Calligraphy in Official and Seal Scripts
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Wu Rui 吴叡 (1298-1355)
Wu Rui was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province and is known both by his designated name Mengsi 孟思 and by his
literary name Yuntao Sanren 云涛散人 。 This scroll was begun in 1334 in the second year of the reign of the
Yuantong emperor. He was 37 years old. It was completed in 1344 when he was 47. That was the
fourth year of the reign of the Zhizheng emperor. Several views are provided so that you may compare
the official and seal scripts. The official script is also called the clerical script and was developed during the
Warring States period but reached maturity during the Han Dynasty. It was developed from the small seal script, which
in turn had its roots in oracle bone and bronze inscriptions. The examples shown here from Wu Rui are mature forms,
used for artistic expression. Both scripts are practiced by modern calligraphers as an art form.
Yuan Dynasty

http://hua.umf.maine.edu/China/SMcalligraphy/index.html
(c) Marilyn Shea, 2006, 2007