From ancient times to the present, China has mainly used oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, small seal script, official script, regular script, running script and cursive script. There are other fonts from various countries during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. These fonts are only popular in some areas, so they are not included.
Detailed introduction: 1. Oracle bone script
Oracle bone script is an ancient Chinese writing and an early form of Chinese characters. It is sometimes considered to be one of the calligraphy styles of Chinese characters and is also The oldest surviving mature script from the Chinese dynasty period was first unearthed in Yinxu, Anyang City, Henan Province. It belongs to ancient Chinese (old chinese), rather than an ancient or primitive language of other language families.
2. Bronze inscriptions
Bronze inscriptions refer to the inscriptions cast on Yin and Zhou bronzes, 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.
3. Xiaozhuan
After Qin Shihuang unified China (221 BC), Xiaozhuan implemented the policy of "writing with the same text and carriages with the same track" and unifying weights and measures. Prime Minister Li Si was responsible for it. Based on the large seal script originally used by the Qin Dynasty, it was simplified, canceled the other Six Kingdoms scripts, and created a unified Chinese character writing form. It was popular in China until the end of the Western Han Dynasty (about 8 AD), and 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.
4. Official script
Official script, including Qin Li, Han Li, etc., is generally believed to have developed from seal script. The characters are mostly wide and flat, with long horizontal strokes and short vertical strokes. "Silkworm head and wild goose tail", "twists and turns". According to unearthed slips, official script originated in the Warring States Period. Legend has it that Cheng Miao served as a li, and the Han li reached its peak in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It had a considerable influence on later calligraphy. In the calligraphy circle, it is known as "Han Li Tang Kai".
5. Regular script
Regular script is also called Zhengkai, Zhenshu, and Zhengshu. It gradually evolved from the official script and became more simplified, horizontal and vertical. "Cihai" explains that it has "a square shape and straight strokes, which can be used as a model." This kind of Chinese character font is correct and is the current handwritten traditional Chinese character.
6. Running script
Running script is a general term, which is divided into two types: running script and running script. It was developed on the basis of regular script and is a font between regular script and cursive script. It was created to make up for the slow writing speed of regular script and the difficulty of identifying cursive script. In essence, it is the cursiveization of regular script or the regularization of cursive script. Those with more regular script than cursive script are called "Xing Kai", and those with more cursive script than regular script are called "Xing Cao". Running script has both high practicality and artistry, while regular script is a text symbol, which is highly practical but relatively lacking in artistry. In comparison, cursive script is highly artistic but relatively lacking in practicality.
7. Cursive script
Cursive script is a font of Chinese characters, characterized by simple structure and continuous strokes. It was formed in the Han Dynasty and evolved on the basis of official script for the convenience of writing. Cursive script is divided into Zhangcao and Jincao, and Jincao is divided into big grass (also called crazy grass) and small grass. It feels beautiful in the madness.
In short, our ancient culture is extensive and profound, and Chinese characters, as an important carrier of Chinese culture, have played an irreplaceable role in the inheritance and development of Chinese culture.