Xingshu is a font between regular script and modern script. Those that are close to regular script are called Xingkai, and those that are close to cursive script are called Xingcao. It is a common font used by people for daily writing.
------Cursive writing:
1) Broad sense: cursive writing in various fonts, which is commonly known as "cursive style" (for "normal style").
2) Narrow sense: a specific font formed on the ancient official font.
Zhangcao: refers to the cursive script that was born out of Caogu Li and still has official script rules. It was basically formed in the middle and late Western Han Dynasty.
---Jincao: Refers to the development of Zhangcao in the Jin Dynasty, which abandoned the wave picking method and adopted certain regular script writing methods. The strokes in the characters and between the characters are often connected, and the strokes are more economical. of cursive. Representative figure: Wang Xizhi in modern times.
Kangcao: Refers to Zhang Xu, Huaisu and others in the Tang Dynasty who added, deleted, and connected at will on the basis of modern grass. It is difficult to distinguish between words, loses their communicative function, and becomes a work of art for appreciation only. Cursive writing.
------ Regular script
Regular script, also known as Zhengshu or Zhenshu, was formed around the late Eastern Han Dynasty on the basis of Han Li cursive script and was influenced by cursive script. The Wei and Jin Dynasties were the period when regular script and modern official script were combined. After the Southern and Northern Dynasties, regular script replaced Jinli and became the popular standard font.
The difference between regular script and modern official script: the physical structure has not changed much. In terms of brushwork, regular script abandons the modern Li's wave-like pick method. The strokes are horizontal and vertical, and the strokes are closed with a pause stroke instead of an upward stroke. The left-hand stroke is reversed from thick to sharp, and the right stroke is taken up with the upper stroke and left with a foot. Looking at the overall character style, today's official script is more stretched and flat, while regular script is more concentrated and vertical.