The Clerkly Script appeared at approximately 500 BC, it was widely used in the Qin (221 to 207 BC) and Han (206 BC to 220) dyansties, since the government bureaucrats needed a fast and efficient script to handle state matters. The main difference between this script and the Lesser Seal is that Clerkly Script characters have less strokes and a more flowing style, therefore easily adaptable to brushes and pens. The shape of Clerkly Script characters are identical to modern Chinese characters, Furthermore, characters were standardized to remove regional variations, and these standard characters are for the most part the same characters written in the present. So it can be said that Chinese writing reached its maturity at this time. The succedent Evolution of Chinese writing script is a trend of increasing cursive scripts mostly used in calligraphy. 

The Standard Script appeared towards the end of the Han dynasty. This script is essentially the traditional script used today (except in the People's Republic of China). It is very similar to the Clerkly Script, but slightly more cursive and contains serif-like (hook or anchor-like) elements at the corners and end of strokes.

Shortly after the Han dynasty, a cursive version of Standard Script named Running Script appeared. Several strokes of the Standard Script character are merged into one strok, especially sequential dots or two strokes perpendicular to each other.

The most cursive Chinese script is called Grass Script. It appeared during the Qin dynasty. The shape of Grass Script characters often do not resemble the corresponding Lishu or Kaishu character, in that some strokes are merged into one and others are simply left out.

In 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) introduced simplified characters to replace the traditional Standard Script characters. It was the most important change in Chinese writing since the standardization in the Qin dynasty.In 21st century, China is opening up more and more to the whole world, the simplified Chinese characters are becoming adopted by all Chinese-speaking places such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and various Chinese communities in Southeast Asia and the Americas. Many non-Chinese-speaking people all over the world are eager to study Chinese writing and calligraphy.

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