China: Caoshu (grass script, first developed during the Han Dynasty 206 BCE-220 CE), Ming Dynasty, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai.

China: Caoshu (grass script, first developed during the Han Dynasty 206 BCE-220 CE), Ming Dynasty, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai.

Cursive script (simplified Chinese: ??; traditional Chinese: ??; pinyin: caoshu) is a style of Chinese calligraphy. Cursive script is faster to write than other styles, but difficult to read for those unfamiliar with it. It functions primarily as a kind of shorthand script or calligraphic style. Cursive script originated in China during the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE) through the Jin Dynasty period (266 - 420 CE), in two phases. First, an early form of cursive developed as a cursory way to write the popular and not yet mature clerical script. Faster ways to write characters developed through four mechanisms: omitting part of a graph, merging strokes together, replacing portions with abbreviated forms (such as one stroke to replace four dots), or modifying stroke styles.

Album / David Henley/Pictures from History/Universal Images Group

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