The 5 main scripts for Chinese calligraphy are:
- Zhuan Shu, Seal Script: grouped into large seal script – pre-Qin archaic scripts, found on bronzes and oracle bones – and small seal script, devised by Li Si for the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
- Li Shu, Clerical Script, or Han Official. Northern Wei is a variant of li shu.
- Kai Shu, standard or regular script.
- Xing shu, “running” or semi-cursive script
- Cao shu, cursive script (sometimes called “grass” script)
About calligraphy:
- Wikipedia Chinese Calligraphy including materials
- Encyclopedia Britannica
- China Online
The most famous piece of Chinese calligraphy is the Orchid Pavilion Preface. This is poems written by Wang Xizhi at a drinking party at the Orchid Pavilion in 353. Those present composed poems, and asked Wang to write an introduction (translation). There are now several copies and rubbings of this xing shu work, but the original has disappeared. It is still referred to, copied and studied.
Famous calligraphers:
- Cangjie, legendary inventor of calligraphy
- Wang Xizhi (Eastern Jin)
- Wang Xianzhi (Eastern Jin)
- Ouyang Xun (Tang)
- Yan Zhenqing (Tang)
- Liu Gongquan (Tang)
- Huaisu (Tang)
- Emperor Huizong (Song) – inventor of the elegant slender gold style: how-to video, and another.
- Su Shi (Song)
- Mi Fu (Song)
- Huang Tingjian (Song)
- Zhao Mengfu (Yuan)
- Dong Qichang (Ming)
- Deng Shiru (Qing)
Some videos:
- Asian Art Museum Appreciating Calligraphy
- Introduction to Chinese Characters – a simple starting point to the structure of characters.
- Basic Stroke order
- How to write Standard Script (Kai Shu) – correct brush hold and brush action
- Standard script in gold ink How-to video
- An introduction to calligraphy, by the Fang Family: endearing video of still photos and pleasant music, plus a demonstration of Standard Script
- Demonstration of Running Script – but the brush hold does not look traditional to me
- Interesting demonstration and information about Kai Shu “Bei Wei” style
“How-to” videos – note that there are some videos out there that do not show correct brush hold or method.