In with the Old, In with the New

Calligraphy, the oldest style of Chinese typography was the standard way of writing for thousands of years. The text was created using a brush and ink. Writing was a high art form and a discipline practiced only by the well educated upper class. Most common people could write their own name and possibly a few other characters.
The character for Success (above) is written in traditional calligraphy. May it bring you much success in your future.


The 20th Century brought monumental changes to China. Mass illiteracy was blamed on the traditional calligraphy style of writing. The complex system was considered elitist and much too difficult to teach, print, and reproduce. It was blamed for the poor economy and mass poverty that China was facing.
In 1909 simplified versions of the traditional style were proposed, but it would be some time before mass education of China's people would take place.
Italian designer Marinetti's "Manifesto on Futurism" was republished in China in 1921 at the height of many anti-imperialist movements. Futurism helped spurn leftist intellectuals towards speed and hope for the future.
As part of the Cultural Revolution led by Mao Zedong, the first round of simplified characters was published by China's government in 1956, with another document published in 1964. This chart (above) shows columns from left to right: traditional, simplified, pinyin(phonetic), and English translation. These can be written using a normal pen or pencil. A second round came out in 1977 but was retracted a few short years later. Today the widely used simplified characters are practically identical to Mao's 1964 version.
Futurism is alive in China today, influencing cutting edge design. Though many type designers and graphic artists do not want the beautiful traditional characters to disappear from China's culture. Many publications are printed using both simplified and traditional styles of Hanzi, as well as English! Like this summer of 2009 movie poster.