"shi" Aesthetic Research

As a combination of life philosophy and literary aesthetics in the period of Wei-Jin Dynasty, Shi Shuo Xin Yu is the result of interaction of many factors such as particular society, life, and thought etc., presents literati's spiritual temperament and aesthetic taste which has deep influence on the future generations. If we carry out "the Study of Literary Style", which analyses its' outside style and confirms its' inside essence, we'll find out that:Shi Shuo Xin Yu isn't an aesthetics text, but a complete aesthetic work. It has almost finished the narrow state of Aesthetics depending on political morals in Pre-Qin and Qin-Han Periods, and integrated aesthetic taste with Wei-jin's life consciousness and character-pursuing. From the angle of Aesthetics, this paper tries to discover intentionally and sort systematically its' aesthetic cultural characteristics. The full text consists of six parts, the main contents as follows:The introduction contains two problems: theoretical bases and significance of this topic selection; the thoughts and methods of this text. The Academics explore Shi Shuo Xin Yu from the angle of document, history culture and language rhetoric presently, but neglect the angle of aesthetics. Therefore, in the new time, all kinds of works which descript Shi Shuo Xin Yu's aesthetic cultural characteristics, usually are unilateral and only based on its' contents. It is Zong Baihua who explores Shi Shuo Xin Yu from the angle of aesthetics firstly. His On Shi Shuo Xin Yu and the Aesthtic Tendency of Jin Dynasty not only affirms this topic selection, but also provides the possibility of enriching and transcending previous scholars' thought on the academic theory level for us. Enlightened by Mr. Zong's clear understanding of Chinese ancient literatus and Classical Aesthetics' way of poetic and literary existence, this paper follows his track, supplement and expound his issues.The first chapter puts emphasis on Shi Shuo Xin Yu's textual intention. That exploring any work should begin with clearing up its' textual essence. Around two aspects of "Realistic Content" and "Intentional Writing", we verify Shi Shuo Xin Yu's literary style. Its' special literary style, which presents clear track of novels trying hard to get rid of the ties of history and biography, results from reasonable inheritance and innovation to Zi, Shi two greatest cultural traditions. Though Shi Shuo Xin Yu has very important historical data value, it isn't historical work after all. Of course, not being the "novel" on the general meaning, Shi Shuo Xin Yu only represents one phrase in the course of the development of the Chinese ancient "Novel" and present perfect combination between history and poetics, because the Chinese ancient "Novel" is a developing conception. In the light of creation motive, Liu Yiqing etc. always observe and select from the angle of "Shang Xin", which results in consistent cultural character on the whole. In the light of the narration principle, the whole text takes aesthetic as principle and represents the human's character, demeanor's momentary demonstration and many part words and actions in particular context, which results in the self-sufficient poetic space and time system that includes the interaction of similarities and differences. In the light of reading acceptance, it is interesting things that readers accept firstly from this work, which brings aesthetic impression and poetic feelings to people.The second chapter puts emphasis on the relationship between Character Review and Character Aesthetics. Zong Baihua, Wang Yao, Li Zehou, Liu Gangji and other authors have recognized the close relationship among Character Review and Chinese Literature Theory , Aesthetics. Though Character Review has an age-long origin, the very first time to talk about it with the aesthetics sense is "Shi Shuo Xin Yu Time". From spontaneous Character Review in the Pre-Qin Dynasty to systematizing one in the Han Dynasties, from Ren Wu Zhi to Shi Shuo Xin Yu, these all display the change of Character Review's origin and aesthetic trend. The change of Character Review's standard ranges from glorifying "Jing Xing Ming Xiu" to emphasizing on individual talents, particularly from paying attention to individual "Talent" to appreciating individual "Beauty" in Shi Shuo Xin Yu, which strongly spreads individual beauty. Once Character Review gets rid of actual political need, it will contribute to the formation of an aesthetic personality, which not only marks "Wei-Jin Demeanor", but also constitutes the most outstanding aesthetic cultural landscape in spread of individual beauty, Character Demeanor and Metre worship in Wei-Jin Dynasties with expanding new moral thoughts. Character Review in Shi Shuo Xin Yu stresses the organic unity of "Figure" and "Spirit": the outside grace and inside beauty. So, the aesthetic categories such as "Qing", "Spirit" and so on gradually come into being.The third chapter puts emphasis on "Performance Art of Wei-Jin's Literati" and discusses the relationship between the Wei-Jin Demeanor and Chinese ancient literati's personality construction. Shi Shuo Xin Yu describes and appreciates literatus' unconstrained and Self-willed behavior relating to personality aesthetics and "Wei-Jin Demeanor". In a wide sense, for the aimlessness and artistry of literatus' behavior, we regard literatus' poetic survival method and unconstrained and Self-willed behavior in Wei-Jin Dynasty as "Performance Art". Fundamentally speaking, whichever "Performance Art" is, it is a free life activity. Wei-Jin's literatus almost adopt self-dissolution and aesthetic life attitude which makes life itself of poetic existence and individual behavior of spiritual and aesthetic object. They are good at making vulgarity in the daily life of elegance and existence itself of art, no whether "Their Going Back and Forth is In Accord with Own Temperament" or "the Worthiness of Life Lies in Pleasing". To let life return to nature, they glorify that "It is very Unnecessary that We Obey the Confucian Ethical Code" and "Transcending the Confucian Decrees While Following the Nature". As a result, all kinds of strange words and actions have the aesthetic meaning. No whether "Inebriation" or "Nakedness", they are defamiliarization in body limit. Of course, the form and substance of the Wei-Jin Demeanor are united and splintery. We can reconsider its' "Form" from the angle of Aesthetics including analyzing its' "Substance" reasonably. Therefore, that "Transcending the Confucian Decrees While Following the Nature" hasn't the substance of the individuality performance, but the form of this. It not only dissolves the objectivity process of individuality realizing oneself in reality, but also depraves self-consciousness into the low biological level. So, that "Transcending the Confucian Decrees While Following the Nature" doesn't equate to "Individualization" or "Individualization". The status of literati can't cover the truth of non-individualization existence. Behind romantic story, the literatus' painful and struggling soul conflict with the modern world.The fourth chapter puts emphasis on natural aesthetic thought. The relationship of human and nature in "Shi Shuo Xin Yu Time" no longer limits practical purpose, but get closer and more aesthetic meaning through an emotional bind. Generally, people views nature as independent aesthetic object since Nan-Song Dynasty, i. e. "the Natural Landscape Appears after Zhuang Zi and Lao Zi". In fact, "Zhuang Zi and Lao Zi" and "Natural Landscape" exist together in longer period. The recognition and appreciation of natural beauty in Shi Shuo Xin Yu surpass former ages'. The Wei-Jin's literati take nature as metaphysics and bridge to it. In their eyes, that grasping the natural landscape beauty will lead to deeply comprehend the truth of cosmos circulation and shuttle spiritual freedom in the world. The Wei-Jin's literati wander about beautiful nature with metaphysical and proud heart, so that the trend of climbing and traveling is in fashion and the appreciation of natural landscape is divided to become specialized social activity from past utilitarian activities such as sacrifice, hunt and so on. Placing feelings on landscape is not only "nature consciousness" that the Wei-Jin's literati have specially, but also a necessary part in their life, which relates to the phenomenon of escaping from reality to save their life. Between "Being official" and "Being hermit", nature aesthetics becomes an important spiritual consignation. From Jin Gu Zhi Hui to Lan Ting Xi Ji, the Wei-Jin's literati are called "Inaction Brings Comfort, hence Being Hermit is in Fashion". In Shi Shuo Xin Yu Time, natural beauty is liberated from the subsidiary status of social and personal beauty to become self-conscious aesthetic object with a kind of independent airs. The expanse of this natural aesthetic consciousness not only lays foundation for the pastoral poetry, paint, article and the art of gardens, but also further push the development of Aesthetic Theory. In a sense, the combination of nature, person and critique represents a mode of thinking of Chinese Ancient Aesthetics.The last chapter puts emphasis on the position and influence of Shi Shuo Xin Yu in Chinese Aesthetic History. Shi Shuo Xin Yu delineates myriads of appearances about the Wei-Jin's literatus' life. It no longer undertakes the mission of "Articles are for Promulgating Truth", "Articles are for Expressing Truth", but gradually becomes a method which readers and authors take part in and play with life in the process of own artistic generation and cultural spread, which is with the change of Chinese Literature and Aesthetics. Though Shi Shuo Xin Yu doesn't discuss Aesthetic Taste specially and its' material mostly are miscellaneous fragments, its' aesthetic significance is no less than other contemporary works. In form, on one hand, with "Shi Shuo Style" imitated by future literatus, imago critique resulting from Character Review has direct effect on later generations' Poetical Notes and Phrase Notes etc. In content, not only the features of "Depicting Humanity" and "Feelings" change Chinese Ancient Aesthetic Thought fundamentally, but also story details of later generations' novels and dramas originate from Shi Shuo Xin Yu too. In style, centering "Metaphysics" and worshiping "Simple and meaningful" beauty become the pioneer in aesthetic categories and theories such as "Spirit", "Metre", even "Poetic Imagery" and so on. These all have made great contributions to Chinese Aesthetic History.