1Hànzì de yǎnbiàn, shì wénmíng jìyì de xiànsuǒ.
The evolution of Chinese characters is a clue to civilizational memory.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
2Jiǎgǔwén kè zài guījiǎ shòugǔ zhī shàng.
Oracle bone script was carved on turtle shells and animal bones.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
3Qí xíng suī gǔ, què néng jiàn zàozì zhī chū.
Though its form is ancient, it reveals the beginning of character creation.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
4Suǒwèi “jìn qǔ zhū shēn, yuǎn qǔ zhū wù,” shuōmíng guānchá de zhòngyào.
The phrase “taking from the body nearby and things afar” shows the importance of observation.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
5Xiàngxíng bìngfēi jiǎndān huìhuà, ér shì gàikuò.
Pictographic writing is not simple drawing, but abstraction.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
6Dāng shèhuì fēngōng fùzá, wénzì yě suí zhī xìtǒnghuà.
When social division of labor became complex, writing also became systematized.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
7Zhuànshū xiàntiáo yuánzhuǎn, tǐxiàn zhìxù zhī měi.
Seal script’s rounded lines embody the beauty of order.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
8Lìshū héngshì zhǎnkāi, shǐ shūxiě gèng wéi biànlì.
Clerical script spreads horizontally, making writing more convenient.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
9Kǎishū xíngchéng yǐhòu, biāozhǔnhuà jìnyí bù jiāqiáng.
After regular script formed, standardization was further strengthened.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
10Yóucǐ kějiàn, měigǎn yǔ xiàolǜ bìngfēi duìlì.
From this one can see that aesthetics and efficiency are not opposed.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
11Shūfǎjiā zài guīju zhī nèi zhuīqiú biànhuà.
Calligraphers pursue variation within rules.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
12Suǒwèi “rù mù sān fēn,” cháng yòng lái xíngróng bǐlì shēnkè.
The idiom “penetrating three tenths into wood” often describes powerful brushwork.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
13Wénzì bùjǐn jìlù shēngyīn, yě chéngzài guānniàn.
Writing records not only sound, but also carries concepts.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
14Yí ge “jiā” zì, biàn bāohán kōngjiān yǔ qīnqíng.
A single character “home” contains both space and family feeling.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
15Ruò jǐn cóng gōngjù jiǎodù lǐjiě hànzì, biàn huì shī zhī piān pō.
If one understands Chinese characters only as tools, the view becomes biased.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
16Tāmen yě shì shěnměi, lìshǐ yǔ shēnfèn de jiāohuìdiǎn.
They are also intersections of aesthetics, history, and identity.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
17Jiǎnhuàzì de chūxiàn, shǐ pǔjí jiàoyù gèngjiā biànlì.
The appearance of simplified characters made mass education more convenient.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
18Rán’ér, chuántǒng zìxíng réng bǎoliú wénhuà céngcì.
However, traditional forms still preserve cultural layers.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
19Èr zhě ruò bèi duìlì qǐlái, tǎolùn biàn huì gù cǐ shī bǐ.
If the two are set against each other, the discussion loses balance.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
20Gèng hélǐ de fāngshì, shì lǐjiě qí lìshǐ gōngnéng.
A more reasonable way is to understand their historical functions.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
21Wényán yǔ báihuà zài hànzì zhōng bìngcún.
Classical and vernacular Chinese coexist within Chinese characters.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
22Gǔyǔ yún “shū tóng wén,” qiángdiào gòngtóng shūxiě biāozhǔn.
The old saying “writing shares one script” emphasizes shared writing standards.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
23Gàikuò ér yán, hànzì yǎnbiàn tǐxiàn shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn.
In summary, character evolution reflects innovation while preserving fundamentals.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound
24Zhè zhèng shì qí lì jiǔ mí xīn de yuányīn.
This is precisely why it remains fresh through time.
Sentence vocabulary
文字 · wén zì
text, written language
传统 · chuán tǒng
traditional
文明 · wén míng
civilization
记录 · jì lù
a (written) record
意义 · yì yì
meaning, significance
形式 · xíng shì
formality, shape, outer apeparance
传播 · chuán bō
to propagate, to spread
规律 · guī lv4
regular pattern, rule, law
博大精深 · bó dà jīng shēn
Broad and profound