Clerical script is a quick version of seal script. The change from seal script to official script was called "official change" by my predecessors. Official script is a font called seal script that is simplified to the edge and has a clear start and end of the stroke. Because official script originated from the hasty writing method of seal script, the two calligraphy styles had a long period of existence from the late Warring States Period to the middle and late Western Han Dynasty.

Judging from the Qin script data discovered through archaeology, the late Warring States period was the period of formation of official script. In the bronze inscriptions of Qin Xiaogong's time, we can see the coexistence of orthodox and secular styles. After Qin Xiaogong, as writing became more frequent, secular styles became more and more popular. In bronze inscriptions, lacquer inscriptions, Even secular characters can be seen in seals and pottery inscriptions. These fonts have changed the rounded strokes of the regular seal script and have the meaning of official script. Judging from the existing written materials on Qin bamboo slips, it can be seen that the official script was basically formed in the late Warring States period.

Extended information

The change from seal script to official script is the most important change in the evolution of Chinese character form. The official script has the following five main characteristics:

1. Disbanding the seal script and changing the curve to straight: The official script no longer takes into account the principle of pictography, and the lines of the ancient character "Suiti Jiejie" are broken down or changed into straight strokes for writing.

2. Differentiation of radicals: In official script, the writing methods of independent characters and radicals are obviously different.

3. Confusion of radicals: For the sake of simplicity, official script changed some rare radicals or radicals with more strokes into radicals with similar shapes, fewer strokes and more common radicals.

4. Simplified structure: Official script often combines the two strokes of seal script into one stroke, or combines two or more radicals or the parts contained in the radicals to create a simpler stroke structure.

5. The continuously rotating lines turn into square and broken strokes: In order to increase the writing speed, official script forms dot, horizontal, vertical, nip, hook, fold and other strokes.