About This Artwork

“Calligraphy is formed by line.”
This work steps just beyond that premise.

No outline.

Only uneven dots in varying scales.
Still, a horse becomes visible—
the Japanese character for “horse” (馬).

As countless cells gather
to form a single body.

Waiting for Spring

I first felt the urge to write the words Spring in Full Bloom around the beginning of spring last year.
The image quietly took shape within me, yet the season passed more quickly than expected, and the moment to take up the brush slipped away.

Spring is always like that — long awaited, yet fleeting once it arrives.

A year later, the season returned, and with it, the same words.
From an image gently nurtured over time, this work was finally born.

A Sense of Fullness

The word ranman suggests more than brilliance.
It carries a feeling that light, atmosphere, and even the inner landscape have reached their fullness.

Rather than depicting the liveliness of spring, I sought the deep, soft sense of completion that comes after winter has passed.
That the moisture of the ink might quietly lend its effect — like the very breath of spring.

Spring, Held in the Hand

I imagined this work not only on a wall, but also encountered unexpectedly —
where seasonal words come to rest in the hand.

Perhaps alongside a bottle opened to mark the arrival of spring.
Or accompanying a gift sent to someone dear.

When lettering intertwines with memory — with taste, with fragrance — it can evoke a season even before it is fully experienced.

If these characters can open spring within the hand, not only before the eyes, nothing would please me more.

Spring often passes just as we begin to sense it has reached its fullness —
may this piece remain quietly beside that fleeting moment.

What is “Hidari-Uma”?

Hidari-uma (literally “left horse”) is the character for “horse” written in a left-facing, mirror-reversed form. In Japanese tradition, this design is regarded as a lucky symbol.

In Japan, the hidari-uma has long been appreciated not just as a stylized character, but as a symbol of good fortune rooted in cultural imagination. In addition to the explanation above, this character is believed to carry other positive meanings:

• A horse invites people in
  In everyday life, people lead horses by the bridle. But when the horse faces left in hidari-uma, it appears almost as if the horse itself is drawing people toward it — a metaphor for inviting good things in. This is why hidari-uma is associated with welcoming prosperity and many visitors.
• The horse character’s bottom resembles a purse
  The lower part of the character looks like a drawstring purse, and this resemblance has been connected to the idea of money staying inside rather than flowing out — a metaphor for accumulating wealth.

Because of these playful yet meaningful associations — through wordplay, shape, and imaginative interpretation — hidari-uma has come to be seen as a character with many layered auspicious meanings.

About This Work

I wrote hidari-uma with the heartfelt wish that

This may be a kind of good-luck charm, but at its core lies a prayer for the world to run a little more smoothly and for daily life between people to continue peacefully.

What kind of verse?

Historical & Cultural Context

To help understand why this work is meaningful:

• China & Japan literary relations: Chinese poetry has had a great influence on Japanese court culture, especially in the Nara and Heian periods, and beyond. Japanese literati often studied Chinese poets, translated or adapted their themes, and incorporated them into their own poetic and calligraphic traditions.
• Calligraphy as art: In East Asia (China and Japan), writing isn’t just about conveying meaning; the way characters are written—the brush strokes, the flow, the balance—is considered a visual art form. Calligraphic works of famous poems are loved both for their literary depth and their visual beauty.
• Imagery of the piece: The phrase “sad winds from a thousand miles” evokes distance, longing, melancholy—universal themes. The poem suggests a horizon or separation, perhaps nostalgia or sorrow prompted by distance.

What kind of verse?

Stars Like a Thousand Fireflies

The poem by Ge Chang-geng, written on long paper, unfolds a scene of solitude beneath the night sky.

Drawing inspiration from Dong Qichang’s calligraphy, I carefully selected each form, allowing characters to flow with subtle variation and resonance.

The work was unexpectedly recognized in a calligraphy journal — not merely as practice, but as a piece that carries presence and atmosphere.

Calligraphy, when guided by the classics yet given a personal voice, transcends study and becomes art. This piece invites quiet contemplation, offering a refined accent to the space it inhabits.

What kind of verse?

brief comment

The final line of this poem, “Climbing One More Level Higher,” can be read literally as simply ascending another level.

However, it also resonates as a metaphor for personal growth and striving to overcome life’s challenges. Written during a difficult era, this line reflects Wang Zhihuan’s desire to move forward despite adversity, to broaden his perspective, and to see beyond his current horizon.

The act of climbing higher embodies an enduring hope—a wish to transcend limitations and reach a broader view of the world.

In this simple, elegant phrase, we sense an invitation to elevate ourselves, both in vision and in spirit.

What kind of verse?

What kind of verse?

brief comment

Gu Kuang, who was a Chinese poet, was a poet of the same period (8th~9th century) as famous Tang Dynasty poets such as Bai Juyi, Du Fu, and Wang Wei in China.

He may have written poems about abandoned temples devastated by the “Anshi Rebellion” and other events from 755 to 763.

What kind of phrase?

brief comment

I added the words beside of a kitten playing with a dandelion fluff.

The phrase “諸行夢常” was coined from the kitten’s innocence and the way the dandelion’s fluff dances around.

“諸行夢常” is a word I coined.
“諸行無常” a famous phrase from The Tale of the Heike, means “all things must pass”. On the other hand, changing “無(nothing)” to “夢(dream)” means that “dreams are common.”

The word was born from the idea of the perfectly round dandelion’s fluff being broken up and the innocent curiosity of a kitten.

Would you like to display this work that will make you feel natural and warm near you?

μ-はがき作品《子猫タンポポ》【限定2作】 | totKnow - ととのう - powered by BASE

可愛らしい子猫がタンポポの綿毛で遊んでいる絵はがきに、書作家による情緒あふれる文...

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Note

On November 29th, New Year’s cards production workshop will be held.

Prior to that, I designed a postcards to serve as a sample. This is a variety of production examples such as kanji type and kana type.

I hope there is one photo that everyone in attendance will like.