Oracle bone inscriptions are the earliest mature writing currently seen. Because they are written on tortoise shells and animal bones, they are called "oracle bone inscriptions". Oracle bone inscriptions were first unearthed at the Yin Shang site in Xiaotun Village, Anyang, Henan. Although the inscriptions on oracle bone inscriptions are practical, the inscriptions on oracle bone inscriptions were all high-status saints at that time and had a strong grasp of lines and shapes. Today it seems that oracle bone inscriptions have high artistic value in calligraphy. Oracle bone inscriptions already contain the basic elements of calligraphy art, including brushwork, structure, and composition.
The famous paleographer Dong Zuobin once divided oracle bone inscriptions into five periods according to calligraphy style: the first period was Pan Geng and Wu Ding, with vigorous calligraphy style; the second period was Zu Geng and Zu Jia, with careful calligraphy style; the third period was Lin Xin and Kang Ding have a weak calligraphy style; Wu Yi and Wen Ding in the fourth period have a strong and relaxed calligraphy style; Emperor Yi and Di Xin in the fifth period have a rigorous calligraphy style.
Bronze inscriptions are a type of seal script, represented by the bronze inscriptions of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The ancients called the characters engraved on bronze objects "Ji Jin characters", "Zhong Ding characters" or "Bronze characters". The bronze inscriptions of the Western Zhou Dynasty were mostly cast and engraved, and most of them were ritual vessels. They were exquisitely made and retained a lot of writing style. Among the most famous extant bronze inscriptions, the "Big Yu Tripod", "Maogong Tripod", "Sanshi Pan" and "Guo Jizi Baipan" are the most famous ones.
The "Da Yu Ding" is the representative of bronze inscriptions in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, with thick strokes and more fat pens; ", forming a typical style of bronze seal script; "Sanshi Pan" has bold and rough lines, exaggerated side postures, and is unique and simple; "Guo Jizi Baipan" has a unique style of calligraphy, with long and narrow fonts, tight knots and sparse characters. It is dense and decent, with clear and elegant composition. It is an outstanding representative of late bronze inscriptions
Shigu inscriptions are the writings of the Qin State during the Warring States Period. They are engraved on 10 drum-shaped stone drums. Each stone drum is engraved with a four-character poem. Ancient poetry. Because the poem describes the King of Qin's hunting trip, it is also called "Hunting Jie Text". The Stone Drum Inscription is one of the earliest stone inscriptions. It has been highly praised in the past dynasties since its discovery in Fengxiang, Shaanxi Province in the early Tang Dynasty. Zhang Huaiguan of the Tang Dynasty commented on the stone drum inscriptions and said: "The body shape is extraordinary, different from the ancient times. Drops of pearls and jade, fluttering tassels. The descendant of Cangjie, the ancestor of the small seal script." ("Shuguan") The stone drum inscriptions are round and powerful, ancient and majestic, and are a collection of large seal scripts. Dacheng is the ancestor of Xiaozhuan. Han Yu and Su Dongpo both wrote "Song of Stone Drums" to praise it.
After Qin Shihuang unified China, Prime Minister Li Si used the Qin script as the standard. The Qin Xiaozhuan script is characterized by rounded and even lines and a well-proportioned structure. Qin Shihuang traveled around the world and inscribed stones to record his achievements. "Taishan Carved Stones" and "Langyatai Carved Stones" are the representative ones.
The small seals engraved on the volumes and imperial edicts of the Qin Dynasty are relatively random, with irregular sizes and uneven rows, and there is a kind of smart and scattered nail bone inscriptions. , Dazhuan and Xiaozhuan are the oldest fonts in Chinese characters, often called ancient characters.