A brief recap of

running & cursive

scripts
Running, or semi-cursive, script (xingshu, 行
書)
• appeared several decades after collapse of Han dynasty
(AD 220)
• developed by the fourth century
• some strokes are eliminated or condensed
• links between separate strokes
• simplified, convenient but also legible, common in
everyday use
Cursive script (caoshu, 草書 )
• developed during the reigns of the Han dynasty emperors
• preceded the emergence of running script
• individual strokes are drastically simplified
• a single continuous movement of writer's brush
• difficult to read and write, less practical, more artistic use
Major writing
rules
1.  Merging strokes
2. Straight lines are
represented by
that are separated curved lines, sharp
in standard form. corners by loops
Runnin Cursive Running
g 为

Cursive
重
3. Reduction of 4. Dots merged in
total number of one single line
strokes Running Cursive

Cursive
Running
5. Stroke order is
altered