Chinese character fonts have gone through a long development process, which can be roughly divided into the following stages:
Oracle bone inscriptions period (14th century BC to 3rd century BC): Oracle bone inscriptions are the earliest One of the forms of Chinese writing, mainly engraved on tortoise shells and animal bones. Oracle bone inscriptions have relatively rigid strokes and simple structure, showing a simple artistic style.
The Bronze Inscriptions and Seal Script Period (3rd century BC to 3rd century AD): Bronze inscriptions are inscriptions on ancient bronzes and jades. The structure of fonts and strokes became more regular, and various forms of decoration appeared. pattern. Seal script is a type of font from the Qin and Han Dynasties. It has a relatively rigorous structure and strong lines. It is an important part of the development of Chinese calligraphy.
Official script and regular script period (3rd century AD to 8th century AD): Official script was the font used for official documents during the Qin and Han Dynasties. It was relatively regular and the strokes appeared calm, while regular script was developed on the basis of official script. This way of writing makes the strokes more rounded and the structure more stable.
The period of running script and cursive script (from the 8th century AD to modern times): Running script is a font developed on the basis of regular script, with smooth lines and fast writing. Cursive script is a variation of running script, with simpler strokes and more random shapes, presenting an abstract artistic style.
In the above stages, each font has its own unique characteristics and style, reflecting the development of society, culture and art at that time. At the same time, the evolution of these fonts has also provided a steady stream of inspiration and materials for the development of Chinese calligraphy.