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Chinese writing
References & Edit History Related Topics
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Close-up of a calligraphy tablet featuring elegant Chinese characters in black ink, attributed to Song Dynasty calligrapher Huang Tingjian, with red seal stamps on the left. Scapulimancy Oracle fragment Fragment of an oracle bone from the Shang Dynasty, with rows of early Chinese characters engraved on its surface, from Anyang, Henan province, China. Example of dazhuan from a bronze vessel, 779 bc, Zhou dynasty; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. Ink rubbing of a lishu inscription on the stele of Shichen, ad 169, Han dynasty; in the collection of Wan-go H.C. Weng, New York City. Oracle bone inscriptions from the village of Hsiao-t'un, Shang dynasty, 14th or 12th century bc Zhenshu calligraphy
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Chinese writing system summary
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Playwright Arthur Miller works on a new play at his typewriter in the study of his New York apartment on July 21, 1959.
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Chinese writing: References & Edit History

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  • David R. Olson
  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Introduction revised. Sep 29, 2026
Added media. Dec 01, 2025
Added new media, cross-references, and top questions. Oct 16, 2025
Add new Web site: Omniglot - Chinese Script and Language. Mar 14, 2014
Added new Web site: Bathrobe's cjvlang - The Chinese Writing System. Jun 19, 2008
Article revised and updated. Aug 31, 2006
Article added to new online database. Jul 26, 1999
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