Scholar and calligrapher Tian Xuzhong from Sichuan province has launched A History of Chinese Cursive Script Art, the first book of its kind, in Beijing on Dec 15.

Published early this month by Sichuan Fine Arts Press, the 500,000-word book, rich in illustrations, plates and charts, delineates a complete picture of the development of the art genre from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

"Chinese calligraphy is widely known as a high art, favored for centuries by social elites," Tian says.

Of the many styles, such as seal script (small seal), clerical script (official script), semi-cursive script (running script), regular script (standard script), and cursive script (grass script), cursive script has long been viewed the most difficult style for an artist to master.

Tian says that because a good piece of cursive script art not only challenges the artist's physical energy, but also demands rich knowledge of calligraphy writing principles and a solid training in literature, it is "the soul of Chinese calligraphy".