A vintage Japanese shikishi calligraphy print by Nakano Gyokugō (中野玉剛), a Japanese master calligrapher known for powerful kanji brushwork and expressive semi-cursive and cursive styles.
The inscription reads: “If you wish to see a thousand miles farther, climb one more level.” This famous line comes from the Tang-dynasty poem by Wang Zhihuan. It has become one of the best-known classical Chinese expressions of ambition, self-improvement, and continual progress.
Its deeper message is simple but powerful: if you want to broaden your vision, understanding, or achievements, you must continue to rise beyond your present position. In modern usage, the phrase is often used to encourage someone to keep improving even after reaching a certain level of success.
The inscription at the left reads 耕堂, understood as Kōtō, an art name (gagō) associated with Nakano Gyokugō and his calligraphic practice. Nakano Gyokugō is known as a Japanese shodōka (書道家 / calligrapher) specializing in expressive kanji calligraphy. His work emphasizes the balance between disciplined structure and energetic brush movement, with many pieces presenting classical Chinese or Japanese phrases carrying philosophical and motivational meaning.
