body
33. There is no pleasure without pain
34. Remember What Is Important To You
36. Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success
37. When Three People Gather, Wisdom is Multiplied
38. Time is Money
39. The Warrior’s Word, Dependable as Gold and Steel
40. Where There is a Will, There is a Way
41. Solidarity / Working Together as One
43. Be Not Afraid
44. 100 Years of Happy Marriage
45. Even a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea
46. Year-In Year-Out Have Abundance
49. Any success can not compensate for failure in the home
50. 1000 good moves ruined by 1 bad
51. Beauty / Beautiful / Handsome
52. Better to Choose Nothing, Rather than Make a Poor Choice
53. If you cannot bite, do not show your teeth
54. Black or white cat matters not as long as it can catch mice
56. You May Learn from Victory, You Will Learn from Failure
57. Seeing one’s Nature and becoming a Buddha
58. Mark the boat to find the lost sword / Ignoring the changing circumstances of the world
59. Do not shed a tear until you see the coffin
60. The Foundation of Good Conduct
61. Working Together as One / Cooperation
62. Courage to do what is right
63. The Night is Darkest Before the Dawn
65. Destiny / Fate
67. Do not fear the task: Cooperation will lead to success
69. Example is Better than Precept
70. Experience is the Mother of Wisdom
72. Failure is the Mother of Success
73. Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark
74. Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight
75. Fear God
76. The one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one to retreats 100
79. Courage To Do What Is Right
81. God is Good
82. God is Love
83. God is my Judge
85. Time is as Precious as Gold
86. Goodbye
88. Good Good Study, Day Day Up
89. Good Health
90. Good Health / Healthy / Vigor
91. Good Heart
92. Good Intentions
93. Good Intentions / Good Will / Good Faith
94. The Good Life / Beautiful Life
95. Good Luck
97. Good Night
98. In Good Order
99. Doing good is the greatest source of happiness
100. Goodness / Good Deed
101. Lucky / Auspicious / Good Omen
102. Feel at Ease Anywhere / The World is My Home
103. Home is where the heart is
104. Even The 100-Foot Bamboo Can Grow One More Foot
105. The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering
106. A Deliberate Inaction is Better than a Blind Action
107. Inner Strength is Better than Outward Appearance
108. Jesus Christ is my Savior
109. Jesus is my Savior
110. Jesus Christ is Love
111. Jesus is My Life
112. It is the Journey, Not the Destination
113. The Destination is Nothing Without the Journey
114. Keep Calm, Be Not Impatient
115. We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity?
116. Life Is But A Dream
117. Life is a Journey
118. Life is Good / Life is Beautiful
119. Life is Short
121. Life is Fun
122. Life is Good
123. Just as Liquor Turns a Face Red, Gold Turns a Heart Black
124. Jesus is Lord
126. Lucky / Auspicious
127. Be Master of Mind, Not Mastered by Mind
128. A House Might be Worth 1 Million Dollars, But Good Neighbors are Worth 10 Million
129. If you have not been a monk, how can you know what it is like to be a vegetarian?
130. Where There is a Will, There is a Way
131. Nothing is Impossible with Persistence
132. Music is Life
133. Fear not long roads; Fear only short ambition
134. Do not fear poverty; Fear low ambitions
135. Do not fear being slow, fear standing still
136. There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger
137. There is No Royal Road to Learning
139. The Sea of Knowledge Has No Limits
140. Once in a Lifetime
142. Open the Minds of the Next Generation To Stimulate Thinking
144. Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body
145. Past experience is the teacher for the future
146. Do not take action until the time is right
148. Undaunted After Repeated Setbacks
149. One Who Does Not Do Bad Things, Worries Not of Knocks at His Door
150. One who is drenched in rain does not fear drops of dew
151. Remember What Is Important To You
152. Respect out of fear is never genuine; Reverence out of respect is never false
153. Restoration to Good Health
154. River of Literacy, Sea of Learning
155. Seeing is Believing
156. Not Only Can Water Float A Boat, It Can Sink It Also
158. Such is Life
159. Such is Life / Such is Destiny
160. Sun Tzu: Regard Your Soldiers as Children
161. Tempering Makes Strong Steel
162. This is Life
163. Time is more valuable than Jade
164. Time is Gold
165. True Victory is Victory Over Oneself
167. Unselfish: Perfectly Impartial
168. Distinguish Good and Evil
169. Walking 100 Miles: Stopping at 90 miles, is the same as stopping half-way
170. To a Willing Heart, All Things Are Possible
171. No Limitations
173. Work Unselfishly for the Common Good
174. You Only Live Once
175. You are only as old as you feel
176. Good Conduct
178. The Buddha is in Each Sentient Being
179. Conquering Yourself is a Sign of Strength
180. My life is complete because of you
182. There is one single thread binding my Way together
183. It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war
184. Goodness
185. There is always a way out
186. Life is a Dew Drop
187. Opportunity Knocks Only Once
百聞不如一見 is a Chinese proverb that means “Seeing once is better than hearing one hundred times” which is similar to the idea of “Seeing is believing.”
You can also get the idea, “Seeing for oneself is better than hearing from many others.”
If you break it down directly, you get “100 hears/listens (is) not as-good (as) one sight.”
美しさは見る人の目の中にある means “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” in Japanese.
Japanese grammar and word order are different than English, but I will partially break this down for you:
美しさ = Beauty
は = is/relates
見る = to look/see
人の = person's
目の = eye's
中にあ = inside
る = !
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
These two characters contain the ideas of fate, destiny, fortune, and luck in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
運命 is often defined as “a person's fate” or “personal fate” in various dictionaries.
These two characters can be reversed (written in either order) and yield roughly the same meaning.
This particular character order is more common in old Korean and less common in modern Chinese.
See Also: Good Fortune | Good Luck
This Japanese proverb reads, “failure/mistake/blunder/defeat is the origin of success.”
It suggests that failures or defeats are a necessary part of success.
失敗は成功の元 is often translated as “Failure is a stepping stone to success.”
Note: There are a few similar variations of this idiom in Japanese.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success
失敗は成功の母 is a Japanese proverb that means exactly what you think.
Every failure that you experience is a chance to learn from it and find success.
Knowing what does not work is just as important as finding out what does work.
Note: This is the Japanese version of an ancient Chinese proverb.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Experience is the Mother of Wisdom
溫厚 is a Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean word for gentle or gentleness.
This can also mean “kindness” (more as an adjective like “kind person”).
The modern Japanese version of the first character looks like the one to the right. If you want this modern Japanese form, just click on that Kanji instead of the button above.
神さまが守るように is about as close as you can get to, “God Bless You” in Japanese.
This literally means “[May] God Protect [You].” It can also mean “God is Always With You,” as the word in this phrase that means “protect” can also mean to follow or be with. In fact, the Japanese dictionary entry for that word reads like this: to protect; to guard; to defend; to keep (i.e. a promise); to abide; to observe; to follow.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
お休み is how to write “good night” in Japanese.
It literally means “taking a rest.”
お休み is not a normal title for a calligraphy wall scroll. It might be appropriate for a hotel front desk, if anything.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
整然 is orderly, systematic, well-organized, trim, neat, tidy, and accurate in Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja.
This would be understood but is not used in Chinese languages.
家とは心がある場所だ is, “Home is where the heart is,” in Japanese.
Most Japanese will take this to mean:
If you are with the person or at the place you love most, it becomes your true home.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
内面の強さは外見の良さに勝る is a Japanese proverb that literally translates as “inner/internal strength/power [versus] outward-appearance [the] merit/virtue/good quality [does] excel/surpass/exceed/outweigh.”
More naturally in English, this would be “Inner Strength Outweighs Outward Appearance.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
Do not be afraid, God is always with you
あなたがどこへ行くにもあなたの神主が共におられるゆえ恐れてはならないおののいてはならない is a Japanese translation of a large portion of Joshua 1:9.
The Japanese passage includes, “The Lord God is with you wherever you are; Therefore do not fear or be discouraged.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
人生は素晴らしい means “life is good,” “life is great,” or “life is beautiful” in Japanese.
The first two characters mean “life” (as in your or a human lifespan).
The third character kind of means “is.”
The last five characters are a long adjective that means wonderful, splendid, and/or magnificent. In the context of life, it reads more like good or beautiful.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
人生は短い is “life is short” in Japanese.
The character breakdown:
人生 (jinsei) life (i.e., conception to death); human life, living, lifetime.
は (ha/wa) particle (means “is” in this case).
短い (mijikai) short.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
何も不可能じゃない is a Japanese phrase that means “nothing is impossible.”
This is just one of a few ways to express this idea. This one is probably the most common but other valid versions include these:
何も不可能でない
何事も不可能ではない
Some shorter versions that just mean “not impossible” include these:
不不可能
不可能はない
Another common phrase that roughly means “No such thing as impossible” looks like this: 不可能なことはない
Some others include these...
Impossible things are possessed not by me: 無理なことなんてない
Where there's a will, there's a way: 精神一到何事か成らざらん
If you want any of these other versions for your wall scroll, just contact me and I'll set it up for you.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
痛みは体から抜ける弱さ is how to write “pain is weakness leaving the body” in Japanese.
I remember this being shouted a lot during U.S. Marine Corps boot camp.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
No pain, no gain
百聞は一見に如かず is the Japanese version of an ancient Chinese proverb that means “Seeing once is better than hearing one hundred times.”
It is the rough equivalent of “seeing is believing,” “one eye-witness is better than many hearsays,” or “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Sometimes it's simply more prudent to verify with your own eyes.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
See Also: Hearing a Hundred Times is Not as Good as Seeing Once
This Japanese proverb literally reads, “failures/mistakes/blunders are the yeast-starter/yeast-mash of success.”
Basically, it suggests that failures are a necessary part of success; Just as bread or beer requires yeast to successfully rise or brew/ferment.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
三人寄れば文殊の知恵 literally means “when three people meet, wisdom is exchanged.”
Some will suggest this means when three people come together, their wisdom is multiplied.
That wisdom part can also be translated as wit, sagacity, intelligence, or Buddhist Prajna (insight leading to enlightenment).
In the middle of this proverb is “monju,” suggesting “transcendent wisdom.” This is where the multiplication of wisdom ideas comes from.
Note: This is very similar to the Chinese proverb, "When 3 people meet, one becomes a teacher."
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
武士の一言金鉄の如し is an old Japanese proverb about the value of the word of a warrior.
Here are a couple of versions of how this can be translated:
A warrior's single word is as unchanging and reliable as gold and steel.
A warrior's promise is as dependable as gold, and his [scabbard contains] untarnished steel (a sword).
Note: Sometimes this phrase is written as 男子の一言、金鉄の如し (danshi no ichigon kintetsu no gotoshi)
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
精神一到何事か成らざらん is a Japanese expression that means “Where there is a will, there is a way. There are other Japanese phrases with similar meanings but this one is the most commonly used (according to the number of results on Japanese Google).
This can also be romanized as “seshinittonanigotokanarazaran.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
一度だけ生きる is the simplest Japanese phrase that means “[you] only live once” or “only one [life] to live.”
The first four characters create a word that means “only once.”
The last three characters create a word that means “to live” or “to exist.”
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
千慮一得 means “1000 tries, one success,” or “[a] thousand tries [leads to] one success.”
This proverb is a humble way to express your success, ideas, or accomplishments. As if you are a fool who just got lucky in inventing or creating something.
Translations for this proverb include:
Even without any notable ability on my part, I may still get it right sometimes by good luck.
Even a fool may sometimes come up with a good idea.
Compare this to the English idiom, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”
年年有餘 is a common proverb or wish of prosperity you'll hear around the time of Chinese New Year.
Directly translated character by character, it means “Year Year Have Surplus.” A more natural English translation including the deeper meaning would be “Every Year may you Have Abundance in your life.”
On a side note, this phrase often goes with a gift of something related to fish. This is because the last character, “yu” which means surplus or abundance, has exactly the same pronunciation in Mandarin as the word for “fish.”
This is also one of the most common titles for traditional paintings that feature koi fish.
In China, this phrase might make an odd wall scroll - a customer asked especially for this common phrase which is why it appears here. See my other abundance-related words if you want a wall scroll that will seem more comfortable in Chinese culture.
Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.
See Also: Prosperity | Good Fortune
富裕 means prosperous, having an abundance, well-to-do, or well-off.
It's a simple word that suggests “you have made it” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean Hanja.
See Also: Good Fortune
繁榮富裕 is a proverb about “Prosperity and Abundance.”
This presents and reinforces the ideas of being prosperous, a booming economy, well-to-do, well-off, wealthy, riches, and opulence.
While this is the ancient/traditional Chinese way to write this, most Japanese can fully read and understand it. It's also the correct form of old Korean Hanja (though few Koreans of the current generation will be able to read this).
See Also: Good Fortune
不怕千招会只怕一招熟 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: Do not worry about making a thousand clever moves; what [one has to] fear is one bad move.
Figuratively, this means: Even if you have made many clever moves before, one wrong move will ruin the whole game.
I compare this to the English saying, “It takes only one Aw-shit to wipe out a thousand Attaboys.”
美 is often used to describe the beauty of a woman.
However, when applied to a man, it can mean handsome. It's also the first character in the word for “beauty salon” which you will see all over China and Japan.
This can be used as the given name for a girl (spell it or say it as “Mei” or “May”).
For a bit of trivia: The title for the “USA” in Chinese is “Mei Guo” which literally means “Beautiful Country.” This name was bestowed at a time before Chairman Mao came to power and decided that China didn't like the USA anymore (even though we fought together against the Japanese in WWII). But these days, Chinese people love Americans (but have a distaste for American politics and policy). But I digress...
美 is also how “Beautiful” is written in Japanese Kanji and Korean Hanja. 美 can also mean: very satisfactory; good; to be pleased with oneself; abbreviation for the USA; fine; handsome; admirable; madhura; sweet; and/or pleasant.
See Also: Beautiful Woman | Beautiful Girl
寧缺毋濫 is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Better to have nothing (than substandard choice).”
It basically suggests that one should prefer to go without something rather than accept a shoddy option.
See Also: A Deliberate Inaction is Better Than a Blind Action
If you cannot fight, don't start one
不能咬人就别龇牙 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: [if you] can't bite people, don't bare [your] teeth.
Figuratively, this means: Don't show your anger if you can't do anything about the situation.
Some will also say this means “Don't start a fight that you cannot win.” Others will say it means that you must be willing to back up your words (perhaps with your fists).
Ability is more important than looks
不管黑猫白猫能捉着老鼠的就是好猫 literally translates as: It doesn't matter [if a] cat [is] black [or] white, [as long as it] can catch mice, it's a good cat.
This proverb was either composed or made famous by Deng XiaoPing in 1961 when he exclaimed, “I don't care if it's a white cat or a black cat. It's a good cat so long as it catches mice” when his critics pointed out that his ideas were Capitalistic (free market). The response was meant to say, “It does not matter if it's Communist or Capitalist, as long as it works.”
This is a Chinese proverb that can be used to suggest one should disregard looks or a person's race, as long as they can do the job. It can also be used as a metaphor for many other situations.
Deng XiaoPing probably saved China from collapse (as the Soviet Union experienced). He changed China’s economy from pure Communism to a hybrid where the free market (Capitalism) is encouraged. More about Deng XiaoPing
祝福 is a nice way to give good wishes to someone.
It can be a general blessing or used to congratulate someone for a special occasion or graduation.
This has a good meaning in Japanese but is more appropriate when expressed orally. 祝福 is not a natural selection for a wall scroll if your audience is Japanese.
百胜难虑敌三折乃良医 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: [Even a general who has won a] hundred victories [may be] hard put to see through the enemy's [strategy], [but one who has] broken [his] arm three [times] [will] be a good doctor.
Figuratively, this means: One cannot always depend on past successes to guarantee future success but one can always learn from lessons drawn from failure.
See Also: Failure - Mother of Success | Experience - Mother of Success | Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8 | Hard Knocks
見性成佛 is a universal phrase that suggests that one may see one's nature and accomplish Buddhahood.
見性 suggests penetrating deep inside oneself to see one's “Original finally
Mind.”
成佛 refers to a sentient being who dispenses with illusions and delusions
through ascetic practice, is enlightened to the truth, and becomes a Buddha.
This is used by Mahayana, Chan, and Zen Buddhists in China, Korea, and Japan.
You will also see this with the last character written as 仏 in Japanese. In the religious context, 佛 is commonly used to mean Buddha. If you want the other version, see Kenshō Jōbutsu 見性成仏
刻舟求劍 is an originally-Chinese proverb that serves as a warning to people that things are always in a state of change.
Thus, you must consider that and not depend on the old ways or a way that may have worked in the past but is no longer valid.
This idiom/proverb comes from the following story:
A man was traveling in a ferry boat across a river. With him, he carried a treasured sword. Along the way, the man became overwhelmed and intoxicated by the beautiful view and accidentally dropped his prized sword into the river. Thinking quickly, he pulled out a knife and marked on the rail of the boat where exactly he had lost his sword.
When the boat arrived on the other side of the river, the man jumped out of the boat and searched for his sword right under where he'd made the mark. Of course, the boat had moved a great distance since he made the mark, and thus, he could not find the sword.
While this man may seem foolhardy, we must take a great lesson from this parable: Circumstances change, so one should use methods to handle the change. In modern China, this is used in business to mean that one should not depend on old business models for a changing market.
This proverb dates back to the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) of the territory now known as China. It has spread and is somewhat known in Japan and Korea.
不見棺材不落淚 is a cautionary tale that suggests you are unknowingly (though it should be obvious)on a bad course.
It further suggests that you will not realize your folly until the worst has happened.
This can also be a warning of inaction until it's too late to take action. Again, not realizing your error until it's too late.
In an alternate interpretation, some will suggest this means doing something bad and not looking back - Then the worst happens.
It should be noted that this is one of the oddest selections for a wall scroll in our whole Asian calligraphy database. All of our translators are convinced that no Chinese person would ever hang this on their wall.
Quote from Confucius
This proverb, 志于道据于德依于仁游于艺, from the Analects of Confucius translates as:
Resolve yourself in the Dao/Tao/Way.
Rely on Virtue.
Reside in benevolence.
Revel in the arts.
According to Confucius, these are the tenets of good and proper conduct.
This was written over 2500 years ago. The composition is in ancient Chinese grammar and phrasing. A modern Chinese person would need a background in Chinese literature to understand this without the aid of a reference.
見義勇為 means the courage to do what is right in Chinese.
This could also be translated as “Never hesitate to do what is right.”
This comes from Confucian thought:
Your courage should head in an honorable direction. For example, you should take action when the goal is to attain a just result as, without honorable intent, a person’s gutsy fervor can easily lead them astray.
One who flaunts courage but disregards justice is bound to do wrong; someone who possesses courage and morality is destined to become a hero.
Some text above paraphrased from The World of Chinese - The Character of 勇
See Also: Work Unselfishly for the Common Good | Justice | Bravery
黎明前的黑暗 is the most natural way to write “The night is darkest before the dawn,” in Chinese.
The words break down this way by meaning this way:
1.黎明 dawn or daybreak
2.前 before, in front, ago, former, previous, and/or earlier
3.的 (possessive particle) of
4.黑暗 dark, darkly, or darkness
If you try to understand the Chinese word order and grammar, it's like, “Before dawn is the darkest [time].”
This phrase means “Old and ailing with little time left” or “Not long for this world.”
There is a real suggestion here that someone will die soon.
This was added by a special request of a customer and is perhaps, not the most positive phrase that you could put on a wall scroll.
This would be the most offensive possible gift to give to an older person - please do not do that!
命 is often translated as “destiny.”
Sometimes this character is simply translated as “life” but more in terms of one's lot in life. In a certain context, this can mean command or decree (generally from a king or emperor). Of course, such a decree is part of fate and leads you to fulfill your destiny.
In Chinese, this word leans toward the fate or destiny definition.
In Korean, it is usually read simply as “life.”
In Japanese, it can mean all definitions shown above, depending on context.
See Also: Good Fortune
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.
See Also: Soulmates | Good Fortune
Do not fear strong winds waves; just be sure to row in unison
不怕风浪大就怕桨不齐 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: Do not fear strong winds [and] high waves; what [one should] worry about whether or not you're rowing in unison.
Figuratively, this means: However difficult the task, the key to success lies in making collective efforts.
I like to translate this as “Don't sweat the details, just get together and get it done.”
This Chinese philosophy tells of how we continue to learn throughout our lives.
This proverb can be translated in a few ways such as “Study has no end,” “Knowledge is infinite,” “No end to learning,” “There's always something new to study,” or “You live and learn.”
The deeper meaning: Even when we finish school we are still students of the world gaining more knowledge from our surroundings with each passing day.
See Also: An Open Book Benefits Your Mind | Wisdom | Learn From Wisdom
Tell somebody how to do something and they might get it.
Show them how to do it, and they will master it in no time.
身教勝於言教 can also be translated as “Behavior teaches more than words.”
See Also: Wisdom
It's been said that wisdom comes from good judgment, and good judgment comes from experience, while experience comes from a series of times when you used bad judgment.
經驗是智慧之母 is a Chinese proverb that makes the simplest connection between experience and wisdom.
See Also: Failure is the Mother of Success | Wisdom | Learn From Wisdom
失敗並非一種選擇 is probably the best way to say, “Failure is not an option,” in Chinese.
Just don't forget that some ancient Chinese proverbs suggest that failure is a learning opportunity that leads to success or innovation. So don't plan to fail but failure is only a waste if nothing is learned from the failure.
See Also: Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success | Failure is the Mother of Success
失败是成功之母 is a Chinese and Korean proverb that means “Every failure that you experience is a chance to learn from it and find success.”
Knowing what does not work is just as important as finding out what does work.
See Also: Experience is the Mother of Wisdom
信唸是在黎明前的黑闇中能感到光明的鳥 is a philosophical poem/quote from Indian Poet and Philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore.
Rabindranath Tagore, 1915
This quote is not sourced, and therefore several variations exist in English. Some suggest the original was in the Bengali language.
This, of course, is the Chinese translation that has the meaning of, “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.”
More about Rabindranath Tagore
Always rising after a fall or repeated failures
七転八起 is a Japanese proverb that relays the vicissitudes of life, with the meaning “seven times down eight times up.”
Some would more naturally translate it into English as “Always rising after a fall or repeated failures” or compare it to the English, “If at first, you don't succeed, try, try again.”
The first Kanji is literally “7.” The second means “fall down” (sometimes this Kanji means “turn around,” “revolve” or “turn over” but in this case, it holds the meaning of “fall”). The third is “8.” And the last is “get up,” “rouse,” or “rise.”
Basically, if you fail 7 times, you should recover from those events and be prepared to rise an 8th time. This also applies if it is the world or circumstances that knock you down seven times...
...just remember that you have the ability to bounce back from any kind of adversity.
Note: This can be pronounced in two ways. One is “shichi ten hakki” or “shichitenhakki.” The other is “nana korobi ya oki” also written, “nanakorobi-yaoki.”
Special Note: The second character is a Kanji that is not used in China. Therefore, please select a Japanese calligrapher for this title.
The pot calls the kettle black
五十步笑百步 is a Chinese proverb that means the one who retreats 50 paces mocks the one who retreats 100 paces.
During the Warring States Period of what is now China (475 - 221 B.C.), the King of Wei was in love with war. He often fought with other kingdoms just for spite or fun.
One day, the King of Wei asked the philosopher Mencius, “I love my people, and all say I do the best for them. I move the people from famine-stricken areas to places of plenty and transport grains from rich areas to the poor. Nobody goes hungry in my kingdom, and I treat my people far better than other kings. But why does the population of my kingdom not increase, and why does the population of other kingdoms not decrease?”
Mencius answered, “Since you love war, I will make this example: When going to war, and the drums beat to start the attack, some soldiers flee for their lives in fear. Some run 100 paces in retreat, and others run 50 steps. Then the ones who retreated 50 paces laugh and taunt those who retreated 100 paces, calling them cowards mortally afraid of death. Do you think this is reasonable?
The King of Wei answered, “Of course not! Those who run 50 paces are just as timid as those who run 100 paces.”
Mencius then said, “You are a king who treats his subjects better than other kings treat their people, but you are so fond of war that your people suffer from great losses in battle. Therefore, your population does not grow. While other kings allow their people to starve to death, you send your people to die in war. Is there any difference?”
This famous conversation led to the six-character proverb shown here. It serves as a warning to avoid hypocrisy. It goes hand-in-hand with the western phrase, “The pot calls the kettle black,” or the Biblical phrase, “Before trying to remove a splinter from your neighbor's eye, first remove the plank from your own eye.”
香 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja that means: fragrant; sweet smelling; aromatic; savory; appetizing; perfume; incense; aroma; fragrance; scent; good smell.
Fragrance or incense is known to be one of the Buddha's messengers to stimulate faith and devotion.
福 is pronounced “fu” in Chinese.
The character “fu” is posted by virtually all Chinese people on the doors of their homes during the Spring Festival (closely associated with the Chinese New Year).
One tradition from the Zhou Dynasty (beginning in 256 B.C.) holds that putting a fu symbol on your front door will keep the goddess of poverty away.
福 literally means good fortune, prosperity, blessed, blessedness, happiness, and fulfillment.
You'll also see this character in Vietnam (where Chinese characters were the written form until a romanization reform) where it is pronounced Phúc - a word commonly used in Vietnamese names because of its good meaning.
See Also: Lucky
義を見てせざるは勇なきなり is a Japanese proverb that means “Knowing what is right and not doing is a want of courage.”
I've also seen it translated as:
To see what is right, yet fail to do so, is a lack of courage.
To know righteousness, but take no action is cowardice.
You are a coward if you knew what was the right thing to do, but you did not take action.
Knowing what is right without practicing it betrays one's cowardice.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
God is With Me Always
The direct translation of the Chinese characters, 上帝与你常在, is “God Together [with] You Always Exist.”
Keep in mind that Chinese grammar is sometimes very different from English. This makes perfect sense in Chinese.
Note: The title for God is the first two characters - the other words in the direct translation represent one character each.
I was going to write this phrase as “God is with me always” but as a wall scroll, hanging in your room, it is talking to you (you're not talking), so it works better with you.
上帝總是與你同在 is a nice phrase that any Chinese Christian would enjoy on his/her wall.
If I annotate this, it sounds a little strange in English but it's perfectly natural in Chinese:
上帝 God | 总是 always | 与 and | 你 you | 同 together | 在 existing
再見 is the most common “goodbye” in Mandarin Chinese.
It literally/directly translates, “again see” or more naturally, “See you again.” It's a lot like the English, “See you later.”
Theoretically, this can be used in Japanese, but in Japanese, it's seen as the Chinese way to say goodbye. It's like English people saying ciao! or ¡adiós!
This is a strange title for a wall scroll. I guess it’s best if you plan to put this by the door where people will see it when they leave your home or business.
一日一善 is a Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja phrase that suggests doing a good deed each day or doing one good turn a day.
It literally reads, “One Day, One Good (Deed).”
好好學習天天向上 is a famous proverb by Chairman Mao Zedong that sounds really strange when directly translated into English.
I include it in our database of phrases to illustrate how different the construction and grammar can be between Chinese and English. The direct translation is “Good Good Study, Day Day Up.” In Chinese, a repeated character/word can often serve to reinforce the idea (like saying “very” or suggesting “a lot of”). So “good good” really means “a lot of good.” While “day day” can be better translated as “day in day out.” The idea of “up” has a meaning in China of “rising above” or “improving.”
After understanding all of this, we come up with a slightly better translation of “With a lot of good study, day in and day out, we raise above.”
The more natural translation of this proverb would be something like, “study hard, and keep improving.”
Also suggests being at peace
康 is a single character that means good health or vigor in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
康 can also mean peaceful, at ease, or abundant in some contexts.
Please note that this is rarely seen alone in Japanese Kanji. In Japanese, it is used both for health-related compound words and to denote the kouhou through koushou eras of Japan.
In Korean, this can also be the family name “Kang” (caution: not the only family name romanized as Kang in Korean).
A heart of kindness, benevolence, and virtuous intentions
善心 literally reads “Good Heart” but is used to refer to the ideas of kindness, benevolence, philanthropy, virtuous intentions, moral sense, and conscience.
Some will also translate this as the morality of mind (as the character for the heart is often used to mean mind).
In Japanese, this can be the given name Yoshinaka.
好意 is how to write good intentions in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean Hanja.
This can also be translated as kindness, goodwill, favor/favour, courtesy, good wishes, friendliness, and/or amity.
善意 is a word that means good intentions, goodwill, or to things done in good faith in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean Hanja.
It's the reason you do good deeds or the desire you have inside yourself to do the right thing.
This can also be translated as benevolence, kindness, virtuous mind, positive mindset, or favorable sense.
善意 is also used in the legal context for things done in good faith (regardless of outcome).
In Japanese, this can be the personal name Yoshi or Yoshii.
幸運 can be translated as “good luck,” fortunate, lucky, and/or “good fortune” in Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
Occasionally, this is also translated as a type of happiness or a short way to write serendipity.
福宅 is perhaps the Chinese equivalent of “This blessed house” or perhaps “home sweet home.”
This phrase literally means “Good fortune house” or “Good luck household.” It makes any Chinese person who sees it feel that good things happen in the home in which this calligraphy is hung.
整 is a single Chinese character that can mean: in good order, whole, complete, entire, in order, orderly, to repair, to mend, to renovate, and/or to fix something or somebody.
This was added for a customer who wanted a single character that meant orderly. It's kind of unusual for a wall scroll.
My Korean Hanja dictionary defines it as orderly, neat, tidy, and/or whole.
Note: In Japanese, this Kanji is usually understood as a male given name Hitoshi (other Kanji can also be Hitoshi). It is used in combination with other Kanji or Hiragana to create words about orderliness. Unless your name is Hitoshi, this single character is best if your audience is Chinese.
為善最樂 can be translated as “Doing good is the greatest source of happiness” or “doing good deeds brings the greatest joy.”
The origin is not known but is sometimes used in the context of Buddhism. However, this Chinese proverb or philosophy is a relatively mainstream idea of benevolence.
善 means goodness, virtue, good deed, charitable, benevolent, well-disposed, nice, pleasant, kind, or simply, “good.”
善 is the kind of good that applies to someone's good character, or a good person in general.
Referring to someone with this word means that they have a well-aimed moral compass, and are charitable, giving, wise, and honest. Basically, this is a blanket statement for every good trait a human can have or all the things that make someone good.
In another context, it can mean to improve or perfect something or refer to someone who is good at something.
瑞 is a Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean word that means: lucky; auspicious; propitious; freshness; purity; luster; a good omen.
In Japanese, this can be the following female given names: Yutaka; Midzuho; Mizuho; Mizuki; Mizue; Mizu; Mio; Tamami. It can also be a Japanese surname, Zui or Shirushi.
In the Buddhist context, this can represent an auspicious jade token or good omen.
四海為家 literally reads, “Four Seas Serve-As [my/one's] Home.”
Together, 四海 which literally means “four seas” is understood to mean “the whole world” or “the seven seas.” It's presumed to be an ancient word from back when only four seas were known - so it equates to the modern English term, “seven seas.”
This can be translated or understood in a few different ways:
To regard the four corners of the world all as home.
To feel at home anywhere.
To roam about unconstrained.
To consider the entire country, or the world, to be one's own.
家由心生 is an old Chinese proverb that is roughly equal to the English idiom “Home is where the heart is.”
If you know Chinese, you may recognize the first character as home and the third as the heart.
Sometimes 一動不如一靜 is translated by others as “Look before you leap” but the more accurate and direct translation is the one I used in the title.
While somewhat military in its origin, this proverb can apply to any situation where a decision needs to be made, but perhaps there are still some “unknowns.”
This phrase suggests that in our “action-based” world, sometimes the “smarter move” is “no move at all.”
See Also: Better to Choose Nothing Rather Than Make a Poor Choice
表壯不如里壯 literally translates as: [Better to be] strong inside than [to be] strong outside.
The ancient original meaning was:
[An] able [husband] outside [working to support a family is] not as good as [an] able [wife] inside [working and saving to take care of the family].
The current meaning is:
Inner strength is more important than outward appearance.
耶穌是我的生命 means Jesus is my life in Chinese.
The first two characters are a transliteration of the name Jesus into Mandarin Chinese.
The third character means, is.
The fourth and fifth mean my or mine.
The last two characters mean life, as in lifespan, or from birth to death.
This is not a common phrase for Chinese Christians, but this is the best way to translate this idea from English to Mandarin Chinese.
This figuratively means “Without a teacher, how can we learn/mature?”
人非生而知之者熟能無惑 is a philosophic pondering by Han Yu, a Tang Dynasty essayist, and philosopher (618-907 A.D.). This is a Chinese proverb that can be translated as “Knowledge is not innate to man, how can we overcome doubt?” or, “We are not born with knowledge, how does one achieve maturity?.”
This infers that we need the guidance of a teacher if we wish to learn, mature, and become better.
A 100-year-old is but a traveler passing through this life
白酒紅人面黃金黑世心 literally says: [Just as] white liquor makes people's faces turn red, [So] yellow gold makes people's hearts turn black.
This is a warning about the nature of greed. The suggestion is that one who lusts for gold and riches will eventually have a black heart (or become a heartless greedy bastard). As a wall scroll, this is a reminder and warning to keep yourself from following the greedy path.
耶和華是我的牧者 is the first line from Psalms 23 straight out of the Chinese Union Bible.
This reads, “The LORD is my shepherd,” or “Jehovah is my shepherd.”
The character breakdown:
耶和華 = Jehovah (most English Bibles translate as LORD or God). This Chinese title is meant to sound a bit like the original Hebrew YHWH or Yahweh.
是 = is.
我的 = my.
牧者 = shepherd.
吉 is a simple way to express the state of being lucky.
Also used in conversation to hope that all is well with someone. 吉 is more often seen as part of a compound word with a lucky association (especially in Korean).
Not as often used in Japanese but still means "good luck" but can also mean "joy" in Japanese.
See Also: Good Luck
百万买宅千万买邻 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as:
[It may cost a] million to buy a house, [but] ten million to find [good] neighbors.
Figuratively, this means:
Good neighbors are hard to find.
Good neighbors are even more important than the quality of one's house.
Only by experiencing hardship will allow you understand the plight of others
不當和尚不知齋戒苦 literally translates as:
[One who has] not been a monk [does not] know the suffering of [being on a] vegetarian diet.
This is a bit like the “walk a mile in another man's shoes” saying. Basically, it's about you cannot fully understand the plight of others until you experience it yourself.
A determined effort can move a mountain
愚公移山 is the Chinese proverb (also somewhat known in Japan and Korea) for “the silly old man moves a mountain.”
Figuratively, this means “where there's a will, there's a way.”
Based on a fable of Lord Yu (愚公). He moved the soil of the mountain in front of his house. After years of effort, he finally moved the entire mountain (some versions of the story have God seeing how determined the man was, and sending two angels to whisk the mountains away).
The moral of the story: Anything can be accomplished if one works at it ceaselessly.
The Japanese version of this is 愚公山を移す (gu kou yama wo utsu su). But better to get the Chinese version, since this is originally a Chinese proverb.
See Also: Nothing is Impossible
移山 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for “to remove mountains” or “to move a mountain.”
Figuratively, this means you can accomplish the impossible by sheer persistence.
移山 is the short form of a proverb about a man who had much persistence and could move a whole mountain (a bucket of soil at a time).
不怕路遠隻怕志短 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as “Fear not long roads; fear only short ambition,” or “Don't fear that the road is long, only fear that your will/ambition/aspiration is short.”
Figuratively, this means: However difficult the goal is, one can achieve it as long as one is determined to do so.
Others may translate the meaning as “Don't let a lack of willpower stop you from pressing onward in your journey.”
無一是主惟有安拉穆罕默德是安拉的差使 is one of the key creeds of Islam.
While perhaps more often seen in Arabic as
there are many native Chinese Muslims (especially the Hui ethnicity) that do not speak Arabic.
Instead, they use this Chinese phrase to express this idea or statement of faith.
求學無坦途 is a Chinese proverb that translates as “There is no royal road to learning.”
This suggests that the path of learning can never be smooth, there will be difficulties and troubles along the way.
See Also: Learning is Eternal
學海無涯 is a Chinese proverb that reads, “sea of learning, no horizon.”
Colloquially, it means there are no limits to what one still has left to learn.
This would be the Chinese equivalent to the quote from Hippocrates, “ars longa, vita brevis,” meaning “it takes a long time to acquire and perfect one's expertise.”
See Also: Learning is Eternal
This Japanese title can be translated as “for this time only,” “chance meeting,” “one meeting, one opportunity,” “never again,” or “one chance in a lifetime.”
The characters literally mean “one time one meeting” - of course, the Kanji characters have meaning far beyond a direct translation like this.
Some might use this proverb to talk of an opportunity that presents itself just once in your life. It could also be a one-and-only chance meeting with your true soul mate. An expression of any event that might happen once in a lifetime.
This is primarily a Japanese title, however, there is also a Traditional Chinese (and old Korean) version of this proverb. Just the last character is different.
The traditional form was used in Japan before WWII and in Korea prior to 1900. This title is somewhat known in China.
If you want the older traditional form, just click on the character to the right.
This word is often used to describe the idea of opening the minds of the young or the new generation.
See Also: Wisdom | Learning is Eternal | Learn From Wisdom
機遇 is the kind of opportunity that comes via good luck or good fortune.
This word is sometimes translated as “stroke of good luck.”
While there are other ways to express “opportunity,” I think this version is best for a calligraphy wall scroll or portrait.
Note: In Korean Hanja, this would also mean “Meeting someone under strange circumstances.”
See Also: Good Luck
I remember this being shouted a lot during U.S. Marine Corps boot camp. 疼痛就是衰弱離你而去的時候 is how to write that phrase in Chinese. At least, this is as close as we could compose/translate it, and hold the full original meaning and connotations.
The version shown here is really, “Pain is weakness leaving your body.” Although it's said in English both ways (the or your), it works better in Chinese with “your.”
Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.
The most literal translation to English of this ancient 前事不忘后事之师 Chinese proverb is:
“Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.”
However, it's been translated several ways:
Don't forget past events, they can guide you in the future.
Benefit from past experience.
Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
Past calamity is my teacher.
A good memory for the past is a teacher for the future.
The remembrance of the past is the teacher of the future.
If one remembers the lessons of the past; They will serve as a guide to avoid mistakes in the future.
The origin:
This proverb comes from the 5th century B.C., just before the Warring States Period in the territory now known as China.
The head of the State of Jin, Zhi Bo, seized power in a coup. He did this with help from the armies of the State of Han and Wei. Instead of being grateful for the help from Han and Wei, he treacherously took the land of Han and Wei. Never satisfied, Zhi Bo employed the armies of Han and Wei to attack and seize the State of Zhao.
The king of Zhao took advice from his minister Zhang Mengtan and secretly contacted the Han and Wei armies to reverse their plans and attack the army of Zhi Bo instead. The plan was successful, and the State of Zhao was not only saved but was set to become a powerful kingdom in the region.
Zhang Mengtan immediately submitted his resignation to a confused king of Zhao. When asked why, Zhang Mengtan said, “I've done my duty to save my kingdom, but looking back at past experience, I know sovereign kings are never satisfied with the power or land at hand. They will join others and fight for more power and more land. I must learn from past experiences, as those experiences are the teachers of future events.”
The king could not dispute the logic in that statement and accepted Zhang Mengtan's resignation.
For generations, the State of Zhao continued to fight for power and land until finally defeated and decimated by the State of Qin (which led to the birth of the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C.).
安康 means just what it says. It's a word that expresses both the idea of being at peace and healthy at the same time.
Note: 安康 is a bonafide word in Chinese and Korean, and the characters will at least make sense in Japanese.
Persistence to overcome all challenges
百折不撓 is a Chinese proverb that means “Be undaunted in the face of repeated setbacks.”
More directly translated, it reads, “[Overcome] a hundred setbacks, without flinching.” 百折不撓 is of Chinese origin but is commonly used in Japanese and somewhat in Korean (same characters, different pronunciation).
This proverb comes from a long, and occasionally tragic story of a man that lived sometime around 25-220 AD. His name was Qiao Xuan, and he never stooped to flattery but remained an upright person at all times. He fought to expose the corruption of higher-level government officials at great risk to himself.
Then when he was at a higher level in the Imperial Court, bandits were regularly capturing hostages and demanding ransoms. But when his own son was captured, he was so focused on his duty to the Emperor and the common good that he sent a platoon of soldiers to raid the bandits' hideout, and stop them once and for all even at the risk of his own son's life. While all of the bandits were arrested in the raid, they killed Qiao Xuan's son at first sight of the raiding soldiers.
Near the end of his career, a new Emperor came to power, and Qiao Xuan reported to him that one of his ministers was bullying the people and extorting money from them. The new Emperor refused to listen to Qiao Xuan and even promoted the corrupt Minister. Qiao Xuan was so disgusted that in protest, he resigned from his post as minister (something almost never done) and left for his home village.
His tombstone reads “Bai Zhe Bu Nao” which is now a proverb used in Chinese culture to describe a person of strong will who puts up stubborn resistance against great odds.
My Chinese-English dictionary defines these 4 characters as “keep on fighting despite all setbacks,” “be undaunted by repeated setbacks,” and “be indomitable.”
Our translator says it can mean “never give up” in modern Chinese.
Although the first two characters are translated correctly as “repeated setbacks,” the literal meaning is “100 setbacks” or “a rope that breaks 100 times.” The last two characters can mean “do not yield” or “do not give up.”
Most Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people will not take this absolutely literal meaning but will instead understand it as the title suggests above. If you want a single big word definition, it would be indefatigability, indomitableness, persistence, or unyielding.
See Also: Tenacity | Fortitude | Strength | Perseverance | Persistence
白天不做亏心事夜半敲门不吃惊 literally translates as: [If one does] not do bad things in the daytime, one need not be alarmed at knocks on the door in the middle of the night.
The meaning is something like, “A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder.” Basically, the message is, “don't commit crimes and you won't be jumpy every time the doorbell rings (so don't do anything wrong and your life will have fewer worries and you can sleep at night).”
打怕的人是假的敬怕的人是真的 is a proverb that seems to be aimed at world leaders or others in power. Perhaps a suggestion to avoid the practice of “fear-mongering” opting instead for a policy of benevolence and justice.
An example: When the Bush administration told Pakistan they could either join America in the “war on terror,” or expect some bombs to be coming their way, Bush gained this kind of “less-than-genuine respect” from Pakistanis.
Leaders in places like North Korea and even Saudi Arabia reap the same bogus respect from their own citizens.
Note that calligraphers do not like to repeat the same characters in exactly the same way in the same piece of artwork. So expect the characters that are repeated to be written in different forms in the real artwork (unlike the way they are displayed to the left).
文江學海 is a Chinese proverb that reads, “river of literacy, a sea of learning”
This suggests that there is a lot to learn in the world, with an eternal amount of reading and things to study.
文江學海 is one way to translate the quote from Hippocrates, “ars longa, vita brevis,” meaning “it takes a long time to acquire and perfect one's expertise.”
See Also: Learning is Eternal
百聞不如一見 is a proverb that means “Better to see something once rather than hear about it one hundred times” or “Telling me about something 100 times is not as good as seeing it once.”
In English, we have the similar proverb of “Seeing is believing” but this has a bit of the “A picture paints a thousand words” meaning too.
Sometimes it's simply more prudent to verify with your own eyes.
Many things have opposite properties. The water you drink can also drown you. Pork may nourish you and keep you alive but under-cook it and it could kill you. Potassium nitrate is often used as a fertilizer to grow the food that sustains us but it's also been used as an explosive to topple buildings and destroy us.
This concept is easily associated with “yin yang” where an element has two opposite properties that are as different as night and day.
This proverb's meaning can be summed up this way: “Anything that can lead you to success may also contain great risks.”
This phrase is known in literary circles by Korean people (scholars or literature). It is therefore also a valid proverb in Korean Hanja, though most Koreans would not be able to make sense of it.
Please note that there is an unwritten rule when the same character appears twice in the same phrase, the calligrapher will alter the appearance so that no two characters are exactly alike in the same piece. This calligraphy has two repeating characters that will be written differently than they appear here.
Skills cannot be perfected without perseverance in practice
不怕练不成就怕心不恒 literally translates as: Do not worry about not being able to master [a skill]; What [one should] be concerned about is lack of perseverance.
Figuratively, this means: One's skills cannot be perfected without perseverance in practice.
For me, I've learned that you can only get so much from school or studying. You've really got to do “on-the-job training” to perfect your ability and skill.
For martial arts students: You can read about a kick in a book, or someone can tell you about a certain kick but until you practice the kick, there's no way you'll master it.
視卒如嬰兒故可以與之赴深溪視卒如愛子故可與之俱死 is an entry from the 10th section within the Earth/Terrain chapter of Sun Tzu's Art of War.
This is often translated as “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.”
Hardship Develops Strong Character
正勝吾勝 is a proverb that is often translated as “True victory is victory over oneself.”
However, literally, Kanji by Kanji, means “True victory [is] my/self victory.”
My Japanese friends rate this very highly for a wall scroll.
See Also: Know Thy Enemy Know Thyself
酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言 is a nice Asian proverb if you know a vintner or wine seller - or wine lover - although the actual meaning might not be exactly what you think or hope.
The literal meaning is that someone drinking wine is more likely to let the truth slip out. It can also be translated as “People speak their true feelings after drinking alcohol.”
It's long believed in many parts of Asia that one can not consciously hold up a facade of lies when getting drunk, and therefore the truth will come out with a few drinks.
I've had the experience where a Korean man would not trust me until I got drunk with him (I was trying to gain access to the black market in North Korea which is tough to do as an untrusted outsider) - so I think this idea is still well-practiced in many Asian countries.
Please note that there are two common ways to write the second character of this phrase. The way it's written will be left up to the mood of the calligrapher, unless you let us know that you have a certain preference.
大公無私 is a Chinese proverb that comes from an old story from some time before 476 BC. About a man named Qi Huangyang, who was commissioned by the king to select the best person for a certain job in the Imperial Court.
Qi Huangyang selected his enemy for the job. The king was very confused by the selection, but Qi Huangyang explained that he was asked to find the best person for the job, not necessarily someone that he liked or had a friendship with.
Later, Confucius commented on how unselfish and impartial Qi Huangyang was by saying, “Da Gong Wu Si” which, if you look it up in a Chinese dictionary, is generally translated as “Unselfish” or “Just and Fair.”
If you translate each character, you'd have something like
“Big/Deep Justice Without Self.”
Direct translations like this leave out a lot of what the Chinese characters really say. Use your imagination, and suddenly you realize that “without self” means “without thinking about yourself in the decision” - together, these two words mean “unselfish.” The first two characters serve to drive the point home that we are talking about a concept that is similar to “blind justice.”
One of my Chinese-English dictionaries translates this simply as “just and fair.” So that is the short and simple version.
Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.
See Also: Selflessness | Work Unselfishly for the Common Good | Altruism
行百里者半九十 is an old Chinese proverb that speaks to the act of giving up. This phrase suggests that no matter how close you are to finishing your task or journey, giving up just before you finish is just as bad as giving up halfway.
50% finished or 90% finished, the result is the same: “You are not finished.”
You can take what you want from this proverb, but I think it suggests that you should finish what you start, and especially finish that last 10% of your journey or project so that you can honestly say “it's finished.”
Some notes: The character, 里, that I am translating as “mile” is an ancient “Chinese mile” which is actually about half a kilometer - it just doesn't sound right to say “When walking 100 half-kilometers...”
Where there is a will, there is a way
有志者事竟成 is an old Chinese proverb that has been translated many different ways into English. As you read the translations below, keep in mind that in Chinese, heart=mind.
Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.
Nothing is impossible to a willing mind.
Nothing is difficult to a willing heart.
Where there is a will, there is a way.
Nothing in the world is impossible if you set your mind to doing it.
A willful man will have his way.
If you wish it, you will do it.
A determined heart can accomplish anything.
All things are possible with a strong mind.
漫瀾 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for “Having no boundaries or limitations.”
This literally talks of the vastness of an ocean or river.
Character breakdown:
漫 = free; unrestrained; to inundate; overflowing; boundless.
澜 = swelling water; large wave.
無盡 is the Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja for endless; inexhaustible; without limits; infinite.
In the Buddhist context, this can refer to the infinitude of living beings, of worlds, of space, of the dharmadhātu, of nirvāṇa, etc.
克己奉公 is a Chinese proverb that is often used to express how one should act as a government official. Most of us wish our public officials would hold themselves to higher standards. I wish I could send this scroll, along with the meaning to every member of Congress, and the President (or if I was from the UK, all the members of Parliament, and the PM)
This can also mean: “Place Strict Standards on Oneself in Public Service.”
The story behind this ancient Chinese idiom:
Cai Zun was born in China a little over 2000 years ago. In 24 AD, he joined an uprising led by Liu Xiu, who later became the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Later, the new emperor put Cai Zun in charge of the military court. Cai Zun exercised his power in strict accordance with military law, regardless of the offender's rank or background. He even ordered the execution of one of the emperor's close servants after the servant committed a serious crime.
Cai Zun led a simple life but put great demands on himself to do all things honorably. The emperor rewarded him for his honest character and honorable nature by promoting him to the rank of General and granting him the title of Marquis.
Whenever Cai Zun would receive an award, he would give credit to his men and share the reward with them.
Cai Zun was always praised by historians who found many examples of his selfless acts that served the public interest.
Sometime long ago in history, people began to refer to Cai Zun as “ke ji feng gong.”
See Also: Unselfish | Selflessness | Altruism
You're only old if you think you're old
善行 means good actions, good deeds, good conduct, or benevolence.
This can be the given name Yoshiyuki in Japanese.
佛は衆生の中に在り is “Butsu wa shujo no naka ni ari” and means that the Buddha (potential for Buddhahood) exists in all beings in the universe.
So yes, your dog has the potential to be a Buddha (but only in a future reincarnation as a human). But all things, from the tiny cricket to the humpback whale have Buddha nature within them. If one takes the time to look and contemplate, one will see the Buddha in all things.
In Japan, sometimes the Buddha character is written 仏 instead of 佛, so you might see the whole phrase written as 仏は衆生の中に在り.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
Hishiryō (非思量) literally means not-thinking.
Hishiryo can be described as a state of mind beyond thinking and non-thinking during the practice of Zazen.
Shiryō (思量) means “thinking,” and hi (非) is a prefix for negation and opposition.
Therefore, hishiryo amounts to “unthink” or “not the matter of thinking.” The word hishiryo appears in Dogen Zenji’s Fukanzazengi, Shobogenzo Zazengi, Shobogenzo Zazenshin, and Keizan Zenji’s Zazen Yojinki. It is one of the most important words used to describe zazen. Hishiryo in these writings comes from a dialogue between Yakusan Igen (745-828) and an unnamed monk, which is described in Keitoku, Dentoroku, and other Zen texts.
The above is an abridged except from School of Shodo: Hishiryo
I suggest you visit that page for a full explanation.
吾道一以貫之 is a phrase from the Analects of Confucius that translates as “My Way has one thread that runs through it.”
Other translations include:
My Way is penetrated by a single thread.
There is one single thread binding my Way together.
My Way is run through with a unifying thread.
My Way is Consistent.
And sometimes poetic license is taken, and it is translated as:
My Way is the only one; I'll treasure it and stick to it with humility until the end.
After this was said, some 2500+ years ago, another disciple of Confucius clarified the meaning by stating, “Our master's Way is to be loyal and have a sense of reciprocity.”
In Japanese, this is purported to be romanized as “Waga michi ichi wo motte kore wo tsuranuku,” though some will argue the true pronunciation.
Note: Sometimes written 吾道以一貫之 instead of 吾道一以貫之 with no difference in meaning.
花園里的戰士好過戰場上的園丁 is the Chinese for the phrase, “It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”
This proverb is purported to come from the following exchange:
A student approaches his samurai master and says,
“Teacher, you instruct me how to fight, yet you preach to me about peace. How do I reconcile the two?”
The samurai responds,
“Because it is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”
Never say die
人生朝露 is a proverb that means “human life is like morning dew.”
Figuratively, this suggests the ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence.
Also translated as:
Man's life vanishes like a drop of dew.
A person's life is as fleeting as morning dew.
Life is as transient as morning due.
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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.