From the perspective of the development rules of characters and the perspective of calligraphy, they are naturally formed during the evolution of characters (excluding calligraphy styles formed by calligraphers due to their personal styles). The following fonts are available:
Oracle Bone Inscriptions
Bronze Inscriptions
Big Seal Script
Small Seal Script
Simplified Script
Official Script
Zhangcao
Running script
Jincao
Wei stele
Regular script
Kangcao
Xingcao
The above fonts are roughly arranged in the order of appearance, but in the history of calligraphy, they are divided into five types of fonts, called five-body script, namely:
Seal- — Including oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, large seal scripts, and small seal scripts
Li — including bamboo slips and silk scripts
Zhen (regular script) — including Wei stele
行
Cao——Including Zhangcao, Jincao, Xingcao and Kuangcao
After the Song Dynasty, due to the invention of movable type printing, a special font for printing was produced - Song Dynasty
Like Many of today's artistic fonts were gradually invented by modern people.
1. Oracle bone inscriptions
Mainly refers to the Yin Ruins oracle bone inscriptions, also known as "Yin Ruins characters", "Wang Ba Dan" and "Yin Qi". They were carved on tortoise shells and animal bones during the Yin and Shang Dynasties. The characters are the characters engraved (or written) on tortoise shells and animal bones by the royal family in the late Shang Dynasty (14th to 11th centuries BC) in China for divination and recording. There are about 27 pictophonetic characters in oracle bone inscriptions, which shows that oracle bone inscriptions are quite mature. Writing system. Because oracle bone inscriptions are carved with knives, and the knives can be sharp or blunt, and the bones can be thin or thick, hard or soft, so the strokes carved are of different thicknesses, some are even as thin as hair, and the connections between the strokes There are peelings everywhere, thick and heavy. Structurally, the length and size are not certain, they may be sparse and intricate; or they may be densely layered and very solemn, so they can show a simple and colorful infinite interest.
Although the oracle bone inscriptions vary in size and vary intricately, they already have a symmetrical and stable pattern. Therefore, some people believe that Chinese calligraphy, strictly speaking, began with oracle bone inscriptions, because oracle bone inscriptions have already prepared the three elements of calligraphy, namely the use of pens, word knotting, and composition.
2. Bronze inscriptions
refers to the inscriptions 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.
Different from oracle bone inscriptions, which have thin strokes, many straight strokes, and mostly square turning points, bronze inscriptions have thick strokes, many curved strokes, and many lumps. After the Qin Dynasty unified the six kingdoms, it began to standardize writing. Measures, the so-called "book with text". The Qin standard script is based on the Qin script, and the evolution of Chinese characters after the Qin Dynasty also developed on the basis of the Qin small seal script standardized by the Qin Dynasty and the ancient official script of the Qin seal script's daily writing form. After Qin's "Shu Tongwen", the Six Kingdoms script was eliminated and Qin script became the real mainstream. Therefore, the Qin script is an important link in inheriting the ancient script of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the official script of the Han and Wei dynasties, and even the regular script. Its changes can be seen as part of the evolution of Chinese characters according to their own internal structural rules. Therefore, in terms of philology, the study of Qin-style Western script is more important than the Six Kingdoms script, because it is a direct blood relative of Chinese characters, while the Six Kingdoms script is a collateral branch, although they also influence each other. , mutual absorption.
3. Big Seal
In the late Western Zhou Dynasty, Chinese characters developed into Big Seal. The development of large seal script resulted in two characteristics: first, linearization. The uneven thickness of the lines in the early days became even and soft, and the lines they drew with the actual objects were very concise and vivid; second, standardization, the glyph structure tended to be neat, and gradually left the The original shape of the picture laid the foundation for the square characters. The lines are more even than the inscriptions on the inscriptions, and the lineization has reached a complete level without obvious uneven thickness. The physical structure is neater than that of bronze inscriptions, and it begins to get rid of the constraints of pictograms, laying the foundation for square Chinese characters. There are almost no different characters on the same object. The font is complicated and the radicals often overlap, making it difficult to write. The oldest rubbings of Shiguwen known to the world are Song rubbings from the Tianyi Pavilion of the Fan family in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.
The font of Shiguwen is roughly between Zhou Jinwen and Qin Xiaozhuan.
It can be seen that it is indeed something from before Qin Shihuang, and it should belong to the system of Zhou Shu. Compared with small seal script, it can be called big seal script, which is the representative work of big seal script. Its font is similar to Xiaozhuan but more complicated, and it is similar to Zongzhou Yi vessels and more regular. It can be called a classic of seriousness and neatness. In his "Guang Yi Zhou Shuang Ji", Kang Youwei called the stone drum inscriptions: "The fine gold falls to the ground, the grass is clustered in clouds, and it is not troublesome to trim, and it has its own uniqueness. The body is slightly square and flat, and the insects are all around. The gases are similar, and the stone drum is both It is the first ancient object in China and should also be the first rule for calligraphers." It can be said to be highly appreciated. However, after the Northern Song Dynasty, the calligraphy school flourished, and few people started to study it. Until the middle of the Qing Dynasty, the trend of archaeological stele engravings revived, and the stone drum inscriptions were especially highly regarded by calligraphers. Wu Da can obtain the solemn and harmonious charm of his code. Wu Changshuo expressed his ancient and heroic spirit. The calligraphy of both men is highly regarded by contemporary people and will be valued by future generations.
4. Xiaozhuan
It is also called "Qin Zhuan". 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 the small seal script evolved from the large seal script. Although it was not early in production, its number is very large. It has a special status in the history of the development of Chinese characters and is a bridge from ancient characters to modern characters.
The style of Xiaozhuan
The style of Xiaozhuan in the Qin Dynasty can be seen from the existing relics such as "Taishan Carved Stone", "Langyatai Carved Stone" and power inscriptions. The strokes of small seal script are thin, so it is also called "jade seal script"; it is rectangular in shape, and its structure is often symmetrical, giving people a sense of erectness and beauty
It inspired the scholars of the Warring States Period to rush Among the four thoughts and calligraphy that embody the style of Confucian scholars in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the simple script is undoubtedly the representative of its antiquity and simplicity.
5. Jianshu
What is Jianshu? Simply put, Jianshu is the text written on "Jian". There was a kind of calligraphy from the Warring States Period to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, which was written on bamboo or wooden writing materials that were narrow and long in shape. The bamboo slips are called bamboo slips; the wooden slips are called slips, or zha, and both are collectively called "jian". Bamboo slips are generally written in Han Li or a variant of Han Li; and because Jian Shu was popular in the Qin, Han, Wei and Jin dynasties, Jian Shu is also called Han Jian. There is a sentence in Li Shangyin's "Choubiyi": "Apes and birds are hesitant and afraid of simple writings, and the wind and clouds grow to protect Chuxu". It can be seen that the simple script is unique and sacred. It is an ancient writing form that is not easy to use and is very particular.
The ancients said that the bamboo slips were a document used to warn people before leaving for conscription; they also said that the bamboo slips were a document used to ask for help when the country was in emergency. In fact, the two explanations given by the predecessors are not very accurate. They are talking about the use of simple books and the difference in writing content, which has nothing to do with the writing form. In fact, the so-called simple script is one of the art forms of calligraphy, but it is relatively ancient.
Mr. Zhang Youqing, a famous contemporary calligrapher, is well-known in today's calligraphy circles for being good at simplified scripts. His simplified books, like his character and character, have the depth and solidity of excellent traditional culture, as well as the openness and refreshingness of modern culture; they have the solemnity and majesty of Qin Zhong and Han Ding, and the elegance and elegance of Chu Ci in the Book of Songs. Smart. Appreciating his simple calligraphy, one can really read the meaningful charm of "Shrinking a hundred feet of green-scaled hyenas, rocks breaking through waves and flying onto the paper" (Guo Fenghui's "Inscribed on Qin Zhongwen's Painting Pine").
6. Official script
Basically evolved from seal script. It mainly changed the round strokes of seal script into square folds. The writing speed is faster and it is difficult to write with lacquer on wooden slips. Draw circular strokes. Regarding the definition of official script, Mr. Wu Botao, a recent scholar, said in an article "Looking at the Early Qin and Han Dynasty Official Script from the Unearthed Qin Bamboo Bamboo Scripts": "The original meaning of this character can be used to explain it. "Shuowen Jiezi" explains the word 'official' The meaning is "attached", and "Book of the Later Han Dynasty·Feng Yichuan" refers to it as "subordinate". This meaning is still used today, and the word "subordinate" is found in "Book of Jin·Wei Heng Zhuan" and "Shuo". "Wen Jie Preface" and paragraph annotations also believe that official script is "not covered by Sasuke Seal", so official script is an auxiliary font of Xiaozhuan."
Secondly, what is official script and what is official script? What are the strict distinctions between seal characters? Mr. Wu Botao analyzed and formulated them in the above-mentioned article. Here are a few excerpts from Wu's article that are worthy of consideration.
Wu Yun:
"The small seal script also preserves the legacy of the pictographic characters, and draws the finished objects to follow the body. The official script goes a step further, using stroke symbols to destroy the knots of the pictographic characters, and becomes an inseparable form. Pictograms of pictograms” (he has examples of glyphs, please refer to the original text). The evolution of official script - official script
The evolution process of official script is called "official script". Official script inherits the past and connects the future, and plays an important role in the formation of cursive script and regular script.
Noun of official script
Ancient official script
Modern official script
Qin official script
Han official script
7. Zhangcao
It is an early form of cursive script, which began in the Han Dynasty and evolved from cursive official script. Zhangcao is the predecessor of "Jincao". The main difference from "Jincao" is that it retains the traces of official script writing. The upper and lower characters are independent and not written continuously
Xingshu is a font between regular script and cursive script. , can be said to be the cursiveization of regular script or the regularization 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 does it require the regular script to be as straight and upright as regular script. Writing that is more indulgent and flowing, closer to cursive script, is called Xingcao; writing that is more upright and steady, closer to regular script, is called Xingkai script.
In the process of writing, the movement of the pen is more obvious in the various forms of stipples. This movement of the pen often leaves a trace between the dots and the words. The traces are as thin as gossamer and are connected to each other. This is the thread.
8. Running script
It is the fast writing of regular script and the flow of regular script. After analyzing several groups of characters in regular script and running script, it was found that when writing in regular script and running script, the stipple writing method and the guidelines to be followed when using the pen, such as center front, spread hair, reverse in and out, lift and press the main, hide the front, etc. are all They are the same, except that the running script is more relaxed and flowing when written.
The brush used in running script has the following characteristics:
[1] Stippling is mostly written with the front edge entering the paper;
[2] The writing method is with the side edge. Instead of flat;
[3] Use simple strokes instead of complicated stipples;
[4] Use hooks, picks, and strings to strengthen the echo of stipples;
[5] Use round turns instead of square folds;
9. Jincao
Also known as "little grass". A type of cursive writing. It began in the late Han Dynasty. It is an innovation of Zhangcao. The strokes are continuous and convoluted, and there are connections between the words. The writing is simple and convenient. It was developed and perfected by Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The ancient Zhang Cao is not grand and elegant, it is different from the real body, and it combines the principles of poor and false summary. It is extremely grass-like and not as good as the past. "The more indulgent "Kangcao" is the development of "Jincao".
10. Wei Stele
The collective name for the Northern Dynasties stele inscriptions, which are characterized by strong writing power and strong fonts, and are the pioneers of calligraphy in later generations. A kind of model Wei stele calligraphy art, mainly divided into two categories: one is Buddhist statue inscriptions; the other is folk epitaph calligraphy with Han official brushwork, which is strict in structure, calm in strokes, varied and beautiful.
The Wei stele is a calligraphy work of the Northern Dynasties during the Northern Dynasty. The existing Wei stele inscriptions are all in regular script, so these regular script stele inscriptions are sometimes called "Wei Kai". They were originally called Northern stele. Among the successive dynasties, the Northern Wei Dynasty had the longest history. Later, "Wei Stele" was used to refer to the inscriptions and calligraphy works of the entire Northern Dynasty, including the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi and Northern Zhou Dynasties. It exists in the form of "epitaphs", "cliffs" and "images".
11. Regular script
It is also called Zhengshu, or real script. Its characteristics are: square shape , the strokes are straight and can be used as a model, hence the name. There are many famous regular script writers, such as "Ou style" (Ouyang Xun), "Yu style" (Yu Shinan), "Yan style" (Yan Zhenqing), and "Liu style". (Liu Gongquan), "Zhao Ti" (Zhao Mengfu), etc.
12. Kuangcao
It is a continuous writing of dots on the basis of modern grass to form a "one-stroke calligraphy". The composition is in the same vein as Jincao.
Kangcao, expressionism in calligraphy
The achievements of Kuangcao are another manifestation of the peak of calligraphy in the Tang Dynasty.
The representative figures are Zhang Xu and Huai Su. In ancient Chinese calligraphy theory, whether it is discussion of seal script, official script, Xing script, regular script, or cursive script, most of them use natural landscapes or certain phenomena to compare, describe and describe them. Only through a kind of life feeling and life experience can we appreciate and understand. Calligraphy is indeed a very mysterious art, especially calligraphy. The writer is often full of passion and is in an excited state when writing. The reader can faintly feel a certain emotion from the ink marks.
13. Cursive
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". Running script was produced around the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.