On the Nature and Inner Logic of the History of Chinese Aesthetics

Abstract

The nature and inner logic of the history of Chinese aesthetics can be discussed in terms of five aspects. First, the national character of Chinese aesthetics: Chinese aesthetics is the aesthetics of the Chinese nation. Chinese culture has forged together the cultural spirit of the many ethnic groups living on the land of China, giving prominent expression to the ideas, spirit, and traditions shared by the Chinese nation as a whole. Second, the state character of Chinese aesthetics: It is grounded in the Zhou Dynasty, whose ritual-and-music culture was at once a political culture and an aesthetic culture. The aesthetic thought of Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, and the other major schools of Chinese culture all display a pronounced state character. Third, the cultural skeleton of Chinese aesthetics is rooted in the three influential schools of Chinese culture: Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Confucian aesthetics emphasizes society, Daoist aesthetics emphasizes nature, and Buddhist aesthetics emphasizes the mind. The three are in contrast yet complement one another, together forming the cultural skeleton of Chinese aesthetics. Fourth, the basic spirit of Chinese aesthetics. This is embodied in its understanding of aesthetic ontology, where the unity of the Daoist view that beauty lies in ziran and the Confucian view that beauty lies in civilization constitutes the basic spirit of Chinese aesthetics. Fifth, the poetic taste of Chinese aesthetics. The great influence of the Book of Songs, the Songs of Chu, and Tang poetry has shaped the poetic taste of Chinese aesthetics.

Keywords

Chinese aesthetics / national character / state character / cultural skeleton / poetic taste / basic spirit

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