Custom Rebirth Chinese & Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

We have many options to create artwork with Rebirth characters on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Rebirth wall scroll, this is the place. Below you will find a few Asian symbols that express the idea of Rebirth.


  1. Re-Birth / Renaissance

  2. Resurrection / Re-Birth

  3. Reincarnation

  4. Reincarnation / Transmigration of Souls

  5. Reincarnation / Life in Flux

  6. Frightful Demon / Asura

  7. Eternal Life / Everlasting Life / Immortality

  8. Eternal Life / Future Life

  9. New Life

10. The Noble Eightfold Path

11. No Pain No Gain

12. Phoenix Rise from the Ashes

13. Pure Land / Jodo

14. Rehabilitation / Rebirth

15. Samsara / Endless Cycle of Rebirth

16. Five Precepts


Re-Birth / Renaissance

 chóng shēng
Re-Birth / Renaissance Scroll

重生 is the Chinese word for rebirth. This can be used literally or metaphorically. As a metaphor, you could use this to say something like, “We are watching the rebirth of New Orleans after the disaster of Katrina.”

重生 is sometimes translated as “renaissance.”

Note: 重生 is not the Buddhist concept of reincarnation or re-birth.


See Also:  Reincarnation

Resurrection / Re-Birth

 fù huó
 hukkatsu
Resurrection / Re-Birth Scroll

復活 is the Chinese, Japanese and Korean word for resurrection or rebirth.

復活 literally means “return to life.”

It is the term used in most Asian Bibles to refer to the resurrection of Christ. In Japanese, it is sometimes used to mean a Christian Revival. In some contexts, it can mean resuscitation.


See Also:  Christianity | Jesus Christ | God of Abraham

Reincarnation (Buddhism)

 zhuǎn shì
 ten sei
Reincarnation (Buddhism) Scroll

轉世 is the Buddhist idea of reincarnation or transmigration.

Other definitions of this term: “Attainer of Nirvana from within the desire realm,” “A practitioner who enters directly into Nirvana from the desire realm, without traversing the form and formless realms. One of the 27 kinds of Hinayana sages,” or simply, “to return again to this life.”

轉世 is also a Japanese title, but the first Kanji was slightly simplified after WWII. Just let us know if you want the modern Japanese version when you order.


See Also:  Buddhism

Reincarnation / Transmigration of Souls

 lún huí
 rin ne
Reincarnation / Transmigration of Souls Scroll

輪回 is a universal word in Japanese and Chinese that expresses the Buddhist idea of “reincarnation,” “transmigration of souls,” or “the eternal cycle of birth and death.”

In some contexts, this can also mean “karma,” and others will say it represents “samsara.”

The first character means wheel, ring, turn, circle, loop, or rotate.
The second character can be thought of as a suffix meaning “-times.” This second character can also refer to something that revolves, returns, goes back, or is a counter of the number of occurrences of some event.
Together the sum supersedes the parts, and it means reincarnation. But knowing the essence of each character may help you understand some of the meaning behind the word.


廻Shown to the right is the more common way to write the second character in Japanese. it’s an alternate form of this character in Chinese (so neither way is technically wrong in either language). If you select a Japanese calligrapher, expect that is will look like the Kanji to the right.


See Also:  Buddhism

Reincarnation / Life in Flux

 rinne tenshou
Reincarnation / Life in Flux Scroll

輪廻転生 is a Japanese Zen quote or proverb that expresses the idea of all things being in flux through the endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth or the circle of transmigration.

Frightful Demon / Asura

 ē xiū luó
 ashura
Frightful Demon / Asura Scroll

This demon title comes from the ancient Sanskrit word Asura.

阿修羅 is often used in Buddhism when describing various demons. Sometimes defined as “Fighting and battling a giant demon.”

In the context of Buddhism: This title originally meant a spirit, spirits, or even the gods (perhaps before 1700 years ago). It now generally indicates titanic demons, enemies of the gods, with whom, especially Indra, they wage constant war. They are defined as “not devas,” “ugly,” and “without wine.” There are four classes of asuras, separated according to their manner of rebirth. They can be egg-born, womb-born, transformation-born, and spawn- or water-born. Their abode is in the ocean, north of Sumeru but certain of the weaker dwell in a western mountain cave. They have realms, rulers, and palaces, as have the devas.

In terms of power, Asuras rank above humans but below most other deities. They live near the coastal foot of Mount Sumeru (on the northern side). Their domain is partially or wholly in the ocean.

Eternal Life / Everlasting Life / Immortality

 yǒng shēng
 eisei
Eternal Life / Everlasting Life / Immortality Scroll

永生 are the last two words from John 3:16 in the Chinese Union Bible.

Although not specifically Christian, this is the way to express ever-lasting life or eternal life in Chinese.

In Japanese, this can either mean eternal life or immortality.


See Also:  Eternity | Reincarnation | Immortality

Eternal Life / Future Life

 lái shì
 rai-se
Eternal Life / Future Life Scroll

來世 is a word that can be used in many different ways.

It is often used to express the next life (life in heaven or wherever your soul is bound for). So it does have a religious overtone. However, it can also be used to express your life in the future - perhaps during your present lifetime.

It can also be translated as “the next world,” “the next generation,” “the time that is to come,” “otherworld,” or simply “posterity.”


See Also:  Eternity | Reincarnation | Immortality

 xīn shēng
 waka ki
New Life Scroll

新生 literally means “new life” or “new birth” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Depending on the context, this word can also mean newborn, new student, rebirth, new birth, or nascent.
In Japanese, this can be the given name Wakaki.


Note: This is not the most common word selection for a calligraphy wall scroll. But if you’re a westerner, you can bend the rules a bit.

The Noble Eightfold Path

Ashtangika Marga / Astangika-Marga / Atthangika Magga

 bā zhèng dào
 hasshoudou
The Noble Eightfold Path Scroll

八正道 is a complex set of steps that Buddhists much take to cleanse karma, achieve enlightenment, eventually cease the cycle of rebirth and live in a state of Nirvana.


Note: This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term and remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people. Sometimes written as 八聖道.


See Also:  Buddhism | Enlightenment

No Pain No Gain

 itami naku shite erumono wa nashi
No Pain No Gain Scroll

痛みなくして得るものなし is a Japanese phrase that means “no pain, no gain.”

This suggests that with pain, a gain must follow.

The pain Kanji here can also be translated as sorrow or suffering. The gain can also mean profit, advantage, or benefit. In the Japanese Buddhist context, that gain Kanji can mean rebirth in paradise, entering nirvana.

The character breakdown:
痛みなく (itami naku) pain; ache; sore; grief; distress. The naku part adds the meaning of “a lot of” or “extended”
して (shite) and then. (indicates a causative expression; acts as a connective particle)
得る (eru) to get; to acquire; to obtain; to procure; to earn; to win; to gain; to secure; to attain.
もの (mono) conjunctive particle indicating a cause or reason.
なし (nashi) none of; -less; without; no.


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

Phoenix Rise from the Ashes

 fèng huáng niè pán
Phoenix Rise from the Ashes Scroll

鳳凰涅磐 is a proverb that suggests “Legendary Phoenix rises from the ashes.” It means “Legendary Phoenix [reaches] Nirvana.”

There is a legend in China of a great bird reborn once every 500 years. This bird gathers all the ill will, suffering, desire, and other negative things of the world. The bird then plunges into the fire to burn away all negative things, sacrificing itself in the process (achieving Nirvana, or perhaps allowing others the opportunity to reach Nirvana).

500 years later, the phoenix is reborn from the ashes again, and the cycle repeats.

Pure Land / Jodo

Also a sect of Buddhism

 jìng tǔ
 jou do
Pure Land / Jodo Scroll

淨土 literally means “pure land” or “clean earth.”

淨土 is also the abbreviated title of a Buddhist sect that involves faith in the rebirth of Buddha Amitabha (Amitābha) in the Western Heaven. Sometimes this sect is translated as “Paradise of the West.” Other titles of this school of Buddhism include Amidism or Elysium.


See Also:  Nirvana | Shin Buddhism

Rehabilitation / Rebirth

 gēng shēng
 kousei / kose
Rehabilitation / Rebirth Scroll

This is a Chinese, Korean and Japanese word that means rebirth or resurrection.

Other definitions include reinvigorated, rejuvenated, a new lease of life, rehabilitation, remaking one's life, starting life anew, regeneration, reorganization, rebuilding, recovery, restoration, remaking, coming back to life, revival, or resuscitation.

Samsara / Endless Cycle of Rebirth

 lún huí
 rinne
Samsara / Endless Cycle of Rebirth Scroll

輪廻 is one of a few ways to express संसार or Saṃsāra in Chinese, Japanese, and old Korean.

The Buddhist term can be translated in several ways, including:
An endless cycle of death and rebirth.
The turning of the wheel.
To revolve.
Transmigration in six ways.
The wheel of transmigration.
The round of existence.

Five Precepts

 wǔ jiè
 go kai
Five Precepts Scroll

五戒 is the title or name for the five precepts of Buddhism.

These are prohibitions against killing, theft, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication.
Also phrased as commandments against murder, stealing, adultery, false speech, and consuming intoxicating liquors.

These five precepts or “pañca-veramaṇī” apply to the Buddhist laity as well as monks and nuns. The observance of these five ensures rebirth in the human realm.


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

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Re-Birth
Renaissance
重生chóng shēng
chong2 sheng1
chong sheng
chongsheng
ch`ung sheng
chungsheng
chung sheng
Resurrection
Re-Birth
復活
复活
hukkatsu / hukatsufù huó / fu4 huo2 / fu huo / fuhuo
Reincarnation (Buddhism)轉世
转世
ten sei / tenseizhuǎn shì
zhuan3 shi4
zhuan shi
zhuanshi
chuan shih
chuanshih
Reincarnation
Transmigration of Souls
輪回 / 輪廻
轮回
rin ne / rinnelún huí / lun2 hui2 / lun hui / lunhui
Reincarnation
Life in Flux
輪廻転生rinne tenshou
rinnetenshou
rinne tensho
Frightful Demon
Asura
阿修羅
阿修罗
ashuraē xiū luó
e1 xiu1 luo2
e xiu luo
exiuluo
o hsiu lo
ohsiulo
Eternal Life
Everlasting Life
Immortality
永生eiseiyǒng shēng
yong3 sheng1
yong sheng
yongsheng
yung sheng
yungsheng
Eternal Life
Future Life
來世
来世
rai-selái shì / lai2 shi4 / lai shi / laishilai shih / laishih
New Life新生waka ki / wakakixīn shēng
xin1 sheng1
xin sheng
xinsheng
hsin sheng
hsinsheng
The Noble Eightfold Path八正道hasshoudou / hashodobā zhèng dào
ba1 zheng4 dao4
ba zheng dao
bazhengdao
pa cheng tao
pachengtao
No Pain No Gain痛みなくして得るものなしitami naku shite erumono wa nashi
Phoenix Rise from the Ashes鳳凰涅磐
凤凰涅磐
fèng huáng niè pán
feng4 huang2 nie4 pan2
feng huang nie pan
fenghuangniepan
feng huang nieh p`an
fenghuangniehpan
feng huang nieh pan
Pure Land
Jodo
淨土
净土
jou do / joudo / jo dojìng tǔ / jing4 tu3 / jing tu / jingtuching t`u / chingtu / ching tu
Rehabilitation
Rebirth
更生kousei / kose
kosei / kose
gēng shēng
geng1 sheng1
geng sheng
gengsheng
keng sheng
kengsheng
Samsara
Endless Cycle of Rebirth
輪廻
轮廻
rinnelún huí / lun2 hui2 / lun hui / lunhui
Five Precepts五戒go kai / gokaiwǔ jiè / wu3 jie4 / wu jie / wujiewu chieh / wuchieh
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.