Calligraphy is a time-honored Chinese art, and decorative calligraphy scrolls are commonly given gifts to bestow good fortune on the recipient. These scrolls are usually adorned with characters expressing best wishes or good luck in the coming year, and sometimes include a small painting beneath the characters. They are often hung over doorways or entrances to the home.
Calligraphy
Chinese scroll gifts often feature messages rendered in Chinese calligraphy thought to bestow blessings or good fortune. A typical design features a single Chinese character for a word such as "wealth" or "patience." Sometimes the character appears by itself, or is accompanied by a Chinese idiom or sentiment wishing good fortune on the recipient. These scrolls are sometimes inked on a red background because red is the traditional color for luck.
Paintings
Some Chinese hanging scrolls include a brushstroke painting in addition to calligraphy. The painting can depict a landscape, as with many traditional Chinese scroll paintings that hang in museums, or a scene from philosophical or religious texts. For example, a scene known as The Eight Immortals of Taoism is a popular theme from Taoist texts, symbolic of perfect but unattainable happiness. One famous version of this scroll painting hangs in the Library of Congress.; a reproduction might make for a thoughtful gift.
Zodiac Scrolls
Wall scrolls for any of the twelve years of the Chinese Zodiac make for a personalized gift, as you can order a scroll to match the recipient's zodiac animal, whether she was born in the year of the Dog, the Boar, the Rabbit or any other Zodiac animal. Zodiac scrolls usually include the calligraphic symbol for the animal's name, and could include a small painting of the animal itself as well.
Name in Chinese Calligraphy
A Chinese wall scroll decorated with the recipient's name in Chinese characters is another personalized gift option. The caveat is that the name-conversion process doesn't always work perfectly. There is no standard way to translate a name from English to Chinese. However, with free online translating tools to convert English names into Chinese characters and settings allowing you to customize the translation, you'll at least be able to find the translation you like the best.
