CHINA CHINESE CHARACTERS JAPAN

c. 8000 BC Neolithic period

Neolithic signs
c. 2070 BC Xia Dynasty (夏) Jamon
c. 1600 BC Shang Dynasty (商) Oracle Bone Script (甲骨文) period
c. 1046 BC
Western Zhou
900 BC

771 BC Zhou Spring &

Dynasty Autumn Bronze Scripts (金文)
(周) Eastern period
475 BC Zhou Warring Ancient
States Yayoi
Japan
period period
221 BC Qin Dynasty (秦)
Seal
206 BC Script –Introduction of
Han Dynasty (漢) (篆書) sinograms to Japan
220 AD Three Kingdoms period Clerical
Script
Wei (魏) Shu (蜀) Wu (蜀) 250 AD
(隷書)
280
Kofun
Jin Dynasty (晉)
period
420 –Go-on
Nothern and Southern
Dynasties 538

581 Asuka
Sui Dynasty (隋)
period
618

Regular 710
Classical Nara
Tang Dynasty (唐) –Kan-on Script period –Man'yōgana
Japan
(楷書)
784

907 Five Dynasties and Ten Heian –Kanbun

Kingdoms period
960 –Tō-on –Kana
Song Dynasty (宋)
1185
Song
1271 Yuan Dynasty (元) Types Medieval Japan
1368 Ming Dynasty (明) Ming T.

Fast forward to modern times:

Showa 1945
Exclusive Shinjitai Modern period
to Japan (新字体) Japan 1989
Heisei
period