The cursive script of Qin and Han Dynasties is the Zhangcao period in the history of the development of Chinese cursive script. Cursive script in the early Han Dynasty was a simple and rapid writing of official script (ancient official script). This kind of cursive script can be roughly seen from the "Shenjue Four Years Slips". The cursive script of this period was in the cursive or official stage. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, cursive script gradually appeared. At this time, cursive script can be seen from the medical slips unearthed in Wuwei, the "Can Destroy All Rebellious Countries" slips and the "Northern Hou Changgao" slips unearthed from Dunhuang. By the Cao Wei and Western Jin Dynasties, cursive script had been continuously processed by calligraphers, forming a regular cursive method. Later generations called this type of cursive script Zhangcao to distinguish it from the modern cursive script that was popular in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Zhangcao has been widely popular in the Eastern Han Dynasty. In addition to a large number of cursive slips unearthed, such as "Jijiu Zhangzhuan", "Gongyang Chuanzhuan", "Ma Junxing Brick", and the Cao family's tomb bricks unearthed in Bozhou, Anhui, are all written in Zhangcao. It can be seen that Zhangcao was quite popular among the people in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Famous calligraphers in the Han Dynasty include Shi You, Cao Xi, Du Cao, Wang Cizhong, Cui Yuan, Zhang Zhi, Cai Yong, Shi Yiguan, Liu De, Liang Hu, etc. Shi You once wrote "Ji Jiu Zhang" in official cursive script. Cao Xi lived during the reign of Emperor Zhang of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is recorded that he worked on seal script and created the hanging needle method. Du Cao was famous for his good cursive calligraphy. Cui Yuan and Cui once learned his cursive calligraphy, and later generations were called Cui Du. Cui Yuan is good at cursive script and is the author of "Cursive Script Shi". Zhang Zhi is good at cursive calligraphy. Tang Zhanghuai's "Shu Duan" said that he created Jincao and called him the "Sage of Cao". Wang Cizhong was good at official script. "Shu Duan" said that he used official script as regular script. Cai Yong was good at seal script and official script, created Fei Bai Shu, and participated in writing stone classics. The teacher should be an official and good at official script. Liu De, it is recorded that he created running script. Although it was a rough creation, it was rich, gorgeous, graceful and graceful, and was unparalleled at that time. Liang Hu was good at official calligraphy, and his calligraphy was appreciated by Cao Cao. There were some calligraphers in the Han Dynasty whose names are not obvious, but can be seen in inscriptions, such as Guo Xiangcha's "Huashan Stele", Qiu Jing's "Ode to the West", Qiu Fu's "Ode to the Pavilion", and Ji Boyun's "Wu Banbei".