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| Scripts Development / Text Script (楷書 "Kai Shu") (from 200 A.D.) | |||||
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(click image for closer view) or (click here to view a slideshow on the entire scripts development - requires monitor size 1024 x 768 pixels) |
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| Zhong Yao Wei -3 Kingdoms (鍾 繇) |
Cuan Bao Zhi Pei Eastern Jin (爨 寶 子 碑) |
Wang Xi Zhi Eastern Jin (王 羲 之) |
Stone Monument Northern Wei (始 平 公 造 象) |
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| Ou Yang Xun Tang (歐 陽 詢) |
Chu Sui Liang Tang (褚 遂 良) |
Zhang Ji Zhi Song (張 即 之) |
Wen Zheng Ming Ming (文 徵 明) |
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| Text Script writing began around Late Han Dynasty (around 200 A.D.) and flourished by the two Wangs, masters of calligraphy, (Wang Xizhi 王 羲 之 and his son Wang Xianzhi 王 獻 之) of Eastern Jin in the 3rd Century.
The original Text Script was developed from the Clerical Script ("Li Shu"). The major difference between the Text and Clerical Scripts was that Text Script has a slender and elegant form while Clerical Script is relative flatten in style. Text Script in its early stage was mostly formed in strong and square strokes, inheriting the characteristic of "Li Shu". It was only until Tang Dynasty (600 A.D.), another master Yan Zhen Qing (顏 真 卿) combined the spirit of "Zhuan" Script with that of the "Kai" Script, and formed a new round style Text Script. Another special development on the Text Script was that from around 300 A.D., stone inscriptions in Text Script enjoyed such popularity in Northern China that it became also trendy for the Southern scholars to practice calligraphic art. It was said that Emperor Wen of Wei Dynasty sneered on the gimmick essays of most monument carvings so much so that he actually prohibited his people to erect stone monuments. This resulted in silk and paper replacing stone for recording most of the text scripts from the Southern China during this period. However, we do have a few stone monuments and brush writings from notable scholars of the time. Please refer to our "Masters" page on their names and masterpieces. Text Script has always been regarded as the "Zhen Shu" (the real or proper script) and is still used as the official script form in publications nowadays. |
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