Han (Hanzi, Kanji, Hanja)

There are three written forms of Chinese: Hanzi, Kanji, and Hanja. While Hanzi is the standard form of writing in mainland China, Kanji is used in Japanese writing, and Hanja in Korean writing. The written form of Chinese has a long history, dating back to the Oracle Bone Script of the late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC). This script was used to write divinations on animal bones or turtle shells, which were then heated until they cracked. The cracks were interpreted as a form of communication from the gods. The Oracle Bone Script is considered to be the earliest form of Chinese writing, and it is from this script that all other forms of Chinese writing have evolved. The first Hanzi were created during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). These characters were used to represent the spoken language, and they were written in a brush-and-ink style. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), a new form of Hanzi emerged. These characters were more stylized than the earlier Hanzi, and they were written in a block style. The block style of Hanzi was further developed during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). This is the style of Hanzi that is most commonly used today. Hanja is the Korean form of Chinese writing. Hanja characters were first used during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-668 AD). These characters were borrowed from Chinese and were used to represent the Korean language. Today, Hanja is used mostly for academic or personal purposes, such as in dictionaries and literature.