The History of Seal Script: From Oracle Bones to Imperial Seals

The history of Seal Script (Zhuanshu) is a fascinating narrative spanning thousands of years, beginning with its earliest use on oracle bones and bronze vessels during the Shang Dynasty. Over time, Zhuanshu evolved through different periods, eventually becoming the official script of the Qin Dynasty before evolving into other forms of calligraphy. Its history is critical for an understanding of Chinese writing.

The earliest forms of Zhuanshu are found on oracle bones and bronze inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty. These early forms, known as Jiaguwen (oracle bone script) and Jinwen (bronze script), are characterized by their pictographic qualities, and they are the ancient roots from which all Chinese writing grew. These characters were often used for divinatory purposes.

As writing evolved, so did Zhuanshu. During the Zhou Dynasty, these earlier scripts gave rise to Great Seal Script (Dazhuan), which featured more complex and elaborate character structures. Dazhuan forms often used rounded strokes and uniform line thickness to create their elegant visual style.

The Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) marked a significant turning point with the standardization of the writing system by the First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. At this time, the more simplified and formalized Small Seal Script (Xiaozhuan) was adopted as the official script. This standardized form made writing more uniform throughout China.

The transition from Great Seal Script to Small Seal Script reflects the historical need for efficiency and unity. While Xiaozhuan may have been simpler, it still retained many of the key characteristics of Zhuanshu, including its elegance and balance. This history shows a clear line of evolution of Chinese characters.