Fangsong (or Imitation Song) is a style of typeface for Chinese characters modeled after that used in Lin'an during the Southern Song dynasty. Fangsong is a type of regular script typeface, and the standard used in official documents produced by the Chinese government,[1] and civil drawings in both China and Taiwan.
| Fangsong | |||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 仿宋體 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 仿宋体 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | imitation Song style | ||||||
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| Alternative Japanese name | |||||||
| Kanji | 宋朝体 | ||||||
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Characteristics
Characteristics of imitation Song typefaces include:
- The basic structure of regular script.
- Relatively straight strokes, with horizontal strokes slanting up slightly.
- Low stroke width variation between horizontal and vertical strokes, with strokes usually being relatively thin.
- Overall geometrical regularity.
History
The printing industry that began during the Tang dynasty reached an apex in the Song dynasty, during which there were three major areas of production:[2]
- Zhejiang, where publications imitated the regular script of Ouyang Xun
- Sichuan, where publications imitated the regular script of Yan Zhenqing
- Fujian, where publications imitated the regular script of Liu Gongquan
When Song lost control of northern China to the Jin dynasty (1115–1234), its capital was moved to Lin'an (modern Hangzhou), where there was a revival of printing, especially literature from Tang left in what was conquered by the Jin dnasty. Many publishers were established in Lin'an, including Chén zhái shūjí bù (陳宅書籍鋪) established by Chen Qi (陳起),[2] from which publications used a distinct style of regular script with orderly, straight strokes. Modern typefaces of this style are classified as imitation Song typefaces.