Experience is the Mother of Wisdom - Chinese Proverb

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  1. No man knows what he owes to his parents until he comes to have children of his own

  2. Bad Experience, Caution Lingers

  3. You May Learn from Victory, You Will Learn from Failure

  4. Experience is the Mother of Wisdom

  5. Failure is the Mother of Success

  6. Four Noble Truths: Suffering

  7. God of Zion / God of Abraham

  8. Kansei Engineering / Sense Engineering

  9. Kensho - Initial Enlightenment

10. To Know Hardship, One Must Experience It

11. Knowledge from Experience

12. Learn From Your Predecessors

13. Misery Loves Company

14. If you have not been a monk, how can you know what it is like to be a vegetarian?

15. Mother

16. No arrogance in victory, No despair in defeat

17. Omoi / Desire

18. Learn New Ways From Old / Onkochishin

19. No Pain No Gain

20. Past experience is the teacher for the future

21. Great Wisdom

22. Read

23. Read 10,000 Books, Travel 10,000 Miles

24. Renni

25. Return From Death’s Door

26. Shingitai / Shin Gi Tai

27. Only the sleepless know the length of night

28. With all the strength of your heart

29. Taido

30. Better to Travel 10,000 Miles than Read 10,000 Books

31. In Wine there is Truth

32. Schooled by Experience and Hard Knocks

33. Wisdom comes from Experience

34. Each Time You Stumble and Fall, You Gain Experience and Wisdom


No man knows what he owes to his parents until he comes to have children of his own

 ko wo motte shiru oya no on
No man knows what he owes to his parents until he comes to have children of his own Scroll

子を持って知る親の恩 literally translates as: Only after you have a baby, you would appreciate your parents (feel the way they do, etc).

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. It also shows appreciation for the plight of parents.

This Japanese proverb can also be translated a few more ways:

No man knows what he owes to his parents till he comes to have children of his own.

One knows not what one owes to one's parents till one comes to have children of one's own.

Only after you have a baby, you will appreciate your parents or feel the way they do.

Only after becoming a parent yourself do you realize how much you owe [how indebted you are] to your own parents.


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

Bad Experience, Caution Lingers

A bird wounded by an arrow

 shāng gōng zhī niǎo
 shou kyuu no tori
Bad Experience, Caution Lingers Scroll

傷弓之鳥 means “bird wounded by an arrow.”

Figuratively, this refers to a wounded or damaged person. It's very similar to the western proverb, “a person once bitten is twice shy.” To explain further, this is about someone who has become overly cautious due to a bad experience.

This phrase is used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

You May Learn from Victory, You Will Learn from Failure

 bǎi shèng nán lǜ dí sān zhé nǎi liáng yī
You May Learn from Victory, You Will Learn from Failure Scroll

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

Experience is the Mother of Wisdom

 jīng yàn shì zhì huì zhī mǔ
Experience is the Mother of Wisdom Scroll

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

Failure is the Mother of Success

 shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ
Failure is the Mother of Success Scroll

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

Failure is the Mother of Success

 shippai wa seikou no haha
Failure is the Mother of Success Scroll

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

Four Noble Truths: Suffering

Dukkha

 kǔ dì
 kutai
Four Noble Truths: Suffering Scroll

苦諦 relays that part of life in this universe is suffering.

All living things experience some form of suffering, according to Buddhist teaching. This title is about accepting and understanding that the world is full of suffering.


This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Chinese, Japanese and Korean people.


See Also:  Buddhism | Enlightenment

God of Zion / God of Abraham

 shàng dì
 joutei
God of Zion / God of Abraham Scroll

上帝 is how Chinese Christians and Jews refer to God, AKA The Judeo-Christian God.

There are Chinese Jews whose ancestry dates back to Jewish traders on the silk road. They are known as the Kaifeng Jews. Most have left China for Israel now.

There are also plenty of Christians in China of the Protestant and Catholic varieties. However, the churches are basically run by the government, and the Chinese Catholic church does not recognize the Pope.

Oddly, in my experience, I found the Chinese Protestant church to be much less political compared to Baptist and other Protestant churches that I have visited in America.

上帝 is also the typically-used title for God in Japanese.

While you may find this term in old Korean dictionaries, it is an obscure and rarely-used title for God in modern Korean.


See Also:  Christianity | Jesus Christ

Kansei Engineering / Sense Engineering

 gǎn xìng gōng xué
 kansei kougaku
Kansei Engineering / Sense Engineering Scroll

In short, 感性工學 or Kansei engineering involves collecting data on human experiences with a product and then designing or engineering improvements based on those experiences or “senses.”

Some may define Kansei as “engineering around the human experience.”

There is a lot more to know about Kansei, but if you are looking for this word, you probably already know the big picture.

Note: This term is very new in China and is only used by businesses, factories, and engineers that are implementing TQM principles. While the characters have the same base meaning in both languages, this is a Japanese title that flows back into the Chinese language (in history, most things flowed from China to Japan). To a Chinese person unfamiliar with this concept, they may interpret this as “sense vocational studies,” which doesn't make much sense. You may have to explain the intended meaning to some Chinese viewers. But that can make it a great conversation piece.

Kansei is also a newer term in Korean and is only used in certain parts of the industry, with the definition of “Sensory Engineering.” Not yet in widespread use in Korea.

Above is the modern Japanese version of this title. The last character has a Traditional Chinese version, making this 感性工學 instead of 感性工学. If you want the Traditional Chinese version, please include special instructions or email me so that I make sure the calligrapher writes the version you want.


See Also:  Kaizen

Kensho - Initial Enlightenment

 jiàn xìng
 ken shou
Kensho - Initial Enlightenment Scroll

見性 has the same meaning as Satori but refers to the initial state or initial experience of enlightenment.

This can also mean “self-discovery,” “self-awareness,” or “consciousness of one's character.”

In a very religious context, this means to behold the Buddha nature within oneself.


This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people. Some Japanese people will dispute whether this title is valid in the Japanese language. Only order this if you are sure this title is right for you.


See Also:  Buddhism | Enlightenment

To Know Hardship, One Must Experience It

 bù dāng hé shàng bù zhī tóu lěng
To Know Hardship, One Must Experience It Scroll

不當和尚不知頭冷 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: [One who has] not been a monk [does] not know [the feeling of a] cold head.
I need to explain that a Chinese Buddhist monk always has a shaved head, and thus a cold head in winter.

Figuratively, this means: One cannot know the true meaning of hardship until one has experienced it oneself.


This is an idiom in Chinese, so the figurative meaning is what people perceive when they hear or read this phrase. Just as in English, when someone says, "The grass is always greener," one will think about the idea of jealousy, rather than the quality of one’s lawn.

Knowledge from Experience

 tǐ huì
Knowledge from Experience Scroll

體會 is a Chinese word that basically means “knowledge [comes from] experience,” or “to learn through experience.”

This can also mean realizing or gaining understanding from your experiences.

Learn From Your Predecessors

When the cart in front overturns, be cautious with your own

 qián chē zhī fù hòu chē zhī jiàn
Learn From Your Predecessors Scroll

前車之覆后車之鑒 is a Chinese proverb that suggests looking at the circumstances and toils of those you proceeded before you and learning from their experience.

This more literally means “the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart.”

This is figuratively translated as “draw a lesson from the failure of one's predecessor,” “learn from past mistakes,” or compared to the English idiom, “once bitten twice shy.”

Other more-direct translations:
Make the overturning of the chariot in front a warning for the chariot behind.
Learn caution through an unpleasant experience.
The wrecked coach in front should be a warning.
The overturned cart in front serves as a warning to the carts behind.

Misery Loves Company

 tóng bìng xiāng lián
 doubyou shou awaremu
Misery Loves Company Scroll

同病相憐 is a Chinese proverb that means “fellow sufferers empathize with each other” or to match it with a western idiom, “misery loves company.” This is also somewhat known in Korean Hanja.

This could be two people who were just dumped by a girlfriend/boyfriend or just divorced. They're drawn together either by their misery or because of the need to share their miserable experience with someone else.

同病相憐 is probably the saddest proverb in our collection.

Literally, the characters mean:
同 together with
病 illness, sickness, disease (in this case, just the mental anguish after some kind of event or life issue)
相 mutual, reciprocal, each other
憐 pity, sympathize


In Japanese, this is written with two extra Hiragana on the end like this: 同病相憐れむ
If you want the Japanese version, don’t use the button above but click here instead: Misery Loves Company in Japanese

If you have not been a monk, how can you know what it is like to be a vegetarian?

Only by experiencing hardship will allow you understand the plight of others

 bù dāng hé shang bù zhī zhāi jiè kǔ
If you have not been a monk, how can you know what it is like to be a vegetarian? Scroll

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.

 mǔ
 haha
 
Mother Scroll

母 is a way to say mother in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

This can also be an honorary title for an elderly female relative.

Sometimes this can refer to the origin or source of something. Examples: A spring might be the mother of a river, or experience could be the mother of success.

No arrogance in victory, No despair in defeat

 shèng bù jiāo bài bù něi
No arrogance in victory, No despair in defeat Scroll

勝不驕敗不餒 is a Chinese proverb suggesting you should have no arrogance when you experience a victory and not despair in failure or defeat.

Omoi / Desire

 omoi
Omoi / Desire Scroll

想い is a Japanese word that is often translated as desire.

Other definitions include thought, imagination, mind, heart, wish, hope, expectation, love, affection, feelings, emotion, sentiment, and/or experience. The context in which this word is used determines how it is understood.

Learn New Ways From Old / Onkochishin

New ideas coming from past history

 wēn gù zhī xīn
 on ko chi shin
Learn New Ways From Old / Onkochishin Scroll

溫故知新 is a proverb from Confucius that is used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures.

It can be translated in several ways:
Coming up with new ideas based on things learned in the past.
Examine things of the past, and obtain new knowledge.
Developing new ideas based on the study of the past.
Gain new insights through restudying old issues.
Understand the present by reviewing the past.
Learning from the past.
Review the old and know the new.
Taking a lesson from the past.
Taking a lesson from the wisdom of the ancients.
Follow the old ways.

The direct translation would be, “By asking old things, know new things.”
The Character meanings breakdown this way:
溫故 = ask old
知新 = know new

Explained: To learn new things that are outside of your experience, you can learn from old things of the past. You can find wisdom in history.


溫 VS. 温

Note: Japanese use a variant of the first Kanji in modern times.
Therefore if you order this from a Japanese calligrapher, expect the first Kanji to look like 温 instead of 溫.

In addition to 温故知新 as mentioned above, this is sometimes written as 温古知新 in Japan.

No Pain No Gain

Literally: No Pain, No Strength

 bú tòng bù qiáng
No Pain No Gain Scroll

不痛不強 is a proverb that is close to our idea of “no pain, no gain” in English. It holds this meaning in the context of working out at the gym etc.

不痛不強 means “no pain, no strength,” meaning that if you don't experience a little pain, you will not gain any strength.

Past experience is the teacher for the future

Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for later events.

 qián shì bú wàng hòu shí zhī shī
Past experience is the teacher for the future Scroll

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.).

Great Wisdom

Prajñā

 bō rě
 hannya
Great Wisdom  Scroll

般若 means great wisdom or wondrous knowledge.

In the Buddhist context, this is prajna or prajñā, to know, to understand, to have the wisdom required to attain enlightenment.

Since this is a wisdom that transcends the realm of logic, the pure, absolute wisdom beyond the reach of words and concepts, it is not obtained through learning but is realized for the first time through a religious experience.

 yuè
 
Read Scroll

閱 is a Chinese character that means to read. It can also refer to observing (the world, and learning from it), or gaining life experiences. 閱 is a good character to relay the idea of being “well-read,” which can include reading books, studying, and learning through experience.

The dictionary definition also includes: to inspect; to review; to peruse; to go through; to experience.

Technically, this is also a Japanese Kanji but only some Japanese Buddhists use it (most of the population will not recognize it).

In Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, this means examining, inspecting, and/or looking over.

Read 10,000 Books, Travel 10,000 Miles

 dú wàn juǎn shū, xíng wàn lǐ lù
Read 10,000 Books, Travel 10,000 Miles Scroll

讀萬卷書行萬里路 is a lifelong suggestion for expanding your horizons by gaining knowledge, experience, and seeing the world.

Of course, this was written long ago when it was hard to travel 10,000 miles (at least 1000 years before the invention of the airplane).
With air travel and the business I'm in, I often achieve that lifetime goal on a monthly basis.
However, I am a little behind in the book count.

Note: An ancient Chinese mile (里 or lǐ) referred to in this proverb is about a third of a British/American mile. However, at that time, this was a great distance to travel.

 rén nī
Renni Scroll

This is a name Renni in Mandarin Chinese. The name literally means “benevolent girl” in Chinese.

I kind of made up this name when my second daughter was born. The idea came for a feeling I got after performing a benevolent act for a poor family in Southern China. I want my daughter to follow that mode, and experience the same feeling one can only experience by doing benevolent acts.

Return From Death’s Door

 jué chǔ féng shēng
Return From Death’s Door Scroll

絕處逢生 is a Chinese proverb/idiom that talks of coming back from death's door or an unexpected rescue from danger.

Figuratively, this can be to recover from a seemingly impossible situation or to find a way out of a predicament.

If you have survived a near-death experience or severe illness, this might be an appropriate wall scroll for you.

Shingitai / Shin Gi Tai

 xīn jì tǐ
 shin gi tai
Shingitai / Shin Gi Tai Scroll

心技体 is the Japanese title “shin gi tai” or “shingitai.”

This can refer to the three elements of Sumo wrestlers or martial artists, “heart-technique-physique.”

Here is what each character represents:

心 (shin) mind, heart, and spirit.

技 (gi) skill, knowledge, and experience.

体 (tai) body and physical effort.

心技体 have the same meanings in Chinese, though this title is used much more often in Japanese.

Only the sleepless know the length of night

 bù mián zhī yè cháng jiǔ jiāo zhī rén xīn
Only the sleepless know the length of night Scroll

不眠之夜长久交知人心 literally translates as: [Only one who does] not sleep, learns how long the night is; [Only by] long acquaintance [does one] learn a person ['s true] character.

Basically, this proverb suggests that we really need to experience something intimately and for a long time to really know everything about it.

This can also be translated as “Spending years with someone is the only way to know them.”

Note: Sometimes this proverb is split into just the first or second idea alone (first 5 or last 5 characters only).

With all the strength of your heart

 omoi kiri
With all the strength of your heart Scroll

思い切り can be translated as “with all one's strength,” “with all one's heart,” “to the limits of your heart,” or “to the end of your heart/emotions.”

The character breakdown:
思い (omoi) thought; mind; heart; feelings; emotion; sentiment; love; affection; desire; wish; hope; expectation; imagination; experience
切り (kiri) bounds; limits.


Note: Because this selection contains some special Japanese Hiragana characters, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

 tai dou
Taido Scroll

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.

Better to Travel 10,000 Miles than Read 10,000 Books

 xíng wàn lǐ lù shèng dú wàn juǎn shū
Better to Travel 10,000 Miles than Read 10,000 Books Scroll

行万里路胜读万卷书 translates a few ways:
To travel ten thousand miles beats reading ten-thousand books.
Better to travel ten thousand li than to read ten thousand books. (a “li” is an ancient Chinese mile)
Traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books.

No matter how you slice it, this Chinese proverb is claiming that experience is more profound and meaningful than what you can get from a book. Go do it! Don't just read about it.

In Wine there is Truth

 jiǔ hòu tǔ zhēn yán
In Wine there is Truth Scroll

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.

后 VS 後

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.


See Also:  Honesty | Truth

Schooled by Experience and Hard Knocks

 hyakusenrenma
Schooled by Experience and Hard Knocks Scroll

百戦錬磨 is a Japanese proverb or title that means veteran, or rather, someone schooled by adversity in many battles or someone rich in life experience.

If you are who you are because of the adversity you experienced in life, this could be your title.

Wisdom comes from Experience

 bù jīng yī shì bù zhǎng yī zhì
Wisdom comes from Experience Scroll

You can translate this 不经一事不长一智 Chinese proverb in a couple of ways.
The first is: You cannot gain knowledge without practice.
The second, and perhaps more popular way is: Wisdom comes from experience.

It literally means if you are inattentive to your affairs or situations you encounter, you will not gain or grow any wisdom or intellect.

Wisdom comes from Experience

 bù jīng yī shì
Wisdom comes from Experience Scroll

不經一事 means “You can't gain knowledge without practical experience.”

This is the short form (first half) of a longer Chinese proverb. These 4 characters remind you that wisdom only comes from experience.

Each Time You Stumble and Fall, You Gain Experience and Wisdom

 chī yí qiàn, zhǎng yí zhì
Each Time You Stumble and Fall, You Gain Experience and Wisdom Scroll

吃一塹長一智 is a Chinese proverb that means “Fall into a moat, and you will gain wisdom from the experience.”

It really suggests that the failures, troubles, frustrations, and setbacks that you encounter in your life are actually helping you to find wisdom. Some would also translate this proverb as “Learn from your mistakes” or “Learn from your experience.”

If you are studying Chinese, you will recognize the first character as “eat,” but in this case, it means to “experience” (as used in this proverb, it is suggesting that you have fallen into a moat and/or had a hard time crossing it).
Translated character by character, this whole proverb is, “Experience one moat, gain one wisdom/knowledge.”

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


The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
No man knows what he owes to his parents until he comes to have children of his own子を持って知る親の恩ko wo motte shiru oya no on
kowomotteshiruoyanoon
Bad Experience, Caution Lingers傷弓之鳥
伤弓之鸟
shou kyuu no tori
shoukyuunotori
sho kyu no tori
shāng gōng zhī niǎo
shang1 gong1 zhi1 niao3
shang gong zhi niao
shanggongzhiniao
shang kung chih niao
shangkungchihniao
You May Learn from Victory, You Will Learn from Failure百勝難慮敵三折乃良醫
百胜难虑敌三折乃良医
bǎi shèng nán lǜ dí sān zhé nǎi liáng yī
bai3 sheng4 nan2 lv4 di2 san1 zhe2 nai3 liang2 yi1
bai sheng nan lv di san zhe nai liang yi
pai sheng nan lü ti san che nai liang i
Experience is the Mother of Wisdom經驗是智慧之母
经验是智慧之母
jīng yàn shì zhì huì zhī mǔ
jing1 yan4 shi4 zhi4 hui4 zhi1 mu3
jing yan shi zhi hui zhi mu
jingyanshizhihuizhimu
ching yen shih chih hui chih mu
Failure is the Mother of Success失敗是成功之母
失败是成功之母
shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ
shi1 bai4 shi4 cheng2 gong1 zhi1 mu3
shi bai shi cheng gong zhi mu
shibaishichenggongzhimu
shih pai shih ch`eng kung chih mu
shih pai shih cheng kung chih mu
Failure is the Mother of Success失敗は成功の母shippai wa seikou no haha
shippaiwaseikounohaha
shipai wa seiko no haha
Four Noble Truths: Suffering苦諦
苦谛
kutaikǔ dì / ku3 di4 / ku di / kudik`u ti / kuti / ku ti
God of Zion
God of Abraham
上帝joutei / joteishàng dì / shang4 di4 / shang di / shangdishang ti / shangti
Kansei Engineering
Sense Engineering
感性工學
感性工学
kansei kougaku
kanseikougaku
kansei kogaku
gǎn xìng gōng xué
gan3 xing4 gong1 xue2
gan xing gong xue
ganxinggongxue
kan hsing kung hsüeh
kanhsingkunghsüeh
Kensho - Initial Enlightenment見性
见性
ken shou / kenshou / ken shojiàn xìng
jian4 xing4
jian xing
jianxing
chien hsing
chienhsing
To Know Hardship, One Must Experience It不當和尚不知頭冷
不当和尚不知头冷
bù dāng hé shàng bù zhī tóu lěng
bu4 dang1 he2 shang4 bu4 zhi1 tou2 leng3
bu dang he shang bu zhi tou leng
pu tang ho shang pu chih t`ou leng
pu tang ho shang pu chih tou leng
Knowledge from Experience體會
体会
tǐ huì / ti3 hui4 / ti hui / tihuit`i hui / tihui / ti hui
Learn From Your Predecessors前車之覆后車之鑒
前车之覆后车之鉴
qián chē zhī fù hòu chē zhī jiàn
qian2 che1 zhi1 fu4 hou4 che1 zhi1 jian4
qian che zhi fu hou che zhi jian
ch`ien ch`e chih fu hou ch`e chih chien
chien che chih fu hou che chih chien
Misery Loves Company同病相憐
同病相怜
doubyou shou awaremu
doubyoushouawaremu
dobyo sho awaremu
tóng bìng xiāng lián
tong2 bing4 xiang1 lian2
tong bing xiang lian
tongbingxianglian
t`ung ping hsiang lien
tungpinghsianglien
tung ping hsiang lien
If you have not been a monk, how can you know what it is like to be a vegetarian?不當和尚不知齋戒苦
不当和尚不知斋戒苦
bù dāng hé shang bù zhī zhāi jiè kǔ
bu4 dang1 he2 shang bu4 zhi1 zhai1 jie4 ku3
bu dang he shang bu zhi zhai jie ku
pu tang ho shang pu chih chai chieh k`u
pu tang ho shang pu chih chai chieh ku
Motherhahamǔ / mu3 / mu
No arrogance in victory, No despair in defeat勝不驕敗不餒
胜不骄败不馁
shèng bù jiāo bài bù něi
sheng4 bu4 jiao1 bai4 bu4 nei3
sheng bu jiao bai bu nei
shengbujiaobaibunei
sheng pu chiao pai pu nei
shengpuchiaopaipunei
Omoi
Desire
想いomoi
Learn New Ways From Old
Onkochishin
溫故知新
温故知新
on ko chi shin
onkochishin
wēn gù zhī xīn
wen1 gu4 zhi1 xin1
wen gu zhi xin
wenguzhixin
wen ku chih hsin
wenkuchihhsin
No Pain No Gain不痛不強
不痛不强
bú tòng bù qiáng
bu2 tong4 bu4 qiang2
bu tong bu qiang
butongbuqiang
pu t`ung pu ch`iang
putungpuchiang
pu tung pu chiang
Past experience is the teacher for the future前事不忘后事之師
前事不忘后事之师
qián shì bú wàng hòu shí zhī shī
qian2 shi4 bu2 wang4 hou4 shi2 zhi1 shi1
qian shi bu wang hou shi zhi shi
ch`ien shih pu wang hou shih chih shih
chien shih pu wang hou shih chih shih
Great Wisdom 般若hannyabō rě / bo1 re3 / bo re / borepo je / poje
Read
yuè / yue4 / yueyüeh
Read 10,000 Books, Travel 10,000 Miles讀萬卷書行萬里路
读万卷书行万里路
dú wàn juǎn shū, xíng wàn lǐ lù
du2 wan4 juan3 shu1 xing2 wan4 li3 lu4
du wan juan shu xing wan li lu
duwanjuanshuxingwanlilu
tu wan chüan shu hsing wan li lu
Renni仁妮rén nī / ren2 ni1 / ren ni / rennijen ni / jenni
Return From Death’s Door絕處逢生
绝处逢生
jué chǔ féng shēng
jue2 chu3 feng2 sheng1
jue chu feng sheng
juechufengsheng
chüeh ch`u feng sheng
chüehchufengsheng
chüeh chu feng sheng
Shingitai
Shin Gi Tai
心技体shin gi tai
shingitai
xīn jì tǐ
xin1 ji4 ti3
xin ji ti
xinjiti
hsin chi t`i
hsinchiti
hsin chi ti
Only the sleepless know the length of night不眠之夜長久交知人心
不眠之夜长久交知人心
bù mián zhī yè cháng jiǔ jiāo zhī rén xīn
bu4 mian2 zhi1 ye4 chang2 jiu3 jiao1 zhi1 ren2 xin1
bu mian zhi ye chang jiu jiao zhi ren xin
pu mien chih yeh ch`ang chiu chiao chih jen hsin
pu mien chih yeh chang chiu chiao chih jen hsin
With all the strength of your heart思い切りomoi kiri / omoikiri
Taido躰道tai dou / taidou / tai do
Better to Travel 10,000 Miles than Read 10,000 Books行萬里路勝讀萬捲書
行万里路胜读万卷书
xíng wàn lǐ lù shèng dú wàn juǎn shū
xing2 wan4 li3 lu4 sheng4 du2 wan4 juan3 shu1
xing wan li lu sheng du wan juan shu
hsing wan li lu sheng tu wan chüan shu
In Wine there is Truth酒后吐真言 / 酒後吐真言
酒后吐真言
jiǔ hòu tǔ zhēn yán
jiu3 hou4 tu3 zhen1 yan2
jiu hou tu zhen yan
jiuhoutuzhenyan
chiu hou t`u chen yen
chiuhoutuchenyen
chiu hou tu chen yen
Schooled by Experience and Hard Knocks百戦錬磨hyakusenrenma
Wisdom comes from Experience不經一事不長一智
不经一事不长一智
bù jīng yī shì bù zhǎng yī zhì
bu4 jing1 yi1 shi4 bu4 zhang3 yi1 zhi4
bu jing yi shi bu zhang yi zhi
bujingyishibuzhangyizhi
pu ching i shih pu chang i chih
puchingishihpuchangichih
Wisdom comes from Experience不經一事
不经一事
bù jīng yī shì
bu4 jing1 yi1 shi4
bu jing yi shi
bujingyishi
pu ching i shih
puchingishih
Each Time You Stumble and Fall, You Gain Experience and Wisdom吃一塹長一智
吃一堑长一智
chī yí qiàn, zhǎng yí zhì
chi1 yi2 qian4 zhang3 yi2 zhi4
chi yi qian zhang yi zhi
chiyiqianzhangyizhi
ch`ih i ch`ien chang i chih
chihichienchangichih
chih i chien chang i chih
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.


All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.

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

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

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


A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

The wall scroll that Sandy is holding in this picture is a "large size"
single-character wall scroll.
We also offer custom wall scrolls in small, medium, and an even-larger jumbo size.

A professional Chinese Calligrapher

Professional calligraphers are getting to be hard to find these days.
Instead of drawing characters by hand, the new generation in China merely type roman letters into their computer keyboards and pick the character that they want from a list that pops up.

There is some fear that true Chinese calligraphy may become a lost art in the coming years. Many art institutes in China are now promoting calligraphy programs in hopes of keeping this unique form of art alive.

Trying to learn Chinese calligrapher - a futile effort

Even with the teachings of a top-ranked calligrapher in China, my calligraphy will never be good enough to sell. I will leave that to the experts.

A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

The same calligrapher who gave me those lessons also attracted a crowd of thousands and a TV crew as he created characters over 6-feet high. He happens to be ranked as one of the top 100 calligraphers in all of China. He is also one of very few that would actually attempt such a feat.