The origin of seal script
篆书的起源
Chinese seal script, also known as Zhuan Shu, is one of the oldest forms of Chinese writing that dates back to the Shang Dynasty around 1600-1046 BC. It is characterised by its intricate, square-shaped characters that were originally carved onto seals for use in official documents and artwork.
Seal script is considered a highly artistic form of calligraphy, with each stroke carefully planned and executed to create a harmonious and balanced composition. The characters are rich in symbolism and cultural significance, reflecting the values and beliefs of ancient Chinese civilisation. Throughout history, seal script calligraphy has been widely studied and appreciated for its elegant and timeless beauty.
篆书是中国最古老的书写形式之一，起源于公元前1600年至1046年的商朝。它以复杂的方形字形为特点，最初用于雕刻印章，服务于官方文件和艺术作品。
篆书被视为一种极具艺术性的书法风格，每一笔画都经过精心构思和执行，呈现出和谐与均衡的美感。其字形蕴含丰富的象征意义和文化内涵，反映了古代中国文明的价值观和信仰。篆书书法因其优雅、永恒的美感而在历史上备受研究与推崇。它与隶书、楷书、行书、草书并列为中国书法的五大主要风格之一。
The development of seal script
篆书的发展
Among the five major styles of Chinese calligraphy, seal script is perhaps the most mysterious and least understood. Its origins, evolution, historical development, how to appreciate it, and how to learn it are all topics worth exploring. Additionally, the state of modern seal script is also an important subject.
Seal script originated in the early stages of Chinese history. In the pre-Qin period, main forms of writing included oracle bone script, bronze script, and stone drum script. Oracle bone script, from the Shang Dynasty, was carved onto turtle shells and bones for divination. Bronze script appeared on bronze vessels, with famous examples like the "Great Ding" and "Mao Gong Ding." Stone drum script emerged during the Spring and Autumn period, recording events like the hunts of Qin kings. Other materials like bamboo slips, wooden tablets, and silk manuscripts also played key roles in the development of seal script.
在五大书体中，篆书或许是最神秘、最少为人所了解的一种。篆书的起源、演变，以及在历代的发展情况，如何去欣赏篆书，以及如何学习篆书，都是值得深入探讨的话题。同时，现代篆书的发展状况也是一个需要关注的话题。
篆书起源于中国历史的早期阶段。在先秦时期，文字主要包括甲骨文、金文、石鼓文等。甲骨文是殷商时期由巫师刻写在龟甲、兽骨上的文字，用于占卜或祭祀活动。金文则出现在商朝时期，是铸造在青铜器上的文字，代表作有《大鼎》、《毛公鼎》、《散氏盘》等。石鼓文则出现在春秋战国时期，是秦国刻石上的文字，记录了一些秦王游猎之事。除此之外，还有竹简、木牍、帛书等载体，也为篆书的发展提供了重要的历史文献。
Oracle Bone Script 甲骨文
Bronze Script 金文
Stone Drum Script 石鼓文
Unified script and seal script
统一文字与篆书
After Qin Shi Huang unified China, he initiated the policy of standardizing the script, with Li Si responsible for developing the Small Seal Script as the unified standard. Li Si's Small Seal Script is regarded as the ancestor of seal scripts, characterized by its simple and standardized form. However, despite its widespread use in official settings, it was not popular among the common people. The characters that emerged during the pre-Qin period are collectively referred to as "Large Seal Script" by later generations.
In addition to unifying the script, the Qin dynasty also standardized currency, measurements, and the width of cart tracks, reflecting the principle of "same tracks for carts, same script for writing." He entrusted the chancellor Li Si with the task of unifying the script across the country. Li Si used the script of the Qin state as the standard and wrote a series of characters, which were inscribed on famous mountains throughout the nation for public study and reference. These included the Stele of Mount Tai, Stele of Mount Yi, Stele of Kuaiji, and Stele of Langya Terrace. The script used after Qin Shi Huang's unification is known as Small Seal Script, also called Qin Seal Script. Both Large Seal Script and Small Seal Script are collectively referred to as seal scripts.
秦始皇统一中国后，启动了统一文字的政策，由李斯负责制定小篆作为统一标准。李斯的小篆被视为篆书的鼻祖，其特点是形体简洁规范。然而，尽管小篆在官方场合广泛使用，但在民间并不普及。先秦时期产生的这些文字被后世统称为“大篆”。 除了统一文字外，还统一了货币、度量衡和车辙的宽度，体现了“车同轨，书同文”的原则。他委托丞相李斯负责统一全国文字的工作，李斯以秦国文字为标准，撰写了一系列文字，刻在全国各地的名山上供人学习参考，其中包括统一标准,撰写了一批文字,有《泰山刻石》、《峄山刻石》、《会稽刻石》、《琅琊台刻石》。 秦始皇统一后的文字被后世称为小篆，也叫秦篆。 大篆和小篆被统称为篆书。