This informative guide to Chinese calligraphy features hundreds of examples including many masterpieces along with insightful text.

Chinese calligraphy is an ancient art form that utilizes Chinese characters as a vehicle to communicate the emotional and aesthetic world of the artist. During thousands of years of its development, Chinese calligraphy has evolved into five kinds of scripts, namely seal script, clerical script, regular script, running script and cursive script, presenting itself as a highly sophisticated art form.

The 192 pieces of Chinese calligraphy featured in this book are the most famous representatives, carefully selected and chronologically arranged from the Zhou (c.1046-221 BC) and Qin (221-206 BC) dynasties to the modern time. Browsing through the xtensive collection, readers will find the book to be a professional and practical manual of Chinese calligraphy, offering easy access to:

• The historical development of the five kinds of scripts
• The most celebrated calligraphers and their best works
• A guided appreciated of the artistic merits of the works.