Chinese characters are by far the longest continuously used script, and they are also the only scripts among the major writing systems in ancient times that have been passed down to this day. Now come with me to read the selected handwritten newspapers on the topic of Chinese characters. I believe it can be helpful to everyone. Selected handwritten newspapers about Chinese characters (1) Selected handwritten newspapers about Chinese characters (2) Selected handwritten newspapers about Chinese characters (3)
Regarding the origin of Chinese characters: < /p>
The theory of knotting: "Northern History: The Benji of Wei" says: The ancestors of the Northern Dynasty Wei "hunted as a profession, were simple and simple, and simplified; they did not write words, they just carved wood and knotted ropes." Some records were recorded Primitive social tribes, before the emergence of writing, used knotting to record events such as wars, hunts, alliances, elections, celebrations, marriages, childbirth, diseases and disasters.
In the past, there were also scholars who inferred that "written characters were used to rule by knotting ropes in ancient times" in "Book of Changes·Xici Xia". Originated from knotting rope."
The theory of Bagua: The preface to Kong Anguo's "Shangshu" (a forgery, but very ancient) says: "In ancient times, the Pao Xi family was the king of the world. The government of Sheng was born from the written records. ”
He Tu said:
"Yi Xici 1": He produced pictures, Luo produced books, and the sages followed them. "He Tu·Jade Edition": Cangjie was the emperor, and he patrolled the south for hunting. He came to the mountain of Yangxu and came to the water of Huluo in Yuan Dynasty. The turtle carried the book, with red armor and green inscriptions, to teach him.
Uncovering the mystery of this theory, it is not difficult to find that its real core is arithmetic, which can be compared with the "Nine Palaces" algorithm. The so-called "nine palaces", according to the Chenwei family, are the eight trigrams and the center, which are combined into nine ("five" is located in the center and can also be connected with the five elements); in the eyes of the mathematicians, the numbers are horizontal, vertical, oblique, and The number added together is always 15.
Cangjie coined the word: Legend has it that Cangjie was the historian of the Yellow Emperor, who was the leader of the tribal alliance in the ancient Central Plains. As society entered the stage of larger-scale tribal alliances, diplomatic affairs between alliances became increasingly frequent, so there was an urgent need to establish A set of communication symbols shared by all alliances, so the task of collecting and sorting out the shared texts was left to the historian Cangjie.
"Cangjie's theory of character creation" was already popular during the Warring States Period. "Lu Shi Chun Qiu·Jun Shou" says: "Cangjie wrote books and Houji did crops." In the Qin and Han Dynasties, this legend became more popular. Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi·Xu" [2]: "When Cangjie first wrote books, he relied on pictograms."
Modern scholars believe that a systematic writing tool cannot be completely developed by one person Created, if Cangjie really existed, he should be the text organizer or promulgator.
Picture theory: Modern scholars believe that Chinese characters truly originated from original pictures. The graphics carved on some unearthed cultural relics are likely to be related to the text.
Wang Yunzhi, a doctoral supervisor at Zhengzhou University, believes that the earliest engraved symbols in China appeared at the Jiahu site in Wuyang, Henan, which has a history of more than 8,000 years. Make a comprehensive sorting of these original materials, and then sort out some clues about the occurrence and development of Chinese characters before the writing of the Shang Dynasty. However, the situation is not that simple. Except for the Zhengzhou Shangcheng site and the Xiaoshuangqiao site (more than 10 examples of early Shang Dynasty Zhu Shu pottery inscriptions have been discovered at this site), which can be directly compared with the Yin Ruins inscriptions, other Shang Dynasty The previous symbols were scattered and scattered, with many missing links from each other, and most of the symbols were inconsistent with the characters of the Shang Dynasty. There are also some symbols with strong regional colors and complex backgrounds.
Wang Yunzhi believes that the formal formation of the Chinese character system should be in the Central Plains region. Chinese characters are a writing system with independent origin. It does not depend on any foreign writing system for its existence. However, its origin is not single. It has gone through multiple and long-term adjustments. About the time of entering the Xia Dynasty, the ancestors began to write Chinese characters. Based on the extensive experience of absorbing and using early symbols, he creatively invented a text symbol system for recording language. At that time, the Chinese character system matured relatively quickly.
It is reported that judging from the written materials unearthed from archaeological excavations, China already had formal writing at least in the Yuxia period. For example, archaeologists once unearthed a flat script at the Tao Temple site in Xiangfen, Shanxi. On the pottery pot, the word "文" written in calligraphy and ink was found. These symbols all belong to the basic configuration of early writing systems. Unfortunately, such unearthed writing information is still scarce.
On the outer walls of pottery at Yangshao cultural sites such as the Banpo site, which dates back about 6,000 years, there have been more than 50 inscribed symbols on the outer walls. They are neatly planned, have certain regularity, and have the characteristics of simple writing. They may be the germination of Chinese writing.
On the pottery from the late Dawenkou Culture Site and the Liangzhu Culture Site, about four to five thousand years ago, more neat and regular graphic carvings were found, which were early graphic characters.
The historical evolution of Chinese characters:
Oracle bone inscriptions
Mainly refers to the oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin Ruins, which were used by the royal family for divination in the late Shang Dynasty (14th to 11th century BC) in China. Texts carved (or written) on tortoise shells and animal bones to record events.
About 150,000 oracle bones and more than 4,500 single characters were discovered. The contents recorded in these oracle bone inscriptions are extremely rich and involve many aspects of social life in the Shang Dynasty, including not only politics, military, culture, social customs, etc., but also science and technology such as astronomy, calendar, medicine, etc. Judging from the approximately 1,500 single characters that have been identified in oracle bone inscriptions, it already possesses the character creation methods of "pictogram, meaning, phonetic sound, reference, transfer, and pretense", demonstrating the unique charm of Chinese characters. Documents based on tortoise shells and animal bones from China's Shang Dynasty and early Western Zhou Dynasty (approximately 16th century BC to 10th century BC).
Bronze inscriptions
Bronze inscriptions refer to the characters engraved on the bronzes of the Yin and Zhou dynasties, also called bell and tripod inscriptions. The Shang and Zhou dynasties were the age of bronzes. The ritual vessels of bronzes were represented by tripods, and the musical instruments were represented by bells. "Zhongding" is synonymous with bronzes. Therefore, bell and tripod inscriptions or bronze inscriptions refer to the inscriptions cast or engraved on bronze vessels.
The so-called bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. China had already entered the Bronze Age in the Xia Dynasty, and the smelting of copper and the manufacturing of bronze wares were very developed. Because copper was also called gold before the Zhou Dynasty, the inscriptions on the bronzes were called "jinwen" or "jinjinwen"; and because this type of bronzes had the largest number of characters on bells and tripods, they were also called "zhongdingwen" in the past. ".
The period when bronze inscriptions were used ranged from the early Shang Dynasty to the Qin Dynasty when it destroyed the Six Kingdoms, about 1,200 years ago. The number of characters in bronze inscriptions, according to Rong Geng's "Inscriptions on Bronze Inscriptions", totals 3,722, of which 2,420 are identifiable.
The number of words in the inscriptions on the bronze vessels varies. The content recorded is also very different. Most of its main contents are to praise the achievements of ancestors and princes, and also record major historical events. For example, the famous Mao Gongding has 497 characters, covering a wide range of events and reflecting the social life at that time.
Big Seal
Big Seal began in the late Western Zhou Dynasty and was popular in the Qin State during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The font is similar to Qin seal script, but the configuration of the glyphs often overlaps. The representative stone drum inscriptions that exist today are named after the writings written by Taishi Zhou during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou Dynasty. He carried out reforms on the basis of the original writing, which was named after it was carved on a stone drum. It is the earliest stone-engraved writing that has been handed down to this day, and is the ancestor of stone carving.
Small seal script
Small seal script is also called "Qin seal script". During the Qin Dynasty, Li Si was ordered to unify the script, and this script was Xiaozhuan. Popular in the Qin Dynasty. The shape is relatively long, evenly rounded and neat, and it is derived from the large seal script. Xu Shen of the Eastern Han Dynasty wrote "Shuowen Jiezi·Xu" [2]: "The first emperor of Qin conquered the world at the beginning... let go of those who do not agree with Qin Wen." Li Si wrote "Cangjie Pian", and Zhongche Mansion ordered Zhao Gao to write "Yanli" Chapter", Taishi ordered Hu Wujing to write the "Erudition Chapter", "all of which are based on the large seal script of the historian, or they are slightly modified, so-called small seal script." Today, the remaining stones of "Langyatai Stone Carving" and "Taishan Carving Stone" are the small seal script. Representative work. The small seal script engraved on Qin Quan is said to be the result of Li Si's policy of "writing with the same text and carriages with the same track" and unifying weights and measures after Qin Shihuang unified China. Prime Minister Li Si was responsible for this. Based on the large seal script originally used by the Qin State, Simplify, cancel the variant characters of other six countries, and create a unified writing form of Chinese characters. It remained popular in China until the end of the Western Han Dynasty, when it was gradually replaced by official script. But because of its beautiful font, it has always been favored by calligraphers. And because its strokes are complex, its form is ancient, and twists and turns can be added at will, seals were carved in seal script, especially official seals that required anti-counterfeiting, until the fall of the feudal dynasty and the emergence of new anti-counterfeiting technology in modern times. All characters in the Kangxi dictionary are also written in Xiaozhuan.
Official script
Official script basically evolved from seal script. It mainly changed the round strokes of seal script into square folds. The writing speed is faster. It is difficult to write with lacquer on wooden slips. Make round strokes.
Official script is also called "official script" and "ancient script". Based on the seal script, the font produced in order to meet the needs of convenient writing is simplified in the small seal script, and the evenly rounded lines of the small seal script are turned into straight and square strokes to facilitate writing. It is divided into Qin Li (ancient Li) and Han Li (modern Li). scribe). The emergence of official script was a major change in ancient writing and calligraphy. Official script is a common solemn font in Chinese characters. The writing effect is slightly wide and flat, with long horizontal strokes and short straight strokes. It pays attention to "silkworm head and swallow tail" and "twists and turns". It originated in the Qin Dynasty and reached its peak in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is known as "Han Li Tang Kai" in the calligraphy circle. It is also said that official script originated during the Warring States Period.
Official script is relative to seal script, and the name of official script originated from the Eastern Han Dynasty. The emergence of official script was another major reform of Chinese characters, which brought Chinese calligraphy art into a new realm. It was a turning point in the history of the evolution of Chinese characters and laid the foundation for regular script. The structure of official script is flat, neat and delicate. By the Eastern Han Dynasty, pointillism such as strokes and strokes had been transformed into upward strokes, with changes in light and heavy pauses and the beauty of calligraphy art. The styles are also becoming more diverse, which is of great value for artistic appreciation.
It is said that the official script was compiled by Qin Weicheng Miao in prison. The complex was eliminated and simplified, the character shape was changed from round to square, and the strokes were changed from curved to straight. Change "continuous strokes" to "broken strokes" and move from lines to strokes, making it easier to write. "Liren" is not a prisoner, but refers to a "subordinate official", that is, a small official in charge of documents. Therefore, in ancient times, the official script was called "zuoshu". Official script became popular in the Han Dynasty and became the main style of writing. As the first Qin Li, many seal meanings were left, which were continuously developed and processed later. It broke the writing tradition since Zhou and Qin Dynasties and gradually laid the foundation for regular script. Under the unification of the idea of ??"deposing hundreds of schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone", the official script of the Han Dynasty gradually developed and became the dominant calligraphy style. At the same time, cursive script, regular script, and running script were derived, laying the foundation for art.
Regular script
Regular script, also known as Zhengshu, or real script, began in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Its characteristics are: square shape and straight strokes, which can be used as a model, hence the name. There are many famous regular script fonts, and they have created many representative fonts, such as "Ou style" (Ouyang Xun, Tang Dynasty), "Yu style" (Yu Shinan, Tang Dynasty), "Yan style" (Yan Zhenqing, Tang Dynasty), "Liu style" (Liu style) (Tang Dynasty, Yan Zhenqing) Liu Gongquan of the Tang Dynasty), "Zhao Ti" (Zhao Mengfu of the Song and Yuan Dynasties), etc. In the early stage of regular script, there are still very few official scripts left. The structure is slightly wider, with long horizontal strokes and short straight strokes. Among the handed down posters from the Wei and Jin Dynasties, such as Zhong Yao's "Declaration Table", "Jian Ji Zhi Table", Wang Xizhi's "Le Yi Lun" and "Huang Ting Jing", etc., can be regarded as representative works. Looking at its characteristics, as Weng Fanggang said: "The wave painting of the official script is changed, and the horizontal and straight lines of the ancient official script are still retained."
After the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the north and the south were divided, and calligraphy was also divided into two schools. The Northern style calligraphy has the legacy of the Han Dynasty. The writing style is clumsy and vigorous, but the style is simple and strict. It is better than the list book. This is the so-called Wei stele. Southern calligraphy is more sparse, elegant and subtle, and is better than rulers and tablets. In the Southern and Northern Dynasties, due to regional differences, personal habits and calligraphy styles were very different. The northern books are strong and the southern books are borrowed from each other. Each one is perfect and there is no distinction between superior and inferior. However, Bao Shichen and Kang Youwei strongly praised the books of the two dynasties, especially the stele style of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Kang cited ten beautiful things to emphasize the advantages of Wei stele.
The regular script of the Tang Dynasty is like the prosperity of the country in the Tang Dynasty, which is truly unprecedented. The style of calligraphy has matured and calligraphers have emerged in large numbers. In terms of regular script, Yu Shinan, Ouyang Xun, and Chu Suiliang in the early Tang Dynasty, Yan Zhenqing in the mid-Tang Dynasty, and Liu Gongquan in the late Tang Dynasty were all valued by later generations and regarded as models for calligraphy practice. Regular script is the standard commonly used in modern times.
Cursive script
Cursive script was formed in the Han Dynasty and evolved on the basis of official script for the convenience of writing. There are Zhangcao, Jincao and Kuangcao. Cursive script is a font created for the convenience of writing. It began in the early Han Dynasty. What was commonly used at that time was "Cao Li", that is, scrawled official script. Later, it gradually developed into a kind of "Zhang Cao" with artistic value. At the end of the Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhi changed "Zhangcao" to "Jincao", and the style of the characters was formed in one stroke. In the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Xu and Huai Su developed "Kang Cao" with continuous and convoluted strokes and numerous changes in glyphs. Cursive script is commonly used by calligraphers.
There are rules and regulations to follow when making changes in strokes. Representative works include the Songjiang version of "Emergency Chapter" written by Emperor Wu of the Three Kingdoms period.
The style of writing is informal and smooth. Representative works include "The First Moon" and "De Shi" written by Wang Xizhi of the Jin Dynasty.
Cursive script appeared in the Tang Dynasty, represented by Zhang Xu and Huai Su, with wild and uninhibited strokes. It became an artistic creation that was completely divorced from practicality. From then on, cursive script was just a calligraphy work copied by calligraphers.
Representative works include Zhang Xu's "Belly Pain Tie" and Huai Su's "Autobiography Tie".
Running script
Running script was produced around the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is a font between regular script and cursive script. It can be said to be the cursive version of regular script or the regular script version of cursive script. It was created to make up for the slow writing speed of regular script and the difficulty of legibility of cursive script. The writing style is not as sloppy as cursive script, nor is it required to be as straight as regular script. Those with more regular script than cursive script are called "Xingkai". Those with more cursive than regular script are called "Xingcao". Representative figures: "Two Kings": Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi.