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1. Massage
3. Choose Life
4. The Spirit of the Dragon Horse
5. The Spirit of the Dragon Horse and Power of a Tiger
6. Good Health
7. Good Health / Healthy / Vigor
8. Gung Ho
10. Inner Strength / Inner Well-Being and Health
12. Peaceful / Tranquil / Calm / Free From Worry
13. Restoration to Good Health
14. Robust / Sturdy
15. Running
16. Shaolin Chan
17. Stamina / Vigor
19. Power / Strength
21. Strong / Healthy
23. Taido
25. Vitality
26. Wellness
27. Forest Bathing
按摩 is a very common word for massage in China, Japan, and Korea.
In many cases, and perhaps traditionally, this is a massage performed by a blind person. However, in modern times, this is a very generic term for any kind of massage. This can range from a massage for health from a blind masseur or masseuse, a proper deep tissue massage by a professional masseuse, or an illicit massage with a “happy ending.”
五福臨門 means “five good fortunes arrive [at the] door.”
It is understood to mean “may the five blessings descend upon this home.”
These blessings are known in ancient China to be: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and natural death (living to old age). This is one of several auspicious sayings you might hear during the Chinese New Year.
選擇生活 can mean to choose life instead of death (or suicide) or to choose to live life to the fullest.
I think of it as the key phrase used by Renton (Ewan McGregor) in the movie Trainspotting. While Chinese people will not think of Trainspotting when they see this phrase, for me, it will always be what comes near the end of this colorful rant:
Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suite on-hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life.
龍馬精神 is an old proverb that is used to wish someone good health and success combined as a great compliment.
The meaning is “The vigor and spirit of the legendary dragon-horse.” These four characters are often accompanied by four more which mean “...and the power and prestige of the tiger.” Here we are just offering the first part which is considered the short version.
By giving a wall scroll like this to someone, you were either wishing or telling them that they have an amazing quality. There is also a suggestion of good health - at least anyone with the vigor of a dragon horse would seem to also be in good health.
Note: In Japanese, this would be read as the spirit of 坂本龍馬 (Sakamoto_Ryōma), a beloved rebel who help abolish the old Japanese feudal system. This can be confusing, so I am declaring this proverb to be Chinese only.
龍馬精神虎虎生威 is an old proverb that is used to wish someone great health and success combined as a great compliment.
The meaning is “The vigor and spirit of the legendary dragon-horse and the power and prestige of the tiger.”
By giving a wall scroll like this to someone, you were either wishing or telling them that they have these qualities. There is also a suggestion of good health - at least anyone with the vigor of a dragon horse would seem to also be in good health.
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).
Working Together
工合 is one of those Asian words that is used more in English than in the original Chinese.
Gung Ho was originally used to speak of Carlson's Raiders, a group of “Gung Ho” U.S. Marines who went on an island-hopping campaign of death during WWII.
A movie called Gung Ho came out in the mid-1940s and was later re-released in the 1950s depicting the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, and brought this word to the mainstream.
It is still sometimes used today within the U.S. Marine Corps brotherhood to refer to a unit or group that works well together or is otherwise efficient and motivated (has good morals).
In 1986, there was a movie called Gung Ho about a Japanese company taking over an American automotive factory. They completely ignored the fact that this was a Chinese title.
It should be noted that this title actually means a condition, state, manner, or the health of something in Japanese.
Language and pronunciation notes:
Like many Asian words absorbed into common use in English, this one is drastically mispronounced. The official Romanization is “gong he” but that doesn't tell you enough. The vowel sound on the first character is like the English word “own,” now just add the g-sounds to the beginning and end. The second character is misleading, as you might think it is like the English word “he.” In reality, the vowel sound is more like the “u” in “up.”
It should also be noted that the current generation in China no longer uses or recognizes this as a common word or slogan.
Note: This can be pronounced and is a word in Japanese, though seldom used. Japanese will use a variation of "具合" instead. But still, not common.
If you are into healthy living, 健康生活 might be an excellent selection for a wall scroll to hang in your home.
The first two characters speak of health, vitality, vigor, and being of sound body. The second two characters mean living or life (daily existence).
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.
This is a nice word that means peaceful, tranquil, calm, composed, “free from worry,” “public peace,” tranquility, good health, well-being, or welfare in Chinese and Korean.
Note: The definition in Japanese is not so broad but still means peaceful or “public peace.”
強健 means robustness or sturdiness in regards to being healthy and fit.
This can also be used to say “persistently good health.”
...a race, a marathon, in competition
少林禪 translates as “Little Forest Meditation.”
少林禪 is part of a movement to provide spiritual and mental health by integrating the practices of martial arts and meditation.
More information at Shaolin Chan Foundation.
力 is the simplest form of “power” or “strength.”
In Japanese, it is pronounced “chikara” when used alone, and “ryoku” when used in a sentence (there are also a few other possible pronunciations of this Kanji in Japanese).
In some contexts, this can mean ability, force, physical strength, capability, and influence.
強壯 is an adjective that means powerful or strong.
It can also be translated as able-bodied, robust, or sturdy.
This version of strength also suggests muscularity.
Note that the second character was simplified in Japan after WWII (also simplified in mainland China but not for calligraphy). If you want the modern Japanese/simplified version, please click on the Kanji shown to the right.
This “strong” character is the more “healthy” version of strong. 健 is the “strong” that is appropriate for an athlete.
Beyond “healthy,” it can also mean strength, persistence, vigorous, or invigorated/invigoration.
健やか is a verbose way to say strong and healthy in Japanese. 健やか is the “strong” that is appropriate for an athlete.
Beyond “healthy,” it can also mean strength, persistence, vigorous, or invigoration.
Japanese also use the first Kanji to mean the same thing. This version adds two hiragana which serve to emphasize or amplify the word and clarify the meaning.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
強い体強い心 is a way to write “strong mind, strong body” in Japanese.
Each of the two lines starts with 強い (tsuyoi) which means: strong; powerful; mighty; potent; resistant; resilient; durable; tough; stiff; hard; inflexible.
The body is represented with 体 (the ancient version is 體, romanized as karada), which means: body; build; physique; posture; torso; trunk; health.
Mind is represented with 心 (kokoro), which can mean heart, mind, or soul, depending on context.
強い體強い心 is not a common phrase in Japanese, so it's not the most natural title for calligraphy. In English, you might want to write it, “strong mind, strong body” but, “strong mind, strong body,” is more natural in Japanese.
Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.
Taidō (The Way of the Body) is a style of Karate practiced in Japan and popular worldwide.
Taidō or 躰道 traces a lineage from Genseiryū (玄制流), which came from Shuri-te (首里手), one of the original martial arts schools of ancient Okinawa.
The first character 躰 is a variant of the original Chinese character 體. In modern Japan, they tend to use 体, a more simple character form. 体 is also the modern Simplified Chinese form of 體.
The 躰 character is correct for this 躰道 martial arts title. But it can be confusing with so many variants out there, not to mention other homophonic Japanese words that also romanize as Taidō or Taidou.
To have a bit more fun with this 躰 character, it has a 身 radical on the left, which sets it apart. The meaning doubles up on the “body” as 身 (shin) is a character that also means body in Japanese and Chinese. On the right is 本, which often means root, stem, origin, source, or fundamental (but can also mean “book” in some contexts). This has deviated from the original 體 which was 骨 (bone) + 豊 (vessel). Hence, the body was your “bone vessel” in ancient Asia.
The meaning of 躰, as well as 體 and 体, is usually translated as the body. When related to the physical body, it can also refer to the torso, trunk, build, physique, or the constitution of a person. As an extension of this, it can also refer to someone's health (good body = good health).
However, depending on the context, it can encompass other meanings such as form, style, system, experience, aspect, corpus, corporeal, substance, or essentials.
The second character, 道, is recognized and well-known as the “Way” and is the same “do” as in Karate-do or Aikido.
推拿 is “Tui Na,” a Chinese version of therapeutic massage.
The title suggests a pushing and pulling motion.
In reality, this is the most legitimate form of massage in China. Seeing this on a sign in front of a building tells you it's a place for health improvement via massage. No mistaking this for any illicit version of massage.
生命力 can mean “vitality” or “libido.”
The first two characters mean “life” or “life force.” The last character is a common word that means “strength.” So together, you get the meaning of “life strength” which is the essence of vitality.
Some will also translate this word as “good health.”
See Also: Life Force | Health
身體健康 is how to express “wellness” in Chinese. The meaning is not much different than the idea of “good health.” The first two characters alone are often translated as “health.” Some will also translate this title as “physical health.”
If you want to fill your room with a feeling of wellness, this is the wall scroll for you.
This is also the ancient way to express wellness in Japanese Kanji and old Korean Hanja. The modern Japanese form is 身体健康 (the only difference is the second Kanji). Let me know if you need your calligraphy written in modern Japanese.
森林浴 is the title for forest bathing or Shinrinyoku in Japanese and Senlinyu in Chinese.
This is simply the practice of spending time in a forest, often including walking or deep breathing as a form of therapy.
Also defined as forest therapy or a peaceful walk through the woods for health benefits.
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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
Massage | 按摩 | an ma / anma | àn mó / an4 mo2 / an mo / anmo | |
Blessings on this Home | 五福臨門 五福临门 | wǔ fú lín mén wu3 fu2 lin2 men2 wu fu lin men wufulinmen | ||
Choose Life | 選擇生活 选择生活 | xuǎn zé shēng huó xuan3 ze2 sheng1 huo2 xuan ze sheng huo xuanzeshenghuo | hsüan tse sheng huo hsüantseshenghuo |
|
The Spirit of the Dragon Horse | 龍馬精神 龙马精神 | lóng mǎ jīng shén long2 ma3 jing1 shen2 long ma jing shen longmajingshen | lung ma ching shen lungmachingshen |
|
The Spirit of the Dragon Horse and Power of a Tiger | 龍馬精神虎虎生威 龙马精神虎虎生威 | lóng mǎ jīng shén hǔ hǔ shēng wēi long2 ma3 jing1 shen2 hu3 hu3 sheng1 wei1 long ma jing shen hu hu sheng wei | lung ma ching shen hu hu sheng wei | |
Good Health | 健康 | kenkou / kenko | jiàn kāng jian4 kang1 jian kang jiankang | chien k`ang chienkang chien kang |
Good Health Healthy Vigor | 康 | kou / ko | kāng / kang1 / kang | k`ang / kang |
Gung Ho | 工合 | guai | gōng hé / gong1 he2 / gong he / gonghe | kung ho / kungho |
Healthy Living | 健康生活 | kenkou seikatsu kenkouseikatsu kenko seikatsu | jiàn kāng shēng huó jian4 kang1 sheng1 huo2 jian kang sheng huo jiankangshenghuo | chien k`ang sheng huo chienkangshenghuo chien kang sheng huo |
Inner Strength Inner Well-Being and Health | 內健 | nèi jiàn / nei4 jian4 / nei jian / neijian | nei chien / neichien | |
Peace and Good Health | 安康 | ān kāng / an1 kang1 / an kang / ankang | an k`ang / ankang / an kang | |
Peaceful Tranquil Calm Free From Worry | 安寧 安宁 | an nei / annei | ān níng / an1 ning2 / an ning / anning | |
Restoration to Good Health | 平復 平复 | byou fuku / byoufuku / byo fuku | píng fù / ping2 fu4 / ping fu / pingfu | p`ing fu / pingfu / ping fu |
Robust Sturdy | 強健 强健 | kyouken / kyoken | qiáng jiàn qiang2 jian4 qiang jian qiangjian | ch`iang chien chiangchien chiang chien |
Running | 賽跑 赛跑 | sài pǎo / sai4 pao3 / sai pao / saipao | sai p`ao / saipao / sai pao | |
Shaolin Chan | 少林禪 少林禅 | sho rin zen shorinzen | shǎo lín chán shao3 lin2 chan2 shao lin chan shaolinchan | shao lin ch`an shaolinchan shao lin chan |
Stamina Vigor | 元気 | genki | ||
Physical Strength | 體力 体力 | tai ryoku / tairyoku | tǐ lì / ti3 li4 / ti li / tili | t`i li / tili / ti li |
Power Strength | 力 | chikara / ryoku | lì / li4 / li | |
Strong Powerful | 強壯 强壮 | kyousou / kyoso | qiáng zhuàng qiang2 zhuang4 qiang zhuang qiangzhuang | ch`iang chuang chiangchuang chiang chuang |
Strong Healthy | 健 | ken | jiàn / jian4 / jian | chien |
Strong Healthy | 健やか | sukoyaka | ||
Strong Body, Strong Mind | 強い體強い心 強い体強い心 | tsuyo i karada tsuyo i kokoro tsuyoikaradatsuyoikokoro | ||
Taido | 躰道 | tai dou / taidou / tai do | ||
Therapeutic Massage | 推拿 | tuī ná / tui1 na2 / tui na / tuina | t`ui na / tuina / tui na | |
Vitality | 生命力 | seimeiryoku | shēng mìng lì sheng1 ming4 li4 sheng ming li shengmingli | |
Wellness | 身體健康 身体健康 | shin tai ken kou shintaikenkou shin tai ken ko | shēn tǐ jiàn kāng shen1 ti3 jian4 kang1 shen ti jian kang shentijiankang | shen t`i chien k`ang shentichienkang shen ti chien kang |
Forest Bathing | 森林浴 | shin rin yoku shinrinyoku | sēn lín yù sen1 lin2 yu4 sen lin yu senlinyu | sen lin yü senlinyü |
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.
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