1. Seal Script (篆书)

It includes Great Seal Script and Small Seal Script. Great Seal Script consists of Oracle Bone Script, Bronze Inscriptions and Stone Drum Script, used in the Shang and Zhou dynasties. It carries strong pictographic features with curved strokes and inconsistent structures.

Small Seal Script (Qin Seal Script) was the official standard script unified by Emperor Qin Shi Huang. It features even, symmetrical strokes and slender shapes, with weaker pictographic characteristics. Oracle Bone Script, Bronze Inscriptions and Small Seal Script are collectively called ancient Chinese writing.

2. Clerical Script (隶书)

It originated in the Qin Dynasty and flourished in the Han Dynasty, evolved from Seal Script. Its typical feature is the "silkworm head and swallow tail". Strokes become angular instead of following the outlines of objects.

The transition from Seal Script to Clerical Script is known as the Clerical Transformation. It marks the dividing line between ancient and modern Chinese writing. After this shift, Chinese characters broke away from pictographic forms.

3. Regular Script (楷书 / True Script)

It appeared in the late Han Dynasty and matured in the Tang Dynasty. Characters are square with neat strokes and strict rules, easy to read. Regular Script is the standard script used in textbooks and printing today.

Ouyang Xun, Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan are master calligraphers of Tang Regular Script.

4. Running Script (行书)

Created in the Eastern Han Dynasty, it sits between Regular Script and Cursive Script. It is faster to write than Regular Script and easier to recognize than Cursive Script. It balances practicality and artistic beauty, widely used for daily handwriting.

Preface to the Lanting Collection by Wang Xizhi is known as the best Running Script in the world.

5. Cursive Script (草书)

Developed for speedy writing with simplified and connected strokes. Three subtypes:

• Chapter Cursive: from Han Dynasty, retains features of Clerical Script
• Modern Cursive: from Wei-Jin period, with linked strokes
• Wild Cursive: Tang Dynasty, bold and expressive, highly artistic but hard to read