What types of Chinese calligraphy are there?
By Fei Gao on Nov 13, 2023
Chinese calligraphy, also known as Hanzi calligraphy, refers to the art of writing Chinese characters with a brush. It is an ancient art form with a long and rich history and culture. Chinese calligraphy is divided into five main scripts: seal script, clerical script, regular script, running script, and cursive script.
Seal script
Seal script is the earliest script of Chinese characters, originating in the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The characteristics of seal script are round strokes, rigorous structure, and a sense of ancient elegance. Seal script is divided into two types: large seal script and small seal script. Large seal script, also known as Zhuanwen, is the early form of seal script, with more complex characters and curved strokes. Small seal script is the late form of seal script, with simpler characters and flowing strokes.
Clerical script
Clerical script is a script derived from seal script in the Qin dynasty. The characteristics of clerical script are square characters, even thickness of strokes, and a sense of dignity and beauty. Clerical script is an important turning point in the development of Chinese characters, and it laid the foundation for regular script.
Regular script
Regular script is the most common script of Chinese characters. The characteristics of regular script are square characters, even thickness of strokes, and a sense of dignity and solemnity. Regular script is the standard of modern Chinese handwriting, and it is also the basis for learning calligraphy.
Running script
Running script is a script between regular script and cursive script. The characteristics of running script are characters between regular script and cursive script, connected strokes, and a sense of flowing naturalness. Running script is the most widely used script in calligraphy, and it is also an important stage in calligraphy learning.
Cursive script
Cursive script is the most free script of Chinese characters. The characteristics of cursive script are simplified characters, continuous strokes, and a sense of unrestrained and elegant. Cursive script is the most difficult script to master in calligraphy, and it is also the highest level of calligraphy learning.
In addition to the five basic scripts, there are many other scripts in Chinese calligraphy, such as official script, modern cursive script, wild cursive script, Weibei, Tang regular script, etc. These scripts have their own characteristics and different artistic styles.
Chinese calligraphy is a treasure of the Chinese nation. It is not only an art form, but also an important part of Chinese culture. Calligraphy can not only cultivate sentiment, but also improve aesthetic ability.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
