The
clerical script (; Japanese: 隷書体,
Reishotai), also formerly
chancery script, is an archaic
style of
Chinese calligraphy which evolved in the
Warring States period to the
Qin dynasty, was dominant in the
Han dynasty, and remained in use through the
Wei-
Jin periods. Due to its high legibility to modern readers, it is still used for artistic flavor in a variety of functional applications such as headlines, signboards, and advertisements. This legibility stems from the highly rectilinear structure, a feature shared with modern
regular script (kaishu). In structure and rectilinearity, it is generally similar to the modern script; however, in contrast with the tall to square modern script, it tends to be square to wide, and often has a pronounced, wavelike flaring of isolated major strokes, especially a dominant rightward or downward diagonal stroke. Some structures are also archaic.