What is different is not the same thing. The development of Chinese calligraphy includes calligraphy fonts from multiple periods, and then the calligraphy of that period is unified. The evolution of fonts is developed from a set of systematic fonts in order to better be accepted by the public.
The order of development of Chinese calligraphy: oracle bone inscriptions → bronze inscriptions (inscriptions, bells and tripods) → seal script (large seal script, small seal script) → official script → cursive script → regular script → running script → printed script (Song script) → modern script
< p>Font evolution sequence: official script - cursive script - running script - regular scriptExtended information:
Oracle bone script
1. Introduction:
Existing The oldest mature script in the Chinese dynasty period, it belongs to ancient Chinese.
2. Age:
The late Shang Dynasty in China, 14th century BC to 11th century BC
Based on the current data and research results, it is basically determined that, Chinese calligraphy began with oracle bone inscriptions.
As a type of calligraphy font, oracle bone inscriptions are difficult to identify and have completely lost their practicality, although they still have considerable artistic appreciation.
From the perspective of learning calligraphy, oracle bone inscriptions are dead ancient characters. Currently, there are only about 2,500 characters in oracle bone inscriptions that can and have been recognized. The restrictions on the creation of calligraphy are very obvious.
Because oracle bone inscriptions are a type of ancient writing, they cannot be grafted and pieced together at will.
Therefore, oracle bone inscriptions can only be the icing on the cake and cannot be used as the main body of learning.
Bronze inscriptions
1. Introduction:
Bronze inscriptions refer to the inscriptions engraved on the bronzes of the Yin and Zhou dynasties, so they are also called bells and tripods.
Among them, bronzes are divided into two types: ritual vessels and musical instruments. The representative of ritual vessels is the "ding" and the representative of the musical instruments is the "bell"
2. Era:
< p>The late Shang Dynasty in China, 1300 BC to 1046 BC.There are four types of bronze inscriptions: Shang Dynasty, Western Zhou Dynasty, Eastern Zhou Dynasty and Qin and Han Dynasties, each with different characteristics.
The production time of bronze inscriptions is roughly after that of oracle bone inscriptions.
Similar to oracle bone inscriptions, the writing style is delicate, with many straight strokes and many turning points. Different from the multi-square writing style, the inscriptions on gold inscriptions have fat and thick strokes, with many curved strokes, making them relatively thicker. Due to the carrier, the bronze writing is relatively simple, upright and strong.
The reason why bronze inscriptions are listed separately is because oracle bone inscriptions eventually disappeared with the demise of the Yin and Shang Dynasties, while bronze inscriptions, as the main text in the Ji and Zhou Dynasties, experienced their heyday and continued until the Qin and Han Dynasties. until.
It can be said that the existence of the oracle bones is connected to the upper part and the Qin seal script is connected to the lower part.
Bronze inscriptions themselves are also a type of ancient writing. Currently, more than 1,800 characters can be recognized and have been recognized. Like oracle bone inscriptions, it is one of the scripts that cannot be recreated.
Seal script
1. Introduction:
Seal script is the collective name for large seal script and small seal script.
Among them, "big seal script" mainly refers to "jinwen", "Zhenwen" and "local characters of the Six Kingdoms before the unification of Qin", while "small seal script" only refers to Qin seal script after the unification of Qin.
The characteristics of "Da Zhuan" are ancient hieroglyphics, which are complex and rough. The characteristic of "Xiaozhuan" is that it is even and neat, making it easier to write.
2. Era:
Big seal script, late Shang Dynasty in China, 1300 BC ~ 1046 BC
Small seal script, Qin Yi Six Kingdoms, BC After 221 years
Compared with the previous oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions, the society was relatively stable due to Qin's unification of the six countries.
Seal script, especially small seal script, has played a role in unifying the world's writing. Made by Li Si, Prime Minister of Qin. Representative works include "Taishan Stone Carvings", "Yishan Stele", "Langyatai Stele" and so on.
Of course, except Qin Li Si Yiwai, Li Yangbing in the Tang Dynasty and Deng Shiru in the Qing Dynasty were all masters of Xiaozhuan.
Since seal script has more extant words than oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions, there is a certain space for improvisational practice of seal script, so the scope for improvisation of seal script is much greater than the former two.
However, due to the limitations of its structure and writing method, seal script has also lost its practicality in daily life. Currently, it is only used in calligraphy and seal cutting, or on some shop signs.
Official script
3. Introduction:
It is roughly divided into ancient official script and Han official script (including eight points).
"Ancient Li": The characteristic is that the vertical position is vertical, and the horizontal direction is not flat and the vertical direction is not straight. It still has the style of seal script.
"Han Li": This is what is currently called official script, and in a broad sense, it is Han Li. The characteristic is to eliminate the horizontal trend, highlight the horizontal drawing, and make the horizontal and vertical lines straight.
4. Era:
Gu Li, 309 BC ~ 111 BC
Han Li, after 180 BC
< p>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 and was a turning point in the history of the evolution of Chinese characters.According to legend, the official script was compiled by Cheng Miao in prison at the end of the Qin Dynasty. He eliminated complexity and simplified it, changing the character shape from round to square, and the strokes from curved to straight.
"Liren" are not prisoners, but refer to "subordinate officials", that is, small officials in charge of documents.
The structure of official script is flat, neat and delicate. By the Eastern Han Dynasty, the strokes, strokes, dots and other paintings were transformed into upward strokes, with changes in light and heavy pauses and the beauty of calligraphy art. The styles are also becoming more diverse, and they are of great value for artistic appreciation.