Mainly out of pursuit of practicability, calligraphic style changed from Kikko jukotsu moji (ancient Chinese characters inscribed on oracle bones and tortoise shells) to Kinsekibun (words written on metal or stones), from Shoten (a style of Chinese characters) to reisho-tai (clerical script) and sosho-tai (cursive style writing).
亀甲獣骨文字から金石文、小篆から隷書体、さらに草書体への書体の変化は主に実用性の追究から生じた。