Semi-cursive script: Difference between revisions

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'''Semi-cursive script''', also known as '''running hand script''', is a style of [[Chinese calligraphy|calligraphy]] which emerged in [[China]] during the [[Han dynasty]]. The style is used to write [[Chinese characters]] and is abbreviated slightly where a character’s strokes are permitted to be visibly connected as the writer writes, but not to the extent of the [[Cursive script (East Asia)|cursive style]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Calligraphy|first=Beyond|title=Semi-cursive script (行書, gyousho) - Beyond Calligraphy|url=https://beyond-calligraphy.com/2010/03/05/semi-cursive-script-行書-gyousho/|access-date=2021-05-17|website=beyond-calligraphy.com|language=en-US}}</ref> This makes the style easily readable by readers who can read [[regular script]] and quickly writable by calligraphers who require ideas to be written down quickly.<ref name=":0" /> Chinese calligraphy is written using the [[Four Treasures of the Study|Four Treasure of the Study]], the writing brush, ink, ink stone and paper. Though the semi-cursive style is not taught to students officially, it is a popular style used in modern handwriting.<ref name=":1" /> In order to produce legible work using the semi-cursive style, a series of writing conventions are followed, including the linking of the strokes, simplification and merging strokes, adjustments to stroke order and the distribution of text of the work.<ref name=":1" />

One of the most notable calligraphers who used this style was [[Wang Xizhi]], known for his work ''[[Lantingji Xu|Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection]]'' (''Lantingji Xu''), produced in 353 CE. This work remains highly influential in China, as well as outside of China where calligraphy using Chinese characters are still in practice, such as [[Japan]] and [[Korea]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Li|first=Wendan|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9780824860691|title=Chinese Writing and Calligraphy|date=2010-05-31|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|doi=10.1515/9780824860691|isbn=978-0-8248-6069-1}}</ref> Although the original work is long lost, the work has been copied multiple times, even the mistakes within the work due to its high regard. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Chinese Calligraphy, the ancient art of handwriting in China|url=https://www.chinasage.info/calligraphy.htm|access-date=2021-05-28|website=www.chinasage.info}}</ref> In modern times, semi-cursive script has been used for writing with [[fountain pens]], and there have been proposals to allow for customizable fonts on computers.

Due to the decrease of calligraphy practitioners in response to the introduction of alternative writing instruments such as pens and pencils (instead of the writing brush) and [[Keyboard technology|computer typing technologies]], there have been efforts aiming to preserve the methods of handwriting with the writing brush through the use of a robotic arm.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Wu|first1=Yao|last2=Jiang|first2=Jie|last3=Li|first3=Yi|date=December 2018|title=A Method of Chinese Characters Changing from Regular Script to Semi-Cursive Scrip Described by Track and Point Set|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/icime.2018.00041|journal=2018 International Joint Conference on Information, Media and Engineering (ICIME)|pages=162–167|publisher=IEEE|doi=10.1109/icime.2018.00041|isbn=978-1-5386-7616-5}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last1=Yao|first1=Fenghui|last2=Shao|first2=Guifeng|last3=Yi|first3=Jianqiang|date=January 2004|title=Trajectory generation of the writing–brush for a robot arm to inherit block–style Chinese character calligraphy techniques|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1163/156855304322972477|journal=Advanced Robotics|language=en|volume=18|issue=3|pages=331–356|doi=10.1163/156855304322972477|issn=0169-1864}}</ref> Another method proposed is the “track and point set” method, using multiple sets of coordinates to obtain a pathway of the Chinese character and the ___location of “hairsprings”, the subtle ink smear produced by the ink and brush when transitioning between strokes. <ref name=":2" />

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[[File:Calligraphy of Nobuyuki Abe.jpg|thumb|Japanese calligraphy written in the semi-cursive style.]]

== History ==

The Chinese writing system has been borrowed and used in East Asian countries, including Japan, Korea and Vietnam for thousands of years due to China’s extensive influence, technology and large territory. As a result, calligraphythe culture of calligraphy and its various styles spread across the region, including semi-cursive script.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Li|first=Yu|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1114273437|title=The Chinese writing system in Asia : an interdisciplinary perspective|date=2020|isbn=978-1-000-69906-7|___location=London|oclc=1114273437}}</ref>

=== China ===

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One of the most notable calligraphers to produce work using the semi-cursive style is Wang Xizhi, where his work, ''Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection'' was written in 353 AD.<ref name=":1" /> The work included the character [[:wikt:之|之]], a possessive particle, twenty-one times all in different forms. The difference in form was generated by Wang under the influence of having alcohol with his acquaintances. He had wanted to reproduce the work again since it was in his liking, but to no avail. Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection is still included in the some of the world’s most notable calligraphy works and remains highly influential in the calligraphy world.<ref name=":1" />

The semi-cursive style was also the basis of the techniques used to write with the [[fountain pen]] when Western influence was heavy in China, in the early 20th century.<ref name=":1" /> In the digital age, it has been proposed to encode Chinese characters using the "track and point set" method, which allows users to make their own personalized semi-cursive fonts.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Wu|first1=Yao|last2=Jiang|first2=Jie|last3=Li|first3=Yi|date=December 2018|title=A Method of Chinese Characters Changing from Regular Script to Semi-Cursive Scrip Described by Track and Point Set|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/icime.2018.00041|journal=2018 International Joint Conference on Information, Media and Engineering (ICIME)|pages=162–167|publisher=IEEE|doi=10.1109/icime.2018.00041|isbn=978-1-5386-7616-5}}</ref>

=== Japan ===

[[File:Calligraphy of Nobuyuki Abe.jpg|thumb|Japanese calligraphy written in the semi-cursive style.]]

Calligraphy culture from China was introduced to Japan in around 600 CE and have been practiced till today. Although Japan originally used Chinese characters (''kanji'') to represent words of the spoken language, there were still parts of the spoken language that could not be written using Chinese characters.<ref name=":4" /> The phonetic writing systems, [[hiragana]] and [[katakana]] were developed as a result of the semi-cursive and cursive styles.<ref name=":4" /> During the [[Heian period|Heian Period]], a large amount of calligraphy works was written in the semi-cursive style because the roundedness of the style allowed for a natural flow between Chinese characters (''kanji'') and hiragana.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bernard|first1=Kyoko|last2=Nakata|first2=Yujiro|last3=Woodhill|first3=Alan|last4=Nikovskis|first4=Armis|date=1973|title=The Art of Japanese Calligraphy.|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2383576|journal=Monumenta Nipponica|volume=28|issue=4|pages=514|doi=10.2307/2383576|jstor=2383576|issn=0027-0741}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Boudonnat|first=Louise|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/51553636|title=Traces of the brush : the art of Japanese calligraphy|date=2003|publisher=Chronicle|others=Harumi Kushizaki|isbn=2-02-059342-4|___location=San Francisco|oclc=51553636}}</ref>

=== Korea ===

Chinese calligraphy appeared in Korea at around 2nd or 3rd century CE. Korea also used Chinese characters (''[[hanja]]'') until the invention of the Korean alphabet, ''[[hangul]]'', in 1443.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Choi|first=Yearn-hong|date=2016|title=Choe Chi-won, great Tang and Silla poet|work=The Korean Times|url=http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2016/07/142_208963.html|access-date=13 August 2021}}</ref> Even then, many calligraphers did not choose to use the newly created ''hangul'' writing system and continued to write calligraphy and its various styles using Chinese characters.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Brown|first=Ju|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/162136010|title=China, Japan, Korea : culture and customs|date=2006|publisher=BookSurge|others=John Brown|isbn=1-4196-4893-4|___location=North Charleston, South Carolina|oclc=162136010}}</ref> In this environment, semi cursive script started seeing use in Korea during the [[Joseon Dynasty]].<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-07-30|title=Categories of calligraphy|url=https://swmuseum.suwon.go.kr/eng/html/02exhibit_02_04.jsp|website=swmuseum.suwon.go.kr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-07-30|title=Collection of Calligraphic Works by Successive Kings from Seonjo to Sukjong - Kings of Joseon (Seonjo~Sukjong)|url=https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/collection-of-calligraphic-works-by-successive-kings-from-seonjo-to-sukjong/5QE0w581sbMB3A|website=Google Arts & Culture}}</ref>

== Characteristics ==