The Studies Of You: As One Of The Category Of Aesthetic Activity In The Chinese Classical Aesthetics

Looking at the history of ancient and modern aesthetics, we can find that there are four of the most typical aesthetical views, namely, the philosophy of beauty, the subject of pereception, the philosophy of art and the theoty of aesthetic activity. Using different aesthetical views as the theory paradigm to study the history of Chinese Aesthetics, it can form an entirely different history of Chinese Aesthetics. Comparing the four aesthetic paradigms, we believe that we can better to reveal the characteristics, the rich cultural deposits and the nuances of Chinese Aesthetics by taking the paradigm of aesthetic activity as the initial point. Under the direction of this perspective, this article attempts to select one typical category You which focus on describe aesthetic activities as the starting point. By the systematic study of You, this article reflects the aesthetic way and realm of life of the chinese ancestors, and that unearthes the internal influence of You to the realm of ancient life, art theory and art creation. What's more, it will further study the guidance of this category to the life of modern people.You is an important aesthetic activity category with rich aesthetic means and unique aesthetic properties in the Chinese classical Aesthetics. You is a particular life activity, and it is closely related with the activities of life that embracing soul and espiritu. You doesn't only exist in a large number of literary works, but also richly contains in practical life. Since Confucius had brought out the theory of "Finding Relaxation and Enjoyment in the Arts" (You yuyi), the aesthetic properties of You began to manifest itself. Subsequently, Chuang Tzu made the philosophical and aesthetic sense of You on ontological requirements. From then on it is scattered in many literary and art works which we need not list at length here. From Pre-Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, there are plentiful meta-books and materials, which will all become the basis of this article's argumentation.The first chapter of this paper interprets that You in literati's life, and You as an aesthetic way of life and aesthetic attitude towards life. You embodies an aesthetic, artistic way of life, reflects a detached attitude towards life in the Chinese Classical Aesthetics. Confucianism long for carefree and leisure life. Taoist pursuit the spirit of absolute freedom. People Recreating themselves with the hills and mountains in Wei and Jin Dynasties. Searching the mountains and rivers from Xie Lingyun in Tang Dynasty. Hunting for the tour of "Taoyuan" in Song Dynasty. Regarding mountains and rivers as neighbours in Jin and Yuan Dynasties. Making oneself to be a part of nature in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Hereinbefore, they all gave expression to make You as an aesthetic way of life, show its impacts and values on the spitits of the ancients from different angles. That is, in the ancient world, people from the pursuit of the beauty to the quest for the circle of life. They exist in an aesthetic way, from "Vivid Life of Beauty" (Meizhi shengsheng) to "Beauty of Vivid Life "(Shengsheng zhimei). On the basis of the first chapter, the second chapter mainly studies the theories of You, probes how it is to be one of typical aesthetic activity category. This chapter focuses on how the subject of You to mobilize the body's various senses and perceptive the sensible form of the aesthetic objects, then by the way of aesthetic experience "Heart Experience" (Youxin) to request the experience of life. You is both experience of body and spiritual activity of "Absolute Freedom Of Heart" (Youxin taixuan). The first section of this chapter mainly traces to You's culture source, illuminating that You is an aesthetic activity category unify body and heart. The second section interpretes the aesthetic qualities of You, that is, as the characteristics of the way of aesthetic. It devides two parts:"Body Experience" (Youmu) and "Heart Experience" (Youxin). The first part is the paradigm of aesthetic ways, it focuses on You and the way of aesthetic sight "Body Experience" (Youmu). The second part is the paradigm of aesthetic experience, it studies the aesthetic experience "Heart Experience" (Youxin) from a spiritual perspective. The third section studies on the relation between You and the realm of human life from Chuang Tzu, which marks the complete of aesthetic activity that from aesthetic experience to the life experience. This chapter explores the subjects of You, including their mental state, aesthetic experience and life experience. It describes that You as an aesthetic activity category not only relate to the specific aesthetic experience, but also about the deeper aesthetic experience; it is not only inseparable from the body's senses, but also includes the mind realization. It starts the perceptual stage from concrete things, then it by expressing feelings of human minds, and eventually rising the whole process to the transcendent idea of life. The third chapter discusses You in art practice, discovering You as an aesthetic activity that effect the creation of chinese art. Under the decisive influence of You, the art creation, the aesthetic process and the ancients' realm of life melt into one another. The first section focuses on the impact of You to "Shanshui Literature", explaining mountains and rivers are places for aesthetic activities, so there were abundant "Shanshui Literature" in ancient china. The second section studies the influence of You on chinese painting and calligraphy. The chinese painting and calligraphy are fulled of life, to a certain extent, it revealed and accomplished by You. For example, "Let the Mind Soar Free From the Material World" (Woyou) and "Travel all over the World and Feast Our Eyes" (Baoyou yukan). The third section focuses on You and the chinese garden design, expressly pointing out that "Can Wander" (Keyou) is the value of garden.