Seals and Calligraphy on Chinese Paintings

http://www.asia-art.net/chinese_brush.html

http://www.asia-art.net/chinese_ink_s.html

http://www.asia-art.net/calligraphy.html

* * *

The best composer of all is God Himself. He made all of creation.

Jn:1:

1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.
4 In him was life: and the life was the light of men.
5 ¶ And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.
9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.
10 He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own: and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.
13 Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
15 ¶ John beareth witness of him and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me is preferred before me: because he was before me.
16 And of his fulness we all have received: and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses: grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Mt:7:14:
14 How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it! (DRV)

Jn:14:6:
6 Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. (DRV)

________________________________________________________________

500 BC

THE DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN

Confucius

What Heaven has conferred is called The Nature; an accordance with

this nature is called The Path of duty; the regulation of this path is

called Instruction.

The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, it

would not be the path. On this account, the superior man does not wait

till he sees things, to be cautious, nor till he hears things, to be

apprehensive.

There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing

more manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man is

watchful over himself, when he is alone.

While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the

mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium. When those

feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there

ensues what may be called the state of Harmony. This Equilibrium is

the great root from which grow all the human actions in the world, and

this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.

Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a

happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things

will be nourished and flourish.

Chung-ni said, "The superior man embodies the course of the Mean;

the mean man acts contrary to the course of the Mean.

"The superior man's embodying the course of the Mean is because he

is a superior man, and so always maintains the Mean. The mean man's

acting contrary to the course of the Mean is because he is a mean man,

and has no caution."

The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the

Mean! Rare have they long been among the people, who could practice

it!