Editing Chinese characters (section)

=== Clerical script ===
{{Main|Clerical script}}
{{mim
| header = Clerical script
| width = 60
| image1 = 天-clerical-han.svg
| image2 = 馬-clerical-han.svg
| image3 = 旅-clerical-han.svg
| image4 = 正-clerical-han.svg
| image5 = 韋-clerical-han.svg
| alt1 = 天
| alt2 = 馬
| alt3 = 旅
| alt4 = 正
| alt5 = 韋
}}
By the [[Warring States period]] ({{cx|475}}{{snd}}221&nbsp;BCE), an immature form of [[clerical script]] ({{zhi|t=隸書|s=隶书|p=lìshū<!-- A considered exception to [[MOS:ZH]] -->}}) had emerged based on the vulgar form developed within Qin, often called "early clerical" or "proto-clerical".{{sfn|Qiu|2000|pp=59, 119}} The proto-clerical script evolved gradually; by the [[Han dynasty]] (202&nbsp;BCE{{snd}}220&nbsp;CE), it had arrived at a mature form, also called {{zhc|c=八分|p=bāfēn}}. Bamboo slips discovered during the late 20th century point to this maturation being completed during the reign of [[Emperor Wu of Han]] ({{reign|141|87&nbsp;BCE}}). This process, called {{tlit|zh|[[libian]]}} ({{zhi|t=隸變|s=隶变}}), involved character forms being mutated and simplified, with many components being consolidated, substituted, or omitted. In turn, the components themselves were regularized to use fewer, straighter, and more well-defined strokes. As a result, clerical script largely lacks the pictorial qualities still evident in seal script.{{sfn|Qiu|2000|pp=119–124}}

Around the midpoint of the [[Eastern Han]] (25–220&nbsp;CE), a simplified and easier form of clerical script appeared, which Qiu terms {{zhl|s=新隶体|t=新隸體|p=xīnlìtǐ|l=neo-clerical}}.{{sfn|Qiu|2000|pp=113, 139, 466}} By the end of the Han, this had become the dominant script used by scribes, though clerical script remained in use for formal works, such as engraved [[stelae]]. Qiu describes neo-clerical as a transitional form between clerical and [[regular script]] which remained in use through the [[Three Kingdoms]] period (220–280&nbsp;CE) and beyond.{{sfn|Qiu|2000|pp=138–139}}