Structural characteristics of official script
1. The flat and square shape of the official script changes from the normal situation that the seal script takes the vertical position, and instead takes the horizontal (left and right) position, resulting in a flat and square shape. Flat square, the strokes shrink the vertical strokes and strengthen the horizontal expansion.
2. Starting the pen with a silkworm head and closing it with a swallowtail. This is a typical feature of the pen used in official script, especially the main strokes of horizontal and vertical strokes in official script. This method is almost always used. The so-called "writing silkworm head" means that in the process of using the pen to hide the (reverse) edge of the pen, the outline of the strokes formed during the starting process is written into a shape similar to that of a silkworm's head. "Closing the pen swallowtail" means pressing the pen at the end of the pen and then lifting the pen diagonally to the upper right to strike.
3. Turn circles into squares and arcs into straight lines. These are the two basic ways to simplify seal script in official script. However, if you don't understand the circle of seal script, it will be difficult to master the square of official script. Because the straight drawings or square folds in the official brush all contain the arc of the seal characters, the straightness of the official brush often has obvious fluctuations and is full of vitality. In fact, the meaning of official script is based on the movement of strokes.
4. Change the drawing into dots and change the connection into disconnection. We know that dots are not needed in seal characters. Even if dots are used, they are just round dots. However, the dots in official scripts have become independent and no longer attached to paintings, and the dot methods have become increasingly rich, including flat dots, vertical dots, left and right dots, three connected dots (next to water), four connected dots (next to fire), etc.
In addition, the official script also breaks up the many circling and continuous strokes in the seal characters, which opens the door to the convenience of writing. Later, the regular script further developed this method, allowing the pen and the pen to move freely. There are traces of connection between them, and even the connection between writing and meaning is broken.
5. Strengthen the changes in the thickness of the strokes. When writing seal script, the vertical strokes of the pen are required to leave no traces, while the official script intentionally emphasizes the stroke movement, resulting in significant thickness and inheritance changes in the stroke trajectories. The three processes of moving and collecting the pen are clearly reflected. This is very similar to the later regular script.
Clerical script is one of the eight styles of Qin script. It is a common solemn font style in Chinese characters. The writing effect is slightly wide and flat, with long horizontal strokes and short straight strokes. It is in a rectangular shape and pays attention to the "silkworm head wild goose" "Tail", "Twists and turns". Official script originated in the Qin Dynasty and was compiled by Cheng Miao according to legend. It reached its peak in the Eastern Han Dynasty and is known as "Han Li Tang Kai" in the calligraphy circle.
Extended information:
Development
1. Origin
Official script basically evolved from seal script. Chinese characters evolved from small seal script to official script. The evolution process is called "Li Bian", which mainly changed the round strokes of seal script gradually into square folds, which made the writing speed faster, because it was difficult to draw round strokes when writing on bamboo slips and wooden slips (slips) with lacquer. Legend has it that Qin Shihuang ordered Li Si to create Xiaozhuan in the process of "writing with the same text". He also adopted the new font compiled by the jailer Cheng Miao and named it "official script".
Xu Shen of the Han Dynasty recorded this period in "Shuowen Jiezi" in "Shuowen Jiezi", the history of the Han Dynasty restoring and discovering traditional writing after Yingzheng's reckless changes in writing: "The Qin Dynasty burned the scriptures, purged the old scriptures, and the great The officials were dispatched, the army and the garrison were established, and the official and prison duties were complicated. It was originally written as a clerical script, and the ancient writings were extinct." "During the time of Emperor Xiaoxuan, he summoned the readers of "Cangjie", and Zhang Chang accepted it.
Du Ye, the governor of Liangzhou, was a man of Pei people who loved the ceremony, and the lecturer Qin Jin was also able to speak. During the period of Emperor Xiaoping , Zhengli and more than a hundred people were ordered to write in the imperial court, and Yang Xiong, the minister of Huangmen, wrote the following ten chapters of "Cangjie". Four chapters, totaling 5,340 words, are recorded in a group of books, and a few of them are preserved... Commanderies and states often found Dingyi in the mountains and rivers, and their inscriptions are similar to those of the previous dynasties, although they are rarely seen in ancient times. , the details can be briefly described... The words above... the predecessors are inferior to the latter, and the descendants are aware of the ancients. Therefore, it is said: the foundation is established and the Tao is born. Knowing the greatness of the world cannot mess with it."
Some people also believe that the writing speed of Xiaozhuan, the official script of the Qin State, is slower, while the official script changed from circles to squares, which improved writing efficiency. For example, Guo Moruo commented on its importance by saying, "Qin Shihuang's greatest achievement in reforming writing was the adoption of official script."
However, Sun Changzhi was quoted in Li Daoyuan's "Shui Jing Zhu" of the Northern Wei Dynasty as saying that the Linzi people excavated the ancient tomb and obtained a bronze coffin named Hu Gong, the sixth grandson of Taigong of Qi. Only three of them were ancient characters and the rest were official scripts. Similarly, it can be proved that official script did not begin in the Qin Dynasty.
The Northern Song Dynasty's "Xuanhe Shupu" further infers that Hu Gong was the first emperor for more than 400 years. It is suspected that the official script and the seal script were coexisting, but they were not popular at that time. Maybe Cheng Miao knew this style. , So he made a report to the court to solve the problem in Yunyang. Otherwise, how could the official script appear in Hu Gong's coffin.
In recent years, the "Qingchuan Wooden Slips", "Tianshui Fangmatan Qin Bamboo Slips", "Yunmengsuihudi Qin Bamboo Slips", etc. have been unearthed, which at least proves that the Qin State in the late Warring States Period had the prototype of official script.
2. Prosperity and Change
In the early Western Han Dynasty, the style of Qin Li was still used. In the Xinmang period, major changes began to occur, and the writing method of pointillism and wave tail was produced. By the Eastern Han Dynasty, many styles had been produced and a large number of stone carvings had been left. "Zhang Qian Stele", "Yi Ying Stele" and "Cao Quan Stele" are representative works of this period.
3. Reaching a new peak
In calligraphy after the Wei and Jin Dynasties, cursive script, running script, and regular script formed and developed rapidly. Although official script was not abandoned, there were not many changes and a relatively new style emerged. long period of silence.
In the Qing Dynasty, official script once again received attention during the revival of stele studies. Famous calligraphers such as Zheng Xie and Jin Nong appeared and innovated on the basis of inheriting Han official script.
Reference material: Baidu Encyclopedia-Official Script