Bird-worm seal script
| Bird-worm seal script Niao Chong script | |
|---|---|
| Script type | Logographic script
|
| Created | c. 771–476 BC |
Time period | Spring and Autumn period, Zhou dynasty, Warring States period |
| Languages | Old Chinese |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | Oracle bone script
|
Child systems | Bird seal script, Worm seal script |
Sister systems | Seal script |
| Bird-worm seal script | |
|---|---|
Hanyu Pinyin | niǎochóngzhuàn |
| Bopomofo | ㄋㄧㄠˇ ㄔㄨㄥˊ ㄓㄨㄢˋ |
| Wade–Giles | niao3-ch'ung2-chuan4 |
| Tongyong Pinyin | niǎochóngzhuàn |
| IPA | [njàʊ.ʈʂʰʊ̌ŋ.ʈʂwân] |
The bird-worm seal script (Chinese: 鳥蟲篆) is a type of ancient seal script originating in China.
Names
The
Other names for this kind of seal script:
- Niao-chong script (Chinese: 鳥蟲書; pinyin: niǎo chóng shū). The Chinese character 書 (shū) means "script" here.
- Niao-chong characters (Chinese: 鳥蟲文; pinyin: niǎo chóng wén). The Chinese character 文 (wén) here means "script".
There are two subcategories (sub-styles):
- Bird seal script (Chinese: 鳥篆; pinyin: niǎo zhuàn; Chinese: 鳥書; pinyin: niǎo shū[1]
- In this style, some parts of characters have a bird-like head and tail added. The bird style sign is a combination of two parts: a complete seal script character and one (sometimes two) bird shape(s).
- Worm seal script (Chinese: 蟲篆; pinyin: chóng zhuàn; Chinese: 蟲書; pinyin: chóng shū)
- In this style, some or all the strokes are winding, thus producing a worm-like character, but there is no additional bird shape.
Introduction and history
Seal script evolved from oracle bone script,[citation needed] and diverged into different forms in the Spring and Autumn period, after the power of the Zhou dynasty waned and China began to divide into different states.
This kind of seal script first appeared in the middle era of the Spring and Autumn period. It then became popular during the late Spring and Autumn period, and was most popular during the
. Each state in China during the Warring States period had its own variety of script.These kinds of seal script declined after the Qin dynasty, most likely due to the unification of writing scripts by Qin Shi Huang (unified into the small seal script), after his unification of China, although they were used during the Han dynasty.[2]
Usage
The bird seal script is often seen on
The worm seal script is more common in, and probably originated from the Wu Kingdom (now roughly Jiangsu Province) or Chu Kingdom (now roughly Hunan Province and Hubei Province). Examples can be seen on antique bronze weapons, containers, jades, and seals (mainly the bronze seals of Han dynasty),[4] and constructional or decorative parts like tiles, etc. The characters on the famous Spear of Fuchai are a good example of this category of seal script.
See also
- Bronze inscriptions
- Seal script
- Large Seal Script
- Small Seal Script
- Seal (East Asia)
References
- Shuowen Jiezi, by Xu Shen. (It mentioned the bird-worn seal script was one of the eight writing scripts in Qin dynasty ("秦书八体"), so it was still used in Qin dynasty.)
- Cao Jinyan (曹锦炎) (1999). 鸟虫书通考 [General Study of Bird-Worm Seal Script]. 上海书画出版社. ISBN 978-7-80512-849-8.[5]
- Xu Gupu (徐谷甫) (1991). 鸟虫篆大鉴 [The Great Collection of Bird-Worm Seal Script]. Shanghai Bookstore Press. ISBN 7-80569-368-4.[6]
- ISBN 9789080030978. Retrieved 2011-10-11 – via the University of Michigan.)
- ISBN 3-211-22795-4. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ISBN 7-5366-7659-X.
- ^ "鸟虫篆印" [The seal of bird-worm script]. Hudong (in Chinese). Beijing.
- ^ Book information: General Study of Bird-Worm Seal Script, by CAO Jinyan; Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Press; June 1999 Archived March 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Great Collection of Bird-Worm Seal Script, by Xu Gupu; Shanghai Bookstore Press". Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2009-09-23.