Tag Archives: Calligraphy

陰陽 (in-yo) “Yin and Yang”

Yin is dark, cold, receptive, magnetic. Yang is light, hot, giving, active. Both are present in everything. Day is Yang, Night is Yin. But during a Yang day, one will have periods of Yin rest. Yin-Yang is also an important concept in Japanese art. In the calligraphy above, outward brush-strokes are Yang and should beContinueContinue reading “陰陽 (in-yo) “Yin and Yang””

限 (gen) “limits”

It is precisely the act of pushing against limits, stretching them, bending them, playing with them, which leads to interesting artistic expression. In other words, in order to push boundaries, there must be boundaries existing in the first place. This is especially true of Japanese calligraphy. As an artform it is incredibly restrictive. The boundariesContinueContinue reading “限 (gen) “limits””

粋 (iki) “understated elegance”

“Iki” is a Japanese aesthetic ideal. It refers to subtle elegance and sophistication. One of the aspects of iki is caring about the sensibilities of others. What you wear should make others feel comfortable, and wearing stylish clothing is a way of respecting those around you. This doesn’t mean that you can’t wear what youContinueContinue reading “粋 (iki) “understated elegance””

Secrets of Japanese business: 改善 (kai-zen) “continuous improvement”

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” It is the Japanese business philosophy of continuously improving operations. Kaizen sees improvement in productivity as a gradual and methodical process. The kaizen concept asserts that there is no perfect end. Everything can be improved upon, and all employees must strive to evolveContinueContinue reading “Secrets of Japanese business: 改善 (kai-zen) “continuous improvement””

一期一会 (ichi-go-ichi-e) “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”

This 4-character idiom encourages us to reflect that every moment can be a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity, if we make the most of it. To learn more about how to have more ichi-go-ichi-e in your life, check out this article.

我慢 (ga-man) “Endure!”

“Gaman” is a zen Buddhist term which loosely translates to “enduring the unbearable with patience and dignity”. In Japan, putting up with a seemingly unbearable situation is seen as a sign of maturity. In the notoriously tough Japanese workplace, employees are expected to “Gaman” as much as possible. You can read more about it here: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190319-the-art-of-perseverance-how-gaman-defined-japan