xingshu

Xingshu, commonly translated as running script, is a form of Chinese calligraphy that sits between kaishu (regular script) and caoshu (cursive script). It aims to combine legibility with speed, allowing quicker writing by linking characters and simplifying strokes while maintaining recognizable structure.

The style developed during the late Han and Jin periods as scribes sought a more efficient writing form. It reached a high level of refinement in the hands of masters from the Tang onward, and it remains one of the most practiced styles in East Asian calligraphy. The Lanting Xu (Preface to the Orchid Pavilion), attributed to Wang Xizhi, is often cited as a canonical example of running script and has influenced generations of calligraphers. Later scholars and artists such as Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Zhao Mengfu helped to broaden its expressive range, adapting it to different tastes and eras.

Characteristics of xingshu include connected or semi-connected strokes, abbreviated or omitted elements, and a flowing rhythm that preserves the overall character shapes while allowing smoother, faster brushwork. The brushwork tends to be more dynamic than kaishu, with greater variation in speed, pressure, and stroke direction. Yet, compared with caoshu, xingshu remains readable and structured, making it suitable for everyday writing as well as artistic practice.

In modern times, xingshu remains a core style in Chinese calligraphy education and practice. It is valued for its balance of legibility and expressive freedom, and it continues to influence calligraphers in China, Japan, Korea, and beyond.