1. Seal script
"Seal script" is a kind of writing that presents the pleasure of contrasting right and wrong. Seal script in a broad sense includes ancient inscriptions and bronze inscriptions. The seal scripts here are specifically large seal script and small seal script. Generally speaking, ancient Chinese characters and Chinese characters written before the Qin Dynasty are called "big seal characters", while the characters compiled by Li Si are called "small seal characters".
2. Official script
The emergence of "official script" is to cope with the increasingly complex document processing. In order to adapt to the requirements of fast writing, Cheng Miao, a prison official of the Qin Dynasty, created this square and wide font, which changed the structure of the seal script, emphasizing horizontal and vertical lines and tight spacing. Official writing is much more convenient than seal script, which saves a lot of precious time for future generations and is also of great academic value.
3. Regular script
"Regular script" is a calligraphy style that was improved in the Han Dynasty by using the official script font as a regular script. Today it is called regular script. Because regular script is more convenient to write than official script, people in the Han Dynasty adopted it to meet the needs of real life. Regular script flourished in the Tang Dynasty, and calligraphers such as Yan Zhenqing established themselves in a unique style with their majestic and magnificent momentum, which had a great influence on later generations.
4. Running script
"Running script" is between regular script and cursive script. It is not as square as official script, and as round as seal script. In other words, it is a variation of regular script, because it is written like a person walking on the road. Therefore, it is called running script. It is generally believed that running script originated from Liu Desheng in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and changed slightly to Zhong Yao in the early Wei Dynasty. The two kings made it perfect, and running script became popular in the world. It is very convenient to write in regular form and can achieve the purpose of emergency response. There are as many famous running script works in the past dynasties as there are sands in the Ganges River, among which the "Lanting Preface" by Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty is the first.
5. Cursive script
There are many names for "cursive script", such as cursive seal script, cursive script, cursive script, etc. Its structure is simple, the strokes are connected, the writing is smooth and fast, and it is not easy to identify. However, because of the above characteristics, there is a wonderful feeling that "the book is exhausted but the meaning is not endless, and the writing is stopped but the momentum is endless". Among the five calligraphy styles, cursive script has the most abstract artistic qualities. Those who were able to calligraphy in cursive in the past, such as Wang Xianzhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Huai Su of the Tang Dynasty, and Yu Youren in modern times, were all able to create a unique style of writing in chaos.