Comments on the cursive script at that time revealed the fact that people were forced to appear cursive script on the basis of pursuing the simplification of Chinese characters. The cursive script of seal script became Cao seal script (that is, ancient script), which turned round and straight, and later developed into an eight-part essay with ups and downs. Bamboo slips in the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, such as Bamboo Slips of Three Years in Tianhan and Bamboo Slips of Two Years in Shiyuan, which spread from Guli to Han Li, are all mixed with seal script, official script and grass. Mature cursive script appeared in the three-year bamboo slips of Xuandi Shenque in the Western Han Dynasty and the first year bamboo slips of Yangshuo in the Western Han Dynasty. Some people think that this is a pure cursive script (see Hou Jingchang's Calligraphy in the Western Han Dynasty). At this time, it was the period when Han Li evolved into stereotyped writing, and stereotyped writing gradually matured. It can be seen that cursive script is also in the process of formation and development. At this time, the cursive script has a tendency of simplicity and quickness, which is a new book style formed by "dissolving the official method to get rid of the urgency" and has the characteristics of twists and turns. Cao Zhang characters have been found in bamboo slips of the Eastern Han Dynasty, such as those of Guangwudi in the 11th year of the founding of the People's Republic of China and those of Yongping in Ming Di in the 11th year. This shows that the new Zhang Caoshu was created by the lower calligraphers in the Han Dynasty in the long-term practice. It is the product of the times, not of saints and a few calligraphers. As Wei Heng said, "There was a cursive script in the Han Dynasty, and I don't know the author's name." According to historical records, the calligraphers who were good at writing Cao Zhang in Han Dynasty were Du Du, Cui Yuan and Cui Ai. Historically, Cao Zhang originated from historical lobbying, Du Du theory, Johnny theory and so on. Although it was inconsistent with the reality, calligraphers, Du Fu and Cui at that time were indeed famous for cursive writing, and their contribution to the development of cursive writing was undeniable.
At the beginning of the application of cursive script, although it was named "Cao Zhang", it was named "Cao Zhang". For example, Zhang Huaiguan's "Book End" said: "Building a junior high school, being good at grass, making a name for the land, and making the cursive script work ... because of the chapter, later generations called it Cao Zhang." There may be some basis. But the truth is far more than that.
Cao Zhang was written by Du Du, Cui Yuan, Cui Ai, Zhang Zhi, Luo Hui, Zhao Xi, Kai Wei, Huang Xiang and Suo Jing. Du Du, Cui Yuan, Cui Ai and others. No original works. Zhang zhi's autumn cool post, Wu's urgent chapter, Jin
Wang Xizhi's "Leopard Slave Post", Suo Jing's "Le Yi Post" and "Ode to a Teacher" were all copied from the Tang Dynasty, which was not sufficient. According to their contemporaries, Zhang Caoshu at that time had more round strokes than Fang Bi, and there was no connection between words, which became an independent state of "distinguishing between words". The writing of Zhang cursive script should be "convenient and convenient", and it should not be indulged and whirled like this grass. Because Cao Zhang is full of waves, it is very important to "move your fingers" when writing (Suo Jing's cursive script), which is also very different from today's cursive script in writing.
The transition from Cao Zhang to today's cursive script has always been said that it was laid by Zhang Zhi in the Eastern Han Dynasty. "Book End" said Zhang Zhi: "Learn from Cui and Du, and change it into a cursive script." His cursive script is characterized by "the style of characters, which is formed in one stroke, occasionally interrupted and connected by blood." Even with it, the climate is staggered. "It changed the independent state of Cao Zhang and became a continuous and well-connected modern grass form." If you hang like an ape, you will be chained, deified and perverted. "This kind of grass has actually started to grow wild. Writing this kind of grass needs a round and coherent pen, so Suo Jing said that the key to Zhang Zhi's writing this kind of grass lies in "returning the wrist", and pointed out the differences and different characteristics between Cao Zhang and this kind of grass in brushwork.
The development of cursive script to Zhang Zhi is also a period from practicality to artistry. Zhang Zhi has made great efforts in cursive writing. "Every family's clothes and silks must be written before practice. Linchi Xueshu, the pool is full of ink. " (Book end) This is a vivid portrayal of an artist immersed in the art of calligraphy, so it has become a beautiful talk in the history of calligraphy. According to Zhao Yi, the original intention of cursive script is to "understand things", but by the time of Zhang Zhi, his experience of writing cursive script was "in a hurry". As an artistic creation, Zhang Zhi's experience conforms to the law of artistic creation. But it was criticized at that time. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhao Yi's non-cursive script thought that "a hundred herbs are easy to be quick", but when Du Du, Cui Yuan and Zhang Zhi arrived, cursive script was "difficult but late". Moreover, there is a phenomenon that "Zhang Caoshu loves Confucius too much" in the society. "All of them are abolished, and Du Fu and Cui are taken as models, and private books are related. Ordinary people write books alone, clouds are too hasty, not as good as grass. " Zhao Yi is not a cursive script, which reflects that cursive script has changed from simple practicality to.
Social reality of artistic transformation. He criticized that people at that time were devoted to cursive script, obsessed with cursive script, and forgot its fatigue, fidgeting and unable to eat. Ten days, a few pills and ink a day. Leadership is like soap. Lips and teeth are often black. Although in the crowd, they don't talk about the scenes, show their fingers and paint the ground, cover the wall with grass, scrape their arms and wear skin, and destroy their fingers and claws. Do you see it? The phenomenon of "bleeding" just reflects that people generally like cursive script and regard it as an artistic creation, which is the social foundation for cursive script to enter a higher artistic realm. It is on this social basis that calligraphers like Zhang Zhi have made great contributions to the transition of cursive script from practicality to artistry. He is called "the sage of cursive script", which fully affirms his contribution to the development of cursive script.
Cao Zhang was formed in Han Dynasty and gradually declined after Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. However, Cao Zhang has been developing since the Han and Jin Dynasties, reaching its peak in the Tang Dynasty, and great calligraphers with high artistic achievements like Zhang Xu and Huai Su have appeared, which have influenced it to this day.