This long stroke reminds me about the "fluid" shape of the Turkish sword, kilij ( Kilij - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ).

Extended sweeps like this are characteristic for early stage reisho (clerical script), especially when written on long bamboo slips (木簡). Sweep stroke is actually called "goose tail" as it resembles a wild goose tail, while the start of the stroke (round part) is known as "silk worm head".

鳳龍　phoenix and dragon

The combination of phoenix and dragon is similar to that of a yin and yang, symbolizing the union of opposites.

柔 soft

狼 wolf

触　touch

(calligraphy of the traditional form of the character, which is 觸)


seal script



semi-cursive script

愛華 Aika, name of a newly born daughter of my friends from Tokyo.

I thought you may find this interesting. Here is my teacher signing a box for storing a hanging scrolls (掛け軸). He is writing with a hanging arm technique, using the very tip of large brush to put down small characters. Also, if you look at the last picture, you will realise how perfectly he has fitted the whole text. It was done without planing, with my brush and ink that I have prepered. Japanese Buddhist monk Kuukai (空海) from 8/9th century C.E. said that a skilled calligrapher does not choose his brush (i.e. can write with anything). Here you have pictures that prove this.

Impresive! could you make my name into caligraphy? i was told that it is posible to take an american name and re define it with caligraphy.

My name is James Nguyen

Appreciate it. It is possible, but much easier done in Chinese, Especially with "Ng" consonant cluster in your name. Japanese pronunciation is rather limited. Putting down a foreign name in random kanji is not a problem, but making it meaningful requires a bit of thought. Feel free to end me a PM if you have any questions about it.