Hello,
I had a course about chinese handwriting in university, which was quite interesting. I know some basic abbreviation rules now, but the problem is that I don’t know how every character can be written in shorthand. Also, the course was based on simplified Chinese, and although I guess in handwriting, it becomes more or less the same, I think „traditional handwriting“ still is a little bit different.
Does anybody know if there is some book, possible in dictionary style, available? So basically it would be best if it included the most common 4000 characters or so, and then different styles how to write them, in partly abbreviated form, more grass-like-style etc. (also, if available, some common compound words, because sometimes they will be connected), so that I can develop my own handwriting.
As my teacher said „Only elementary school children write in kaiti style“, so therefore I would like to develop a more natural handwriting. After all, Chinese also learn latin handwriting, so why then not the other way round.
Thanks!
This is the one I have (and have had for many years):
amazon.com/Chinese-Cursive-S … 0887100333
Not new, but an oldie but goodie for sure.
Something like 千字文. A thousand characters should be more than enough to get started. 
http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/lookinside.php?item=CN10125330#p
Thanks!
Actually I wanted more than an introduction. I already had an introduction lesson (also with a basic reader where 200-300 characters are listed), but now I’d like to have a book where I can find any common character. Of course, the rules will repeat, but I’d actually like really some kind of more extensive dictionary. When I stumble across a random word (or rather character), I’d like to be able to find it in the dictionary.
I have one for Japanese (this one), which is actually quite nice. But there I cannot look for Chinese pronounciation (and some characters are missing), so it isn’t that helpful for me.
The 真草千字文 seems to be nice, but that isn’t a dictionary either, isn’t it?
No, it’s not a dictionary. But here’s a word file of 千字文 with zhuyin.
Chinese calligraphy books indexed by 部首 or stroke count:
I’m not aware of one that includes pronunciations. 
Ok, thanks.
I can still go with radicals or stroke count.
btw, is calligraphy the same as handwriting? I don’t want to write with a brush, and not necessarily beautiful, just 1. easier and faster and 2. like a natural handwriting.
Calligraphy is, by definition, beautiful handwriting, so it is a subset of handwriting.
Chinese calligraphy is traditionally written with a brush and has a strong aesthetic emphasis.
I don’t want to write with a brush, and not necessarily beautiful, just 1. easier and faster and 2. like a natural handwriting.
In that case, just use a pencil or pen and go with something like the Fred Fang-yu Wang which Ironlady recommended, and which has been discussed in two previous threads:
[Forumosa - Taiwan's largest and most active Taiwan-oriented global online community in English … 4#p1087684](I don't like my neat, blocky elementary school style characters
[Forumosa - Taiwan's largest and most active Taiwan-oriented global online community in English … 89#p159489](Chinese Handwriting