1. Earth
3. Earth
4. Earth Dragon
5. Earth
8. Earth Dragon
9. Earth Snake
10. Earth Tiger
11. Earth Rabbit
12. Earth Rat
13. Earth Ox/Bull
14. Earth Dog
15. Earth Pig/Boar
16. Earth Monkey
17. Earth Rooster
18. Earth Goat/Sheep
19. Earth Horse
20. Keep Your Feet on the Ground
21. Even an iron bar can be ground to a needle
22. Five Elements
23. Terra
地球 is the name of the earth (our planet) in Chinese, old Korean Hanja and Japanese Kanji.
If you love the earth, or want to be reminded of where your home is in the solar system, this is the wall scroll for you.
身土不二 (Shindofuni) is originally a Buddhist concept or proverb referring to the inseparability of body-mind and geographical circumstances.
This reads, “Body [and] earth [are] not two.”
Other translations or matching ideas include:
Body and land are one.
Body and earth can not be separated.
Body earth sensory curation.
You are what you eat.
Indivisibility of the body and the land (because the body is made from food and food is made from the land).
Going further, this speaks of our human bodies and the land from which we get our food being closely connected. This phrase is often used when talking about natural and organic vegetables coming directly from the farm to provide the healthiest foods in Japan.
Character notes: 身(shin) in this context does not just mean your physical body but a concept including both body and mind.
土 (do) refers to the soil, earth, clay, land, or in some cases, locality. It's not the proper name of Earth, the planet. However, it can refer to the land or realm we live in.
Japanese note: This has been used in Japan, on and off, since 1907 as a slogan for a governmental healthy eating campaign (usually pronounced as shindofuji instead of the original shindofuni in this context). It may have been hijacked from Buddhism for this propaganda purpose, but at least this is “healthy propaganda.”
Korean note: The phrase 身土不二 was in use by 1610 A.D. in Korea, where it can be found in an early medical journal.
In modern South Korea, it's written in Hangul as 신토불이. Korea used Chinese characters (same source as Japanese Kanji) as their only written standard form of the language until about a hundred years ago. Therefore, many Koreans will recognize this as a native phrase and concept.
See Also: Strength and Love in Unity
(One of the five elements)
土 is earth, soil, ground, or Terra.
Earth is one of the five elements that ancient Chinese believed all things were composed of. These elements are also part of the cycle of Chinese astrology. Every person has both an animal sign, and one of the five elements according to the date of their birth.
See Also: Five Elements | Chinese Zodiac
(Used in Japanese version of five elements)
地 is the single-character element and title of the planet Earth in Chinese, old Korean Hanja, and Japanese Kanji.
Because this is a single character, the definition is a little ambiguous and can have many meanings depending on the context in which it is used. These meanings include: earth, ground, land, soil, dirt, place, territory, bottom (of a package, book, etc.), earth (one of the Japanese five elements), the region in question, the local area, skin, texture, fabric, material, weave, base, background, one's true nature, narrative (i.e. descriptive part of a story), real life, actuality, etc.
In Japanese, this Kanji can be pronounced several ways, including chi, ji, tsushi, or tsuchi.
地 is also an element of the Japanese version of the five elements (the original Chinese version uses a different version of earth).
天地 is “Heaven and Earth” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.
This title is used in many different contexts. It can be a general term but is also used by Buddhists and in other religions.
This can also be used to refer to all of nature, the universe, the top and bottom, the realm of life, or the sphere of existence.
The Year of the Earth Dragon
土龍 is Earth Dragon in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1868, 1928, 1988, and 2048.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 戊辰.
See Also: Dragon
The Year of the Earth Snake
土蛇 is Earth Snake in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1869, 1929, 1989, and 2049.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 己巳.
See Also: Snake
The Year of the Earth Tiger
土虎 is Earth Tiger in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1878, 1938, 1998, and 2058.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 戊寅.
See Also: Tiger
The Year of the Earth Rabbit
土兔 is Earth Rabbit in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1879, 1939, 1999, and 2059.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 己卯.
See Also: Rabbit
The Year of the Earth Rat
土鼠 is Earth Rat in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1888, 1948, 2008, and 2068.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 戊子.
See Also: Rat
The Year of the Earth Ox/Bull
土牛 is Earth Ox/Bull in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1889, 1949, 2009, and 2069.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 己丑.
See Also: Ox/Bull
The Year of the Earth Dog
土狗 is Earth Dog in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1898, 1958, 2018, and 2078.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 戊戌.
See Also: Dog
The Year of the Earth Pig/Boar
土豬 is Earth Pig/Boar in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1899, 1959, 2019, and 2079.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 己亥.
See Also: Pig/Boar
The Year of the Earth Monkey
土猴 is Earth Monkey in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1908, 1968, 2028, and 2088.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 戊申.
See Also: Monkey
The Year of the Earth Rooster
土雞 is Earth Rooster in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1909, 1969, 2029, and 2089.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 己酉.
See Also: Rooster
The Year of the Earth Goat/Sheep
土羊 is Earth Goat/Sheep in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1919, 1979, 2039, and 2099.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 己未.
See Also: Goat/Sheep
The Year of the Earth Horse
土馬 is Earth Horse in Chinese.
In the Chinese zodiac and sexagenary (60-year) cycle, this combination occurs in years that include 1918, 1978, 2038, and 2098.
In the sexagenary cycle, this year is represented by 戊午.
See Also: Horse
Be Down-to-Earth
腳踏實地 is a four-character proverb that suggests that you should be practical, realistic, and grounded.
Some translate this as a suggestion to be down-to-earth.
The first character means “feet.”
The second means “step on” or “stand.”
The third means “solid,” “real,” or “true.”
The last character means “ground,” “earth,” or “terra.”
Literally, this means “[keep your] Feet Standing [on] Solid Ground.”
五行 is the title of the five elements: wood, fire, water, earth, and metal.
The first character means five, and the second character is simply element(s).
According to ancient Chinese science, all matter in the world is comprised of these elements. One idea presented with the five elements is that when energy is added, the matter is believed to expand. When energy is removed, matter contracts. Oddly, this concept is not far from Einstein's theories and modern science. Just a few thousand years before Einstein.
More info: Wikipedia - Five Elements (Wu Xing).
See Also: Wood | Fire | Water | Metal | Five Elements
金木水火土 is a list of the Chinese characters for the five elements in a comfortable order (meaning that they “feel right” to a Chinese person who views this arrangement).
The order is metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.
Note that sometimes the metal element is translated as gold. And earth refers to soil versus the whole planet earth.
地水火風空 is the specifically-Japanese version of the five elements.
This is a little different than the ancient or original Chinese version.
The elements are written in this order:
1. Earth / Terra / Ground
2. Water
3. Fire
4. Wind / Air
5. Sky / Emptiness / Void / Ether
Note: This set of Kanji can also be romanized as “ji sui ka fuu kuu,” “jisuikafuukuu,” or “jisuikafuku.”
These can also be written in the order 地火風水空 (chi ka sui fuu kuu). Let me know when you place your order if you want the Kanji to be in this character order.
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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 | |
Earth | 地球 | chi kyuu / chikyuu / chi kyu | dì qiú / di4 qiu2 / di qiu / diqiu | ti ch`iu / tichiu / ti chiu |
Body and Earth in Unity | 身土不二 | shindofuni / shindofuji | ||
Earth | 土 | tsuchi | tǔ / tu3 / tu | t`u / tu |
Earth Dragon | 地龍 地龙 | dì lóng / di4 long2 / di long / dilong | ti lung / tilung | |
Earth | 地 | chi / ji / tsushi / tsuchi | dì / di4 / di | ti |
Heaven and Earth | 天地 | tenchi | tiān dì / tian1 di4 / tian di / tiandi | t`ien ti / tienti / tien ti |
Earth Fire Water Air | 四大元素 | yondaigenso | ||
Earth Dragon | 土龍 土龙 | tǔ lóng / tu3 long2 / tu long / tulong | t`u lung / tulung / tu lung | |
Earth Snake | 土蛇 | tǔ shé / tu3 she2 / tu she / tushe | t`u she / tushe / tu she | |
Earth Tiger | 土虎 | tǔ hǔ / tu3 hu3 / tu hu / tuhu | t`u hu / tuhu / tu hu | |
Earth Rabbit | 土兔 | tǔ tù / tu3 tu4 / tu tu / tutu | t`u t`u / tutu / tu tu | |
Earth Rat | 土鼠 | tǔ shǔ / tu3 shu3 / tu shu / tushu | t`u shu / tushu / tu shu | |
Earth Ox/Bull | 土牛 | tǔ niú / tu3 niu2 / tu niu / tuniu | t`u niu / tuniu / tu niu | |
Earth Dog | 土狗 | tǔ gǒu / tu3 gou3 / tu gou / tugou | t`u kou / tukou / tu kou | |
Earth Pig/Boar | 土豬 土猪 | tǔ zhū / tu3 zhu1 / tu zhu / tuzhu | t`u chu / tuchu / tu chu | |
Earth Monkey | 土猴 | tǔ hóu / tu3 hou2 / tu hou / tuhou | t`u hou / tuhou / tu hou | |
Earth Rooster | 土雞 土鸡 | tǔ jī / tu3 ji1 / tu ji / tuji | t`u chi / tuchi / tu chi | |
Earth Goat/Sheep | 土羊 | tǔ yáng / tu3 yang2 / tu yang / tuyang | t`u yang / tuyang / tu yang | |
Earth Horse | 土馬 土马 | tǔ mǎ / tu3 ma3 / tu ma / tuma | t`u ma / tuma / tu ma | |
Keep Your Feet on the Ground | 腳踏實地 脚踏实地 | jiǎo tà shí dì jiao3 ta4 shi2 di4 jiao ta shi di jiaotashidi | chiao t`a shih ti chiaotashihti chiao ta shih ti |
|
Even an iron bar can be ground to a needle | 磨杵成針 磨杵成针 | mó chǔ chéng zhēn mo2 chu3 cheng2 zhen1 mo chu cheng zhen mochuchengzhen | mo ch`u ch`eng chen mochuchengchen mo chu cheng chen |
|
Five Elements | 五行 | gogyou / gogyo | wǔ xíng / wu3 xing2 / wu xing / wuxing | wu hsing / wuhsing |
Five Elements | 金木水火土 | jīn mù shuǐ huǒ tǔ jin1 mu4 shui3 huo3 tu3 jin mu shui huo tu jinmushuihuotu | chin mu shui huo t`u chinmushuihuotu chin mu shui huo tu |
|
Five Elements | 地水火風空 地水火风空 | chi sui ka fuu kuu chisuikafuukuu chi sui ka fu ku | ||
Terra | テラ | tera | ||
Terra | 特拉 | tè lā / te4 la1 / te la / tela | t`e la / tela / te la | |
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.
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.