This nine-character calligraphy ‘Cheonyeobulsu bansugiangi’ by An Jung-geun (1879-1910) was written during his stay in Lushun Prison, in Manchuria. The aphorism in semicursive script characters says literally ‘If one refuses to take what heavens give him, he may receive calamities instead.’ The date, place and the name are written along the left edge of the sheet, followed by his signature palm mark. An Jung-geun’s unbending integrity and personality shine forth in this short text, dating from February 1910, about a month before his death by execution.