Philosophy Of Guo Xiang And Natural Aesthetics In The Mediaeval Times

Philosophy is the essence of the spirit of time. Philosophy of Guo Xiang, as the peak in the development of metaphysics, has its special significance in the history of Chinese philosophy. It is both the turning point from Wang Bi's metaphysics to thought in East Jin and West Jin Dynasties and medium of evolvement from metaphysics aesthetics to aesthetics of phenomenal science of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism.Although Guo Xiang's metaphysics is submerged in the history for thousands of years because of many reasons, it is sure that the development of natural aesthetics in the mediaeval times and Guo Xiang's metaphysics are both the products under the same cultural context. It is the natural fruit of continuous deconstruction of thoughts and cultural in Han Dynasty. The whole thesis can be divided into five parts.The introduction mainly describes Guo Xiang's life story and works, the research significance and basis of research of this thesis and at last the simple summary of study concerning Guo Xiang. The representative papers before 2006 concerning study of Guo Xiang from mainland China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan are listed.The first chapter mainly introduces Guo Xiang's individualization philosophy. First there is a general analysis of Guo Xiang's theory of individualization and an introduction of representative ideas in the study of individualization. Then with the Experiencing the Metaphysical Realm from the Material form as the core, the author analyzes the metaphysical structure of Guo Xiang's individuation and combs the philosophical vein with fusion. Then the author makes a comparison between Guo Xiang's metaphysics and Wang Bi and Pei Wei's metaphysics and through the comparison it concludes that Guo Xiang built the harmonious and self-sufficient philosophy of individualization and thoroughly solved the contradiction of two persons in terms of generation, being and not being, Confucian ethical codes, nature and others. At last the author gives an objective and comprehensive evaluation of the historical status of Guo Xiang's philosophy.The second chapter mainly summarizes and states the aesthetical value of Guo Xiang's philosophy of individualization. Guo Xiang's phenomenon realism of self-root definitely brings the big change of aesthetic relationship. First the author describes the change of concept of nature from the early period of Qin Dynasty to Wei-jin Dynasty. The word nature is developed to the position how the material can be so in Guo Xiang's philosophy. The upgrade of epistemology to methodology provided the metaphysical and methodology basis for aesthetics at that time. Then, Tao is in nature. (Zhuangzi·Note of Zhi Bei You), Zhuangzi cancels Tao with the feature of genesis and attributes the development and individualization of all things to nature. The second section of this chapter lists 144 entries containing nature in Zhuangzi's Note and they are summarized into seven meanings. It is through those seven meanings that Guo Xiang creates the fusion and theory of individualization. The third section mainly proves the integration of pitching and void-quietness. Pitching and void-quietness, one from Zhouyi and one from Taoism, both have own strength and weakness. The opportunity of their fusion is from the historical opportunity of literary awakening of metaphysics in Wei-jin Dynasty in which the influence of Guo Xiang's philosophy of individualization is very important. The auto stresses being of marking things in Guo Xiang's metaphysics. It highlights the substantial nature, gradually becomes the sign of free mental state of Chinese scholars and further builds the aesthetic relation between human being and natural things and phenomenon. At last the author states how philosophy of individualization develops Zhuangzi's thoughts. Have no thought to respond mystery and be obedient to feeling opens the door from outer openness to internal openness, confirms the solid foothold and starting point of his epistemology and opens the creation way blocked by Zhuangzi's internal openness.The third chapter states the influence of Guo Xiang's philosophy to aesthetics in Wei-jin and the Southern Dynasties. Wei-jin period, as the turning period of Chinese aesthetics, reflects the awakening of subject consciousness and awareness of individual theory and creation. First the author discusses the relationship between Guo Xiang's philosophy and atmosphere of recite poems as soon as looking at it. The popularity of recite poems as soon as looking at it is partly from the redefinition and understanding of peripateticism in Guo Xiang's metaphysics and partly from the primary spirit of marking natural life high in Guo Xiang's metaphysics which stresses the deep understanding of intuition at that time. Then the author introduces the historical background of the smoothing spirit theory. Through the confirmation of thing, Guo Xiang's philosophy starts the aesthetic tradition of essay is featured with similarity of shape and subtle language describes the situation and lays the foundation of ontology and epistemology for the appearance of the smoothing spirit theory. In addition, the definition of reason by Guo Xiang's philosophy is the philosophical effect of appearance of the smoothing spirit theory. After that the author introduces the aesthetic practice of the smoothing spirit theory by scholars in Wei-jin Dynasty. In the last section the author discusses the relationship between Guo Xiang's metaphysics and artistic expression means repose. Guo Xiang use the method repose the words to express meaning to illustrate Zhuangzi. Opposite of the previous theories, he marks only the primary spirit of natural life and upgrade the difference between thing and human to the highest point of Wei-jin metaphysics. Therefore, the artistic means of repose appears. Guo Xiang's theory of forget the phenomenon and essence to get the highest knowledge is the theoretical basis of repose. Repose, as an important artistic expression means, is further manifested in the pursuit of artistic individual life of scholars in later period, especially in the literary style of scenic poem, pastoral poem, and the later verse, novel, notes and others.The fourth chapter is the extension and development of the third chapter. The influence of Guo Xiang's philosophy to aesthetic thoughts is definitely reflected in the specific creation of scholars. In this chapter the author mainly discusses the influence of Guo Xiang's philosophy to the natural aesthetic creation of the East Jin and Song Dynasty. First the relationship between Guo Xiang's metaphysics and poetry of Tao Yuanming can be stated as: Tang Yuanming illustrates the aesthetic meaning of Guo Xiang's philosophy of individualization by his own essence: the confirmation of individual emotional life, willing to not pursing fame and expression of the thought of letting the nature is that. To some extent, Tao Yuanming's poetry is the literary prelude of school of Guo Xiang's metaphysics. In addition, the author states the relationship between Guo Xiang's metaphysics and scenic poem. In this section, through the definition of scenic poem, and the comparison between scenic poem and metaphysical poem and the theory of philosophy of individualization, the author concludes that the appearance of scenic poem and Guo Xiang's metaphysics are the corresponding cultural products. At last the author states the relationship between Guo Xiang's metaphysics and Zen aesthetics. From Zen koan, allegorical word and realization to truth we find that they are similar. This also proves that Guo Xiang's metaphysics has the significant influence to the direction of natural aesthetic in the medieval times.The conclusion is the summary of esthetic significance of Guo Xiang's metaphysics.