Chinese script is one of the oldest forms of writing in existence. Its origins can traced back to at least the second millennium BC and it is still in use today, over 3000 years later. Calligraphy, the creation of the written characters on paper with brush and ink, has traditionally been revered as one of the highest forms of Chinese art. Standard style or regular script (kaishu), with its own distinct combination of legibility and elegance, has been fundamental to the calligrapher’s art since the end of the Han dynasty in the third century AD.

Building on his wide experience of running workshops and demonstrations for beginners, Qu Lei Lei has distilled the basics into an easy-to-follow, teach-yourself guide.