3 Benefits by Good Characters

The grid you’ll notice behind the Chinese characters is used by school children learning calligraphy.

There is no such thing as Chinese alphabet. But, just for fun, I have selected characters that that can be used like code.

Once you learn how to use this writing system, you no longer have to worry about others reading your diary or other secrets! The Chinese, Japanese, and Korean can read it, but the combination of characters won’t make sense to them. And people who cannot read Chinese won’t even try to read it. Isn’t it cool?

How are these symbols selected?

Symbols are selected based on their visual similarity to corresponding English alphabet letters. Only real Chinese characters are used. Only characters that are positive or neutral in meaning are included.

Click the following links to see Chinese Alphabet.

Links:

• Add Mystery To Your Writing using Chinese Alphabet
• Chinese Alphabet Meanings

“Dear Good Characters,
Could you please send me calligraphy for Year of the OX?
Thank you. –Robert Turgeon”

Yes. The Year of the Ox starts January 26, 2009. A good phrase to write in Chinese calligraphy is 牛年大吉 (niu nian da ji), meaning Best Wishes for the Year of Ox!

牛 (niu) is cattle.

年 (nian) is a year.

大 (da) is big or great.

吉 (ji) is auspicious.

Chinese living in the south use water buffalo to work in the rice fields. Therefore, for southern Chinese, the cow is traditionally viewed as hardworking and the most loyal animal, similarly to the way people in the West view their dogs or horses. For this reason, some Chinese don’t eat beef. Imagine eating a dog—that’s the same emotion they would have about eating beef.

In Taiwan, becoming vegetarian or abstaining from beef is often believed to be a way to reduce one’s sin or to receive blessings from the gods. Interestingly, Taiwan is famous for its tasty beef noodle soup, and the city of Taipei calls itself the “World Capital of Beef Noodles.” Taipei hosts a couple annual Beef Noodles Festivals.

Happy Year of the Ox!

Saviors are not always kind rulers. The Chinese have a saying: “Serving the emperor is like serving the tiger: [You never know when you’ll be eaten.]” Such was the case with Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and the military genius who helped him gain power, Liu Bowen. (See: The Cakes that Saved China)

Within a few years of becoming emperor, Zhu turned on those who had helped him overthrow the Mongols. Gratitude for their service was outweighed by the desire to secure the throne for his own sons. Zhu had all his top commanders killed together with their families, relatives, and friends—an estimated 45,000 people.

Liu, however, was not only a brilliant military strategist, but also a wise man. He knew better than to serve in the government of the man he had helped put in power. To prove that he had no political ambition, he retired and moved to the country. One of his sons remained in the capital as a “hostage.” At age 65, Liu caught a cold, took medicine prescribed by the royal doctor, and died. Two years later, his oldest son was forced to kill himself by jumping into a well. His second son was arrested and committed suicide in jail.

The dynasty Zhu began replaced the brutal Mongol rule but unleashed its own turmoil on its people. The once progressive Chinese civilization began to lag behind the West. But the Ming dynasty continued for 276 years, from 1368 to 1644.

If saviors can be cruel, history sometimes has a way of setting the record straight. The 10th Ming emperor reinstated Liu and others who fought with him to places of honor for their service to the dynasty. Chinese today recognize and honor him for his service to China.

In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire stretched across China, central Asia, Russia, and Eastern Europe all the way to Vienna. This was the time of the fabled Genghis Khan and his grandson Kublai Khan. Mongol domination brought great wealth and splendor to China, as reported by Marco Polo. But it also brought cruelty and death.  The Khans considered the Chinese the lowest class in their empire and controlled them with an iron fist. Groups of 10 Chinese households were assigned to serve one Mongol family. And each group of10 households was to share only one kitchen knife, which was guarded by the Mongols. During the first 50 years of the 100-year Mongol occupation, China lost 60 million people, half its population.

Deliverance came from the most unlikely sources: a peasant boy, a middle-aged hermit, and moon cakes.

The peasant was Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋). Zhu, orphaned and homeless at age17, became a beggar, moving from town to town. At age 24, he joined a rebel group opposed to Mongol occupation. His years of struggle had made him strong and determined. He rose rapidly and within 3 years was the leader of the group.

The middle aged man was Liu Bowen (劉伯溫). He was a brilliant scholar who had worked for the Mongol government. He dreamed of serving his people, but his talent had gone unrecognized. Frustrated, he retired early to a mountain retreat, resigned to fade into oblivion along with his unfulfilled dream.

Moon cakes are the traditional food of the Chinese festival honoring the moon god. They are eaten on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which is always a full moon.

The three sources converged when the young Zhu found Liu and asked him to serve as his military strategist to fight against the Mongols. Observing that the Mongols did not eat moon cakes, Liu came up with a strategy to distribute secret messages throughout China in the traditional sweets. They baked hundreds of cakes and placed a secret message in the center of each: “Kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month.” To make sure people would see the message, they circulated a rumor that a deadly plague was spreading and the only way to prevent it was to eat the special moon cakes.

The plan worked. In many areas, all on the same day, people rose against their oppressors. The power of the Mongol government was broken.

In less than 10 years, Zhu’s army drove the Mongols out of China and founded the Ming dynasty. The uneducated, homeless peasant became the founding emperor of the 276-year-long Ming dynasty before age 40. Liu fulfilled his dream of serving his people and was recognized as one of the most accomplished military strategists in Chinese history. And the moon cake earned a special place in the heart of the Chinese.

When families gather on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (in 2008, September 14), they eat moon cakes and tell the story of the people and the cake that helped the Chinese overcome a great challenge and save their people.

Practice Paper:

• 6-Box Bamboo Practice Paper (50 Sheets)
• 12-Box Bamboo Practice Paper (50 Sheets) (Practice more characters per page!)

Our bamboo paper, also known as Maubian paper, is made from real bamboo. It’s superior to regular paper because bamboo paper absorbs the ink, doesn’t bleed through, and gives a single brush stroke many tones and gradients. 50 sheets/pack. 12 boxes/sheet. It is great for practicing calligraphy and painting.

Fu-Qin-Jie Kuai-Le

• Fu Qin (pronounced fuu cheen) is a father.
• Jie (pronounced jee-eh) is a festival day or holiday.
• Kuai Le (pronounced kwie-luh) is happiness, joy, pleasure, delight, or rejoicing.

Father’s Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide:

• United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, UK: Third Sunday of June
• China and Taiwan: August 8 (八八, ba ba, 爸爸)

More at Good Characters

Things you might need to write Happy Father’s Day in Chinese:

• Leopard Pattern Wolf Hair Brush Large $6
• Nature Color Bamboo Brush Mat $6
• Elegant Style Bottled Ink Medium $7
• Blank Bamboo Practice Paper (50 Sheets) $9.95
• Beginner’s Calligraphy Practice Paper Set $9.95
• Red Fabric Border Blank Wall Scroll Medium $24.95
• 4 Inch Round Inkwell $17
• Shitajiki Felt Mat Small $4

Learn how to say and write Happy Thanksgiving in Chinese.

See it and Hear it.