Learn one Chinese Character a day - 血

As we mentioned in our lesson of 皿 that we are going to study the Chinese character of blood today.

Let us assume that we were going to create this new character, how should we represent the meaning of blood? To draw some liquid with red colour, or describe something essential for life?

However Chinese ancestor created it from a totally different angle. Below is the evolution history of 血: (image taken from: http://vividict.com)

Learn one Chinese Character a day - 血

Looking at its Oracle Script , it is composed of a  (what we just learnt - 皿) and (a drop of something). 

"Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar." , as quoted from the Bible, Chinese ancestors would sacrifice blood to their forefathers or gods as well.

refers to the blood collected in a container for sacrifice. And it is used to mean blood particularly. 

Its Bronze script  followed the same presentation of , but to simply to  andto . Seal Script  further simplified by following the Seal Script of 皿. Clerical Script started to have the initial form of our current writing: 血.

With our understanding, it now makes sense that 血 means blood. 

Now it is time to enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with 血 inside:

苍山如海,残阳如血