The position of Chinese calligraphy in the history of the world's art is thus truly unique. Owing to the use in writing of the brush, which is more subtle and more responsive than the pen, calligraphy has been elevated to the true level of an art on a par with Chinese painting. The Chinese are fully aware of this when they regard painting and calligraphy as sister arts, Shu-hua, "calligraphy and painting," forming almost an individual concept and always being mentioned in the same breath. Should there be a question as to which has a wider appeal, the answer would undoubtedly be in favor of calligraphy. It has thus become an art cultivated with the same passion and devotion, dignified by as worthy a tradition, and held in as high esteem as painting itself ...The great Chinese painters, like Tung Ch'ich'ang and Chao Mengfu, are usually great calligraphists also.  - From My Country and My People by Lin Yutang

Cursive script（草书）: In the Western Han dynasty, people developed a simpler form for the Official script by linking together the lines of a character for quick writing, which is known as "Zhang's Cursive", the earliest form of the Cursive script. Later, it further broke free form the coventions of the Official script and brought into being the Cursive script with a distinctive aesthetic charm by links between lines as characters.

Tang Regular script (唐楷): With a strict regulation and rigorous style, the Regular script attained its perfection in the Tang dynasty (618-907). A group of well-known calligraphers like Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, Zhu Suiliang and Xue Ji emerged in the early Tang period, and Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan in the late Tang period. Among them, Yan Zhenqing's vigorous and dignified style represents the spirit of the Tang culture.

Four masters of the Song dynasty: Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu and Cai Xiang have been regarded as the four great calligraphers of the Song dynasty (960-1279). They all very excelled in the Running script with their individual styles.(Source: the Shanghai Museum)