There are oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions, stone drum inscriptions, seal script, official script, regular script, etc.
1. Oracle bone inscriptions
Oracle bone inscriptions are an ancient Chinese writing, also known as "deeds", "oracle bone inscriptions", Yinxu writing or "tortoise shell and animal bone inscriptions".
It is an early form of Chinese characters and the oldest mature script existing in the Chinese dynasty. It 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.
Oracle bone inscriptions were discovered in Yinxu, Anyang City, Henan Province, China. They are a cultural product of the Shang Dynasty (about 17th century BC - 11th century BC) and have a history of more than 3,600 years.
Oracle bone inscriptions have a symmetrical and stable pattern. Prepare the three elements of calligraphy, namely the use of pen, the formation of characters, and the composition of the calligraphy. Judging from the number and structure of fonts, Oracle has developed into a more rigorous system of writing.
The "six books" principle of Chinese characters is reflected in oracle bone inscriptions. However, the traces of the original picture text are still quite obvious. ?
Oracle bone inscriptions are a cultural product of the Shang Dynasty (about 17th century BC - 11th century BC), with a history of more than 3,600 years.
2. Bronze inscriptions
Bronze inscriptions are a type of writing engraved on bronze bells or tripods. Bronze inscriptions originated in the Shang Dynasty and became popular in the Zhou Dynasty. They were developed on the basis of oracle bone inscriptions.
Because it is cast and engraved on the bell and tripod, it is sometimes called the bell and tripod script. According to statistics, there are about 3,005 characters in bronze inscriptions, of which 1,804 are known, which is slightly more than oracle bone inscriptions.
The bronze inscriptions are based on oracle bone inscriptions at the top and small seal scripts of the Qin Dynasty at the bottom. It is said that most calligraphy is engraved on bells and tripods, so it can preserve the original writing better than oracle bone inscriptions and has a simple style. Bronze inscriptions have contributed to the further development of calligraphy in terms of brushwork, word knotting, and composition.
3. Stone Drum Inscriptions
Shigu Inscriptions are pre-Qin stone inscriptions. They are named after the stone inscriptions that look like drums. Discovered in the early Tang Dynasty, there are ten inscriptions, about three feet high and two feet in diameter. Each one is engraved with a four-character poem in large seal script and ten poems, totaling 718 characters.
The content was first considered to be a description of the hunting scene of the King of Qin, so it is also called "Hunting Jie". After Zheng Qiao's "Shigu Preface" in the Song Dynasty, "Shigu Qinwu Lun" became popular.
The stone drum broken by Zhenjun in the late Qing Dynasty was from the time of Duke Wen of Qin, the broken stone drum from Ma Heng in the Republic of China was from the time of Qin Mu Gong, and the broken stone drum from Guo Moruo was from the time of Qin Xianggong. Today's Liu Xing and Liu Mu have verified that the stone drum is from Qin Shihuang. Period piece.
There are many fragments of inscriptions on the stone drums. When Ouyang compiled the records in the Northern Song Dynasty, there were 465 characters. In the Ming Dynasty, Fan's Tianyi Pavilion had only 462 characters. Today's "Ma Jian" drum has been Not a word remains. The original stone is now stored in the Stone Drum Hall of the Palace Museum.
4. Dazhuan
Dazhuan is a commonly used font in the late Western Zhou Dynasty. According to legend, it was created by Boyi of Xia Dynasty. In a broad sense, the large seal script refers to the writing before the small seal script, including bronze inscriptions (or "Zhongdingwen") and zhenwen (the traditional version of the bronze inscriptions). Contemporary Chinese scholars estimate that there should be oracle bone inscriptions in the Qin Dynasty, so they are now included.
Dazhuan refers to Zhouwen in a narrow sense, and the remaining stone inscriptions on stone drums are named after the writings written by Taishi Zhou during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou Dynasty. He is the ancestor of stone carving.
5. 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 the unearthed slips, the official script was founded in the Qin Dynasty. It is said that Cheng Miao was the official. The Han official script reached its peak in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It inherited the tradition of seal script and opened up the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. It played an important role in the calligraphy of later generations. Although his influence is underestimated, he is known as "Han Li Tang Kai" in the calligraphy circle.
6. 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 modern traditional handwritten Chinese character.
Kaishu is also an official name.
"New Book of Tang·Hundred Officials 2" records that there were 20 regular script writers in Zhongshu Provincial History Museum and 18 regular script writers on national history. Kaishu, as an official name, is also called Kaishu Shou. The person in charge of writing is juxtaposed in the same organization, and the specific division of labor is different.
"Tongdian·Twenty-two Officials" records that the regular script writer is an official with outstanding honors. In the Song Dynasty, there were no regular calligraphers, but regular script writers.
Baidu Encyclopedia - Ancient Text