We have many options to create artwork with Charity characters on a wall
scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Charity Asian character
tattoo, you can purchase that here:
Asian / Chinese / Japanese Tattoo Image Service
...and we'll give you many tattoo image templates of the ancient Asian
symbols that express the idea of charity.
Quick links to words on this page...


There are a few different words used to express charity in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja, but this is the most common. Some of the other words describe acts such as "giving alms" etc.
Note: Also considered to be one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues.
If you need a different meaning, just post your request on our Asian calligraphy forum.
Note: Sometimes this is translated as benevolence or benevolent.
See Also... Benevolence | Altruism

Beyond "benevolence" word can be also be defined as "charity" or "mercy" depending on context.
The meaning suggests that one should pay alms to the poor, care for those in trouble, and take care of his fellow man (or woman).
This is one of the five tenets of Confucius. In fact, it is a subject in which Confucius spent a great deal of time explaining to his disciples.
I have also seen this benevolent-related word translated as perfect virtue, selflessness, love for humanity, humaneness, goodness, good will, or simply "love" in the non-romantic form.
This word is so important to me that I named my second daughter with this character. Her name is "Renni" which means "Benevolent Girl".
-Gary.
This is also a virtue of the Samurai Warrior
See our page with just Code of the Samurai / Bushido here
See Also... Love | Altruism | Kindness | Brotherhood | Confucius

This is the simplest way to express the idea of compassion. It can also mean love for your fellow humans, humanity, or living creatures. Sometimes this is extended to mean charity.
This term is often used with Buddhist or Christian context. The concept was also spoken of by Laozi (Lao Tze) in the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching).
This Chinese character is understood in Japanese, but is usually used in compound words (not seen alone). Also used in Korean Hanja, so it's very universal.
See Also... Mercy | Benevolence | Forgiveness | Kindness
Also known as the Five Cardinal Rules of Confucius
Mandarin:
rén yì lǐ zhì xìn
Korean: 인의예지신





These are the core of Confucius philosophy. Simply stated they are:
benevolence / charity
justice / rectitude
politeness / tact
wisdom / knowledge
fidelity / trust
Many of these concepts can be found in various religious teachings. Though it should be clearly understood that Confucianism is not a religion, but should instead be considered a moral code for a proper and civilized society.
See Also... Confucius Teachings | Ethics


Generosity is giving and sharing. You share freely, not with the idea of receiving something in return. You find ways to give others happiness, and give just for the joy of giving. Generosity is one of the best ways to show love and friendship.
This word can also be translated as charitable, magnanimity, liberality or in some context broad-mindedness.
Note: There is a tiny deviation in the first character when written in Japanese. If you choose our Japanese master calligrapher, the little dot on the lower right of the first character will be omitted. With or without the dot, this can be read in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.
See Also... Benevolence | Altruism


This is the Buddhist deity known as the Goddess of Mercy or Bodhisattva of Compassion. In Chinese, the proper name of this being is Guan Yin. There is some debate as to whether Guan Yin is female. The argument comes from some scripture that suggests Buddhist deities take on male form. Others say that Guan Yin has no sex. And still others are okay with the female representation of Guan Yin.
This bodhisattva is also known or Romanized in the following ways:
Mandarin Chinese: Guan Yin, Kuan Yin, Kwan Yin.
Japanese: Kannon, Kwannon.
Sanskrit: Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Korean: Gwan-eum.
Vietnamese: Quan Âm.
Thai: Kuan Eim.
English: Bodhisattva of Mercy and Salvation, Goddess of Compassion, Buddha of Mercy, et al.
Note: The first character has a slight variation in Japanese. If your audience is specifically Japanese, you may want to select that version.
See Also... Buddhism | Goddess | Namo Amitabha | Bodhisattva
This is the long or more formal version of this title
Mandarin: guān shì yīn
Korean: 관세음



This is the longer, and perhaps more formal title for the Buddhist deity known as the Goddess of Mercy or Bodhisattva of Compassion.
The longer title of this bodhisattva is Romanized in the following ways:
Mandarin Chinese: Guanshi Yin, Kuan-shih Yin.
Japanese: Kanzeon.
Sanskrit: Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Korean: Gwan-se-eum.
Vietnamese: Quan Thế Âm.
Thai: Prah Mae Kuan Eim.
English: Bodhisattva of Mercy and Salvation, Goddess of Compassion, Buddha of Mercy, et al.
Please view our more common and shorter version "Guan Yin" before you make a decision. Also note that the first character has a slight variation in Japanese. If your audience is specifically Japanese, you may want to select that version.


This is the specifically Japanese version of Bodhisattva of Compassion or Guan Yin. In Japanese this is pronounced Kannon, and occasionally spelled Kwannon. The Chinese version is a bit more commonly-seen in Asia, but in Japanese, there is a slight variation with the first character.
Some time ago, a camera company in Japan named their company after this Buddhist deity. That camera company is still known as Canon (they chose a "C" instead of a "K" when they Romanized this name).
This is the long or more formal version of this title
Mandarin: quān shì yīn
Japanese: kan ze on



This is the longer and more formal Japanese version of Bodhisattva of Compassion or Guan Yin. In Japanese this is pronounced Kanzeon. The Chinese version is a bit more common in Asia, but in Japanese they use a slight variation of the first character. Choose this version only if your intended audience is specifically Japanese.

This word means goodness, virtue, good deed, charitable, benevolent, well-disposed, nice, pleasant, kind, or simply, "good".
This 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, 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 makes someone good.
In other context, it can mean to improve or perfect something or refer to someone who is good at something.




Helpfulness is being of service to others, doing thoughtful things that make a difference in their lives. Offer your help without waiting to be asked. Ask for help when you need it. When we help each other, we get more done. We make our lives easier.
See Also... Caring | Benevolence


This literally means "loving heart". It can also be translated as "compassion".
Specifically in Japanese, this can be defined as a loving heart, a mind full of desire, or a mind dominated by desire.
In Chinese, it carries more of a compassion meaning.
See Also... Compassion | Love
Wall scroll artwork shown on this page is priced as follows:
1 character $29.88 each
2-3 characters $39.88 each
4 characters $49.88 each
5-10 characters $59.88 each
After you select your calligraphy, our website will take you through the process of customizing your artwork.
Options for other mounting such as portraits are available for $13 less.
We also offer the services of a famous master calligrapher for a $40 fee on any scroll if you are looking for investment-quality calligraphy.
If you chose our famous master-calligrapher, you also get more choices for silk and paper colors and the option for larger artwork.
All of our calligraphy is completely done by hand in the ancient way.
When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to our 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.
Therefore, allow at least 3 weeks for delivery from the time you place your order.
When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.
The scroll that I am holding in this picture is a "regular size"
4-character wall scroll.
As you can see, it is a great size to hang on your wall.
(We also offer custom wall scrolls in larger sizes)
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.
The following table is only helpful for those studying Chinese (or Japanese), and perhaps helps search engines to find this page when someone enters Romanized Chinese or Japanese
| Title | Characters Simplified Traditional |
Japanese Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Hanyu-Pinyin (Romanized Chinese) | |||
| Charity | 慈善 慈善 | jizen | cí shàn ci shan | ci2 shan4 cishan | ||
| Benevolence | 仁 仁 | jin | rén ren | ren2 ren | ||
| Mercy / Compassion / Love | 慈 慈 | ji | cí ci | ci2 ci | ||
| The Five Tenets of Confucius | 仁义礼智信 仁義禮智信 | n/a | rén yì lǐ zhì xìn ren yi li zhi xin | ren2 yi4 li3 zhi4 xin4 renyilizhixin | ||
| Generosity | 宽大 寬大 | kandai | kuān dà kuan da | kuan1 da4 kuanda | ||
| Goddess of Mercy and Compassion | 观音 觀音 / 観音 | kan non kannon | guān yīn guan yin | guan1 yin1 guanyin | ||
| Goddess of Mercy and Compassion | 观世音 觀世音 | n/a | guān shì yīn guan shi yin | guan1 shi4 yin1 guanshiyin | ||
| Goddess of Compassion (Japanese) | 観音 観音 | kan non kannon | quān yīn quan yin | quan1 yin1 quanyin | ||
| Goddess of Compassion (Japanese) | 観世音 観世音 | kan ze on kanzeon | quān shì yīn quan shi yin | quan1 shi4 yin1 quanshiyin | ||
| Goodness / Good Deed | 善 善 | zen | shàn shan | shan4 shan | ||
| Helpfulness | 乐于助人 樂於助人 | n/a | lè yú zhù rén le yu zhu ren | le4 yu2 zhu4 ren2 leyuzhuren | ||
| Loving Heart / Compassion | 爱心 愛心 | ai shin aishin | ài xīn ai xin | ai4 xin1 aixin | ||
| If you have not set up your computer to display Chinese, the characters in this table probably look like empty boxes or random text garbage.
This is why we spent hundreds of hours making images so that you could view the characters in the "Charity" listings above. If you want your Windows computer to be able to display Chinese characters you can either head to your Regional and Language options in your Win XP control panel, select the [Languages] tab and click on [Install files for East Asian Languages]. This task will ask for your Win XP CD to complete in most cases. If you don't have your Windows XP CD, or are running Windows 98, you can also download/run the simplified Chinese font package installer from Microsoft which works independently with Win 98, ME, 2000, and XP. It's a 2.5MB download, so if you are on dial up, start the download and go make a sandwich. | ||||||
All custom calligraphy items are made-to-order in our little Beijing artwork-mounting workshop.
Normal delivery isjust over 3 weeksfor these handmade items.
Copyright Oriental Outpost 2002-2009 - All Rights Reserved
Image Use Policy | Privacy Policy