From Xizai To Wang Guowei - Chief Of Chinese Traditional Aesthetics Of The Modern Transformation

The attention of myriads of researchers has been attracted to the study on the direction of the Chinese aesthetics at turn of the centuries, for there must be a fresh start concurrent with a new century. As we are searching for the clue, it is worthwhile to reflect upon the precedent ex- ploration in the Chinese aesthetics at the turn of the last two centuries, because what has changed is the cultural context, within which remains the coherent theme of transformation. Case analyses have been tentatively done herein to tell the difference between the aesthetic thoughts of LiuXizai and those of WangGuowei. Meanwhile, combined with the research on the aesthetic history, an in- sight is given into the cause, foundation and the process of Wang- Guowei's achievement in aesthetic transformation. The author's expec- tation is that from the research in the thesis, something could be drawn for the reference and criticism of the overall studies of transformation in the contemporary aesthetics. The thesis is composed of five chapters and an epilogue. Chapter â… is a simplified account of the activities and dispositions of Liu and Wang a- long with their respective aesthetic ideas. In Chapter â…¡, a detailed corn- parson is diawn between the Wen DaoGuan (Views on the principle of Tao-conveying structure) of Liu and the non 'utilitarion aesthetic per- spectives of Wang. In Chapter â…¢ , Liu and Wang are situated in another comparison concerning aesthetic ontology and aesthetic consummation. In Chapter â…£, the applied methodologies are compared between then. Chapter â…¤ looks into the pavement of the Ci Group of Changzhou and LiangQichao for Wang's transformation. The epilogue is a general com- ment upon the gains and loses and significance and values of Wang's aes- thetic ideas.