The Evolution of China's Calligraphy

The evolution of China's calligraphy can be briefly summarized as follows:

Oracle Bone Inscriptions (Shang) → Jinwen (Zhou) → Xiaozhuan (Qin) → Official script, cursive script, running script (Han) → Regular script (Wei and Jin Dynasties).

1, Oracle Bone Inscriptions now

The oldest writing in China. Carved on the Oracle Bone Inscriptions, it was first used in Oracle Bone Inscriptions. It is a divination of the outcome of future events, which was popular in the Yin and Shang Dynasties. Its composition varies in size, and Fiona Fang is diverse, long and flat, scattered and harmonious.

2. Jinwen

A literal name in ancient Chinese characters. Shang, Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States.

3. Xiao zhuan

When Chinese characters developed into seal script, they gradually began to shape (outline, strokes and structure), which weakened the pictographic meaning, made the characters more symbolic, and reduced the confusion and difficulties in writing and reading. This is the first time in the history of China to standardize Chinese characters on a large scale by administrative means. The Qin dynasty unified the national characters with the sorted seal script.

4. Official script, cursive script and running script

Official script is a common solemn font in Chinese characters, with a slightly flat writing effect, long horizontal drawing and short straight drawing, and pays attention to "swallow tail of silkworm head" and "twists and turns". Official script is flat, neat and exquisite. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, stippling such as skimming was beautified as upward provocation, with different degrees of severity and artistic beauty of calligraphy.

Cursive script is characterized by keeping the outline of words, breaking the rules of officials, rushing quickly and escaping quickly, so it is called cursive script because of its original meaning.

Running script is a writing style between regular script and cursive script. Writing is more unrestrained and fluent, close to cursive. The writing is relatively correct and stable, close to regular script.

5. Regular script

Regular script is also called official script, or real book. Its characteristics are: square shape, straight strokes, can be used as a model, hence the name.