What is beauty? This is the basic question to be discussed in the discipline of aesthetics. Every philosopher has his or her own opinion on this question. This is not a simple question, through which we can radiate discussions on the origin of the world. From ancient times to the present, from the West to the East, the interpretation of "beauty" is complicated. For example, Plato of ancient Greece said: Beauty is an idea; St. Augustine of the Middle Ages said: Beauty is the supreme glory and brilliance of God; Chernyshevsky of Russia said: Beauty is life; Taoists in ancient China believed: There is greatness in heaven and earth. Beauty cannot be mentioned; and a book "Principles of Aesthetics" tells us that beauty can only exist in the aesthetic relationship. It is inseparable from the aesthetic subject and depends on the aesthetic object. Beauty is the representation of abstract objects in the spiritual realm, and the world of beauty is purely a world of imagery. "Four articles that opened up the aesthetic paradigm: Plato's "Hipios" opened up the philosophy of beauty; Shaftesbury opened up aesthetic psychology "On Characteristics"; Bartow opened up the philosophy of art "On the Limits of Beautiful Art" and the Principle of Independence" Wittgenstein's "Lectures on Aesthetics" which has an influence on the analysis of aesthetic language "Seven monographs which have an influence on the aesthetic system Kant's "Critique of Judgment"
Kant's "Judgment" "Criticism" has two major characteristics in structural aesthetics: first, it explores the essence of aesthetics by focusing on aesthetic judgment and connecting the relationship between the subject and the object. Arriving at the universality of a subject (analogous to the essence of beauty) is the basis of aesthetics. Second, divide two types of aesthetic judgment, beauty and sublimity, which are the two most common types of aesthetics. Hegel's "Aesthetics"
The structure of Hegel's "Aesthetics" has three major characteristics: First, starting from the essential definition of beauty, beauty is the perceptual manifestation of ideas. The core of beauty is established with ideas, and sensibility is used to distinguish it from other forms of expression of ideas, thereby explaining all beautiful phenomena. 2. There is a hierarchy of perceptual manifestations of ideas. This hierarchy is consistent with the evolutionary history of the universe. Inorganic matter is the lowest level of sensibility, and art is the highest level of sensibility. Beauty has a unified definition, and art is the highest level of beauty. And the most typical form, aesthetics only needs to study art. There are seven art categories, but the typical ones are five, architecture, sculpture, painting, music, poetry (poetry includes epic, lyric poetry, dramatic poetry); Aesthetics can obtain universal laws of beauty by studying only these five arts. 3. From an aesthetic perspective, the five arts can be divided into three major types: symbolic (architecture), classical (sculpture), and romantic (painting, music, poetry). The three major aesthetic types include all beautiful objects. As long as you master the essence of beauty, the five major arts, and the three major types, you will master the beauty in the universe. Dessault's "Aesthetics and Art Theory"
Dessault's "Aesthetics and Art Theory" is a work on aesthetic principles that insists on the unity of all parts of aesthetics after the essence of beauty disappears. Desso's original intention was not to use this book to establish an aesthetic system, but to establish two theoretical systems through this book, one aesthetic system and one artistic system. First, he wanted to separate art science from aesthetics, believing that doing so would help clarify the two disciplines; then, after separating art, he also wanted to see that aesthetics and art science are connected in many ways. The two often "operate jointly". Therefore, finally, these two systems are put together through a book. In this way, from the actual effect, it has become an aesthetic system that integrates aesthetic objects, aesthetic experience, and art. This book represents another turning point in the principles of Western aesthetics. The first part does not talk about the essence of beauty, but about the aesthetic object. Langfeld's "Aesthetic Attitude"
Langfeld's "Aesthetic Attitude" is a typical example of constructing an aesthetic principle solely from aesthetic psychology after the essence of beauty disappears. Langfield composed his own system with three parts: First, he synthesized and systematized European psychological aesthetic theories. Specifically, he combined Munsterberg, Puff, Blough, and psychological distance theory, as well as floating theory. Long Li, Grus' internal imitation theory, and Lipps' empathy theory, these three theories are combined to form the basic framework of psychological aesthetics. Second, use the empirical and empirical nature of American naturalistic aesthetics to regulate European psychological aesthetics. American naturalism is a generalized aesthetic theory, which will cause European theory to lose its beautiful structure and logical unity. Therefore, Langfield uses American theory to question the falsehoods and emptiness of European theory. At the same time, the theory of aesthetic psychology is standardized from two aspects. One is the artistic aspect, using examples from art history to prove the correctness of the European aesthetic psychology principles; the other is the formal beauty aspect, which is an extension of the European aesthetic psychology in terms of formal beauty. At the same time, on the one hand, formal beauty is used to complete the European aesthetic psychological system. On the other hand, formal beauty is in art, combining the artistic aspects of aesthetics. Formal beauty is also in nature and society, integrating American naturalistic aesthetics. content is included logically. Therefore, Langfield's theory is actually composed of three parts: first, the aesthetic subject, which is the foundation; second, the work of art, which is the confirmation of the aesthetic subject and the externalization of art; third, the law of formal beauty, which is the aesthetic subject Extensive externalization and logical confirmation. Langfeld's "Aesthetic Attitude" also forms a contrast with Zhu Guangqian's "On Beauty", showing the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western aesthetics when writing about the aesthetic principles of aesthetic psychology. Susan Lange's "Emotion and Form"
Susan Lange's "Emotion and Form" is a typical example of reconstructing the aesthetic principles of art philosophy after the essence of beauty disappears.
This book is led by Cassirer's symbolic semiotics, and continues the formalist aesthetics of Roger Fry and Clive Bell, the aesthetic subject aesthetics of Croce to Langfield, and the aesthetics of Santaye. The ideas in the naturalistic aesthetics of Nathaniel and Dewey combined eight arts - music, painting, architecture, sculpture, dance, literature, drama, and film - into one artistic philosophy. Lange basically divided art into four categories: time (painting, sculpture, architecture in plastic arts), space (music), force (dance), and life (literature, drama, film). In Langer's discussion of art categories, first, illusion is used as the general basis, and then secondary or even third-level differences in illusion are shown in each art. It can be seen from this that the autonomy of art and the independence of aesthetics constitute a major theme of her artistic philosophy. Second, in the discussion of the different illusions of each art, the basic illusion, the art form, and the emotional form inherent in the art form are always connected together. Dufhener's "Phenomenology of Aesthetic Experience"
Dufheiner's "Phenomenology of Aesthetic Experience" is a typical example of aesthetic principles that integrate aesthetic psychology and art after the essence of beauty disappears. It has four major structural features: First, it starts with what aesthetic objects are, distinguishes aesthetic objects from non-aesthetic objects, and focuses aesthetic objects on art based on explaining the connection and difference between works of art and aesthetic objects. Second, explain the basic structure of works of art as aesthetic objects presented to the subject. Third, explain the basic structure of the aesthetic subject’s aesthetic perception of artistic works that are artificial aesthetic objects. Therefore, we can talk about the aesthetic subject without leaving the aesthetic object, nor can we talk about the aesthetic object without leaving the aesthetic subject. It solves the basic problems of aesthetics better and dialectically. Fourth, explore philosophically how aesthetics is possible and why people need aesthetics. Dickie's "Introduction to Aesthetics"
Dickie's "Introduction to Aesthetics" is a typical example of combining the philosophy of beauty (conceptual analysis), aesthetic psychology, and art after the essence of beauty was replaced by conceptual analysis. It is also a comprehensive introduction to the history of aesthetics. A typical example of discussion combined with aesthetic theory. This book is a layered structure, and it is a reversible and flexible structure. This structure is still two layers, but these two layers are not prioritized. From ancient times, they were condensed into art theory, and then from Art theory is pushed horizontally into art theory, aesthetic attitude, and theory of beauty. Six aspects constitute the structure of the entire aesthetic theory. This structure has history, today, evolution over time, and theoretical logic, forming a type of aesthetic principle. Ancient Chinese aesthetic thought began in slave society. Chinese thinkers directly connected aesthetic and artistic issues with fundamental issues of the universe, society, and life to observe and think about. Although the expression and argumentation are not systematic enough, they fundamentally run through own unique and profound philosophical concepts. In several countries with developed ancient civilizations, Chinese aesthetics has formed an independent and rigorous system of its own.
Research on Chinese Aesthetics "Aesthetics emerged and developed along with the globalization process of world history and the modernization process of Chinese culture." The research on Chinese aesthetics has a process of introduction, dissemination, development and innovation.
》The introduction of aesthetics in China
In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, intellectuals studying abroad, represented by Mr. Wang Guowei, introduced Western aesthetic thinking methods and disciplinary systems into China. The inclusion of "Aesthetics" in the teaching plan based on the syllabus revised by Mr. Wang Guowei marked the establishment of aesthetics in China. Later, a group of aestheticians represented by Mr. Zhu Guangqian further introduced Western aesthetic theory to China. In particular, Mr. Cai Yuanpei, who returned from studying in Germany, put forward the idea of ??"replacing religion with aesthetic education", which made aesthetics receive widespread attention in China.
》The spread of aesthetics in China
When Chinese aesthetic research formed its initial principle works, it basically transplanted Western aesthetic principle works. From 1917 to 1930, China* **Published 6 standard works on aesthetic principles ("Introduction to Aesthetics" by Xiao Gongbi, "Introduction to Aesthetics" by Lu Cheng, "A Brief Introduction to Aesthetics" by Lu Cheng, "Introduction to Aesthetics" edited by Chen Wangdao, "Introduction to Aesthetics" by Fan Shoukang "Introduction", "Virtue Philosophy" by Xu Qingyu), and three other works on the principles of aesthetic education ("Principles of Aesthetic Education" by Li Shicen, "Methods for the Implementation of Aesthetic Education" by Cai Yuanpei and others, "Basics of Aesthetics in Education" by Daxuan and Yu Shangtong) . If the aesthetics of Zhu Guangqian and Cai Yi represent the disciplinary transplantation of Chinese aesthetics to Western aesthetics and Soviet aesthetics, then Wang Guowei’s direction is to use aesthetic concepts to re-examine Chinese materials, especially Chinese art. This is reflected in the writings of Zong Baihua and Deng Yizhe. In particular, Zong Baihua, under the influence of Western Spengler thought and domestic nationalism thought, explored the uniqueness of Chinese aesthetics from a comparative background of world cultures and achieved great results. A considerable achievement.
》The Development of Aesthetics in China
In the 1950s and 1960s, Chinese academic circles launched a major academic discussion on the nature of beauty. In the aesthetic type based on the essence of beauty, discussing the essence of beauty became the basic project for rebuilding the Chinese aesthetic system in the early Warring States period. The discussion resulted in four views: 1. Objectivist: Beauty is objective, represented by Cai Yi; 2. Subjectivist: Beauty is subjective, represented by Gao Ertai and Lu Ying; 3. Subjective and objective unification school : Beauty is the unity of subjectivity and objectivity, represented by Zhu Guangqian; 4. Socialist school: Beauty is the unity of objectivity and sociality, represented by Li Zehou.
These four views competed with each other. From the debate in the 1950s to the 1980s, the aesthetic craze in the 1980s was the continuation of the debate among these four schools and the completion of the systematization of each school. Practical aesthetics represented by Li Zehou has become the mainstream of Chinese aesthetics.
》Innovation of Aesthetics in China
In the early 21st century, aesthetics has entered a period of localized innovation in China, with three outstanding highlights: 1. The establishment of Zeng Fanren’s ecological aesthetics school . Zeng Fanren proposed ecological aesthetics starting in the 1990s. Ecological aesthetics is the product of exchanges and dialogues between China and the West. What Zeng Fanren sees is the profound global and Chinese reasons contained in ecological aesthetics. Ecological aesthetics is to inject a new type of beauty into people's hearts and make people appreciate it. A fundamental change has occurred in the attitude towards life and towards nature. Its characteristics are: first, it not only corresponds to the mainstream thoughts of the world, but is also related to the ecological situation brought about by China's development; second, the main trend of Chinese aesthetics has always elevated aesthetics to the philosophical level of a world view, and ecological aesthetics represents The first is a change in the overall view of aesthetics; third, this school laid the foundation for the great prosperity and development of Chinese aesthetics. 2. The establishment of Zhang Fa’s theory of aesthetic principles. Zhang Fa's "Introduction to Aesthetics" (first edition in December 1999, second edition in October 2004, third edition in July 2011) has been published three times in a row in more than ten years, marking Mr. Zhang Fa's ten years of hard work. Yijian is committed to the innovation of aesthetic principles and theories. Its characteristics are: first, it makes aesthetic principles a real "aesthetic principle": it is intellectual, theoretical, systematic and especially guiding, and becomes the basic principle guiding departmental aesthetic research; second, it innovatively solves It has solved a series of aesthetic problems - such as the origin and essence of beauty, aesthetic experience and identification of beauty, departmental aesthetics and aesthetic principles, objectification and symbolization of beauty, aesthetic types of beauty, cultural nature of beauty, etc.; thirdly, its basic theory is departmental aesthetics and aesthetic principles. Aesthetics laid the foundation of academic theory and marked the creation of Chinese aesthetic principles. 3. Chen Changmao’s new discoveries in the field of tourism beauty. In his long-term tourism research, tourism teaching and tourism work practice, Mr. Chen Changmao proposed and demonstrated the category of "tourism beauty", thereby creating a new aesthetic field from the academic perspective after artistic beauty, natural beauty and technological beauty. Its characteristics are: first, it points out that the research object of tourism aesthetics is tourism beauty; second, tourism beauty is embodied in: five aesthetic experiences: mythological poetry, lyric poetry, refreshing poetry, carnival poetry, and fantasy Poetic nature; five categories of aesthetic objects: mimetic landscape, scenic landscape, environmental landscape, place landscape, and tourist souvenir landscape; five aesthetic realms: image realm, reality realm, art realm, scene realm, and fantasy realm; third, this system created A new paradigm for research on Chinese tourism aesthetics.