[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Literature-and-Education # 章 zhāng chapter, section ## Components [[立 lì]] [[立 (lì)]] [[早 zǎo]] ## Meaning Today, the character "章" (zhāng) commonly refers to a "chapter" or "section" in a book or document. It can also denote an official title or badge of honor, such as an award or decoration. Additionally, "章" may signify a literary or artistic work, particularly in the context of calligraphy or painting, where it refers to a distinguished piece or masterpiece. ## History The character "章" (zhāng) originated as a compound ideograph. In its ancient form, it depicted a combination of the images of a knife and a jade disc, symbolizing the engraved patterns on such a disc. Over time, it evolved to represent a musical piece, depicted by combining the elements of sound and the numeral ten, indicating the completion or conclusion of a musical composition. Its original meaning referred to the decorative patterns on a jade disc. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ？ ### Bronze Script ![[章 bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[章 sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[章 cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[章 reg.svg]]