Chinese characters are not letters but stylized ideographs, each with its own history. The development of Chinese writing is linked to the history of China's emperors, who commissioned new styles of writing with which to record their victories. In this abundantly illustrated gift volume, master calligrapher Shih Bo gives a fascinating overview of the evolution of seven seminal Chinese writing styles starting in the 17th century BCE. He also introduces readers to the calligrapher's art, its materials and techniques.