What is the history of Chinese characters?

Answer 1

AnswerThe Chinese writing system is pictorial. That means that the characters actually started off as pictures and then evolved to the characters of today. Although many of the pictures are unrecognizable, you can still see the roots in some characters. Take for instance the radical for water in Chinese -- it looks like three drops of water. The character for woman compared to the character for male is different in the way that it is supposed to look pregnant. The female character is also part of the character for good (hao). I've heard it explained that a pregnant female is good -- hence the inclusion of this radical in the character. There is also a famous picture of the character for horse (ma), too, that shows how it is really a horse looking over its shoulder.

Answer Added by Diane412

Proto-writing 6000BC

Earliest examples of pictorial writing in China could be dated to 6000 BC, 16 symbols found carved on turtle shells in Jiahu Early Neolithic site in China. However, though the symbols are intentional, and probably conveyed a message, but may not encode language, thus not an instance of "writing".

Oracle Bone Script 1400 - 1050 BC.

Ancient Chinese characters found incised (brushed) onto animal bones or turtle shells used in divination. Majority of samples are found in the capital of Sang dynasty Yin, located in modern Anyang, Henang province.

Broze Script 1300 BC - 218 BC

As name suggests writings engraved on bronze vessels. This family of writings could be divided into Shang (1300 - 1046 BC), Western Zhou (1046 - 771BC), Eastern Zhou (770 - 222BC) and Qin Han (221 - 219 BC).

Small Seal Script (221 - 7 BC)

Qin dynasty united China for first time in history and the government pushed for unify writing. Small script is the standardized by Li Si is the simplified, collective version of the writing forms used in the 6 kingdoms conquered by Qin.

Clerical Script (221BC - 220AD)It is thought this script is formed sometime in the warring state periods, and reached popularity in the Han dynasty. This script is similar to regular scripts used today, modern calligraphers still practices this form of writing.

Regular Script (200 AD - modern)This script is considered standard writing form today.