HSIAO-CHUAN

Pinyin Xiaozhuan (Chinese: small seal), in Chinese calligraphy, a standardized and simplified form of the earlier ta-chuan scriptall lines are of even thickness and curves and circles are relatively predominant. Its development during the Ch'in dynasty (221206 BC) is traditionally attributed to Li Ssu, a minister of that dynasty. The Ch'in dynasty created the first Chinese empire, under which customs, laws, and weights and measures were standardized. The modification of characters into a standardized script made possible a broader and easier dissemination of learning. Irregularities were dropped, and each character was structurally adjusted to fit within an imaginary square. A passage written in hsiao-chuan appears as a balanced and well-spaced series of neat columns and rows of equal squares. Only the tip of a long-haired brush was used.