The Calligrapher — Chéng Miǎo 程邈

Qin official credited with systematizing clerical script (lishu), a pivotal step in Chinese writing.

Qin-Han calligrapher (生卒年不详（秦）), master of clerical script — known for 隶书（相传整理八分）. Qin–Han era

Cultural Story

令 showed a man under a roof receiving commands, to order, to cause, the word of authority. The 說文 reads it as to command, to make. 法令 were the statutes; 號令 the general's call before the charge. A 令 was also a good magistrate, 縣令. The character is the voice that makes things happen, the order that bends the room.

Common words & phrases

• 命令 order · command
• 指令 instruction · command
• 法令 law · decree
• 令牌 token · sign
• 号令 order · call
• 夏令 summer

Read the story behind the character

命令 is the boss's email; 指令 the code and the coach's play. 法令 is the regulation; 令牌 the token you tap to enter. 号令 is the rallying cry; 夏令 the summer program and the 夏令时 daylight saving. The character names the authoritative word, the decree, the instruction, the season's name. It still means the command that causes, the voice under the roof that tells the world to move.