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The History of Chinese Writing Symbols
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 1. Jia Gu Wen - The Very Original Chinese Writing Symbols 
It was believed that Chinese words were completed in a systematic form about 3500 years ago,
when archaeological researchers discovered the inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells of the Chinese Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century B. C.). These inscriptions were normally regarded as the original source of modern Chinese words. Chinese people call these inscriptions "Jar Gu Wen" 甲骨文, which means "words on the tortoise shells and animal bones".  The picture given above shows Chinese symbol characters written on the Tortoise shell while the picture given below shows how Chinese words were inscribed on animal bones.
These words were inscribed on ox bones according to the archaeological evidence and depicted an event of how an ancient
Chinese clan leader rewarded his clan men. All the symbols were well structured and very decorative and were estimated to
have been in existence over 3,300 years. 2. The Bronze Inscriptions (Jin Wen)  Years ago, there were another type of ancient Chinese characters discovered at an archaeological site, which could be dated back to Chinese West Zhou Dynasty, about 3000 years ago. This style of Chinese ancient writings called "Jin Wen" (金文). Literally, 金文 means "the Gold Scripts". Gold in Chinese sometimes means "metal", so "the gold scripts" also mean "the scripts inscribed on metal materials".As during those days (West Zhou Dynasty), the most popular metal materials in Chinese society were bronze, so sometimes people also called "the gold scripts" as "the Bronze Inscriptions". Although it came out roughly the same time as Jia Gu Wen, there was no evidence that "The Bronze Inscriptions (Jin Wen)" were evolved from "Jia Gu Wen - the inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells". Read more 3. The Big Seal Scripts  (大篆) Big Seal Scripts is a specific style of ancient Chinese writing symbols, often used in the traditional artistic seals. It has evolved organically from the bronze inscription hundreds of years after the bronze script's existence. As a written script, "the seal scripts" actually divided into two versions: the big seal scripts and the small seal scripts.
The big seal scripts is called "Dar Juan" 大篆. The kind of written script looks neat and tidy. Its structures and writing style stressed the importance of symmetry of each symbol. So strokes of each symbol character of "the big seal scripts" were well proportioned and balanced. Read more 4. The Small Seal Scripts 
In comparison with Big Seal Scripts, this "Small Seal Scripts" was relatively "new". It has evolved from the Big Seal
scripts and some of these scripts were still shown in today's Chinese calligraphy. It is the earliest Chinese written
script still used in today's Chinese symbol writings .  About 2500 years ago, there was a big dynasty established in China. The emperor was called "Qin Shi Huang" (秦始皇), which means the "First Emperor". He was an absolute dictator in Chinese history and mobilized the whole country to build the Great Wall of China and set up terracotta soldiers, which have become the most visited Chinese tourist attractions. Under his rule, he started to unify and standardize different Chinese writing symbols into one version: "the small seal scripts". The small seal script is considered as an embryonic form of modern Chinese writing symbols. Read more 5. The Clerical Scripts  This is another ancient Chinese writing style evolved from "small seal character" called Li Shu, which means the Clerical Script. Qin Dynasty's tyrannical rule only lasted about 15 years and finally was overturned by riots. The New dynasty after Qin is called Han and it also can be called Kan.  They set up the new writing version: The clerical script (隸書) "Li Su" can be translated as "the official script of Chinese character Symbols". This styled script was a simplified version of "Small Seal Character". Its symbol structure has been simplified. So its strokes were more clearly lined up and character signs were easier to recognize. This was one of the standard scripts of Chinese handwriting used today, especially in Taiwan and Hong Kong region. Read more 6. The Standard Scripts  After another couple of hundred of years' evolution, the regular script of Chinese writing symbols finally was formed. This version was normally viewed as a standardized traditional version of Chinese character symbols and was mainly used in Hong Kong and Taiwan areas. Most symbol advertisings seen in China town are also written in this version.  It looked slightly different from symbols of the clerical script's version. In comparison with "the clerical scripts", its symbol structure is not so flat, and its symbol structure looks harder. The standard scripts were written in good order and structures were well regulated.Read more 7. The Cursive Script  The cursive script in Chinese is called "Cao Shu" (草书), which means characters executed swiftly with strokes flowing together. It is a rapid cursive style of writing; It originated from Han dynasty and created based on Lee Shu, the ancient official script's writing structure. 
"Cao Shu" style made its first appearance in Kan Dynasty about 1500 years ago and was fully established to the form it looks today in Tang Dynasty, which was about 1000 years ago. It took over 500 years to finalize its writing style. "Cao Shu" style looks bold, flowing and powerful. Many people called it as a writing style of "the great movement". 8. The Semi-Cursive Script 
The semi-cursive script (行书) does not look as regular as the regular script does as it also does not
look as bold as the cursive script should look like.  Its structure is half orderly and half improvised.A good handwriting of the semi-curve script can show you the passion and romantic flavor of the Chinese writing symbol. The picture on the right side is the best sample of semi-cursive scripts written by one of the best Chinese calligraphic artists Xizhi Wang (王羲之). Read more Article/Jenson Zhu 10/12/2007
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Story - I | Return from Chinese Writing Symbols to Home
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As a complete writing system, Chinese writing symbols have exerted a tremendous influence on the formation of Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese writing systems. 
