Aesthetic Experience Of The Public Domain

As a social place for free expression and exchange of ideas, the "public sphere" of an era contributes a lot in shaping people's modes of feelings, thoughts and behavior. Therefore, it also influences the formation of people's "aesthetic experiences." History of the west tells us the division between public sphere and personal sphere started from ancient Greece. And there are plenty of historical resources and discourse traditions about these two spheres in Chinese history too, though the division may not be very distinct. This dissertation takes a universal concept "public sphere" for analysis in order to reveal the characteristics and structural evolvement of aesthetic experience in public sphere and the evolution of relationship between public sphere and aesthetic experience. The whole dissertation consists of eight parts.In the introduction, "public sphere" is defined through the retrospection of all theoretical materials both at home and abroad, as well as its relevant research condition. Furthermore, the connotation of aesthetic experience is exposed based on the existing aesthetical process. This dissertation intends to analyze the categories and evolvement of public sphere in history following the lead of Arendt and Habermas on one hand, and the evolution of aesthetic experience in public sphere under the guidance of Dewey on the other hand, hence, explores the relationship between them.Chapter One analyzes the existential foundation of public sphere: public, public space, public opinion and evolutional motility of public sphere, which refers to the revolution of information transmitting means. Moreover, a concept of public sphere is initiated, as well as its existential structure, communication function and ways of existence. Aesthetic experiences in public sphere are put into emphasis for analyses based on aesthetic common sense. Aesthetic communication is communication of emotional experience in a rational way----a transformation between the individuality of emotional experiences and publicity of language. Accordingly, aesthetic needs are social needs and aesthetic communication is free communication. Chapter Two demonstrates naissance of classical public sphere and poetical existence of human beings. The establishment of the polis in ancient Greece roots from the separation of one's personal life and people's political life in the city. The polis makes ancient Greek public sphere possible. The aesthetic experiences of public sphere are characterized by the political life which citizens share in common activities. This is the reason why ancient Greek civilians regard ethic perfection as their highest ideal of life. In pre-Qin times in China, scholar-bureaucrats develop their own theories, start private schools, maneuver among various political groups, canvass for political support. They take state affairs as their own responsibility and helping ruling as their social ambitions. Public sphere appears in China at that time. Facing the serious social reality of the collapse of ethic code system, they follow the Confucian rites to realize their aesthetic ideals, which cause the utilitarianism of aesthetic experiences in public sphere. However, the terminal aesthetic destination of public sphere in China is to pursue the utmost kindness and perfect beauty.Chapter Three reviews frustration of public sphere and withdrawal of sensibility in the Middle Ages of Europe. During the long dark Middle Ages, public sphere shrinks dramatically since the whole social life is controlled by religion. Therefore, churches become main places of public sphere and dominate social life in the Middle Ages. Equal game theories thus become unilateral devotion. Aesthetic experiences surpass illusions of mundane life to transcendental divinity through religious activities and finally reach perfect union of goodness and beauty. As for China, from the first unified dynasty----Qin to the prosperous Han and Tang, main places of public sphere are courts and schools. Because political powers completely control the intellectual class, subjects of criticism in public sphere are institutionalized. Public spaces decrease to the utmost. Tradition of free discussions among scholar-bureaucrats struggles to maintain the existence of public sphere. All these make the function of criticism of the intellectual class as a whole dissolve. There is no sensible criticism as a whole, but only few individual protests. Aesthetic experiences hereby turn into subordinate of feudal moral and ethical symbols of worldly life.Chapter Four explores the development of public sphere and disenchantment of emotions. Renaissance and the Enlightenment Movement cooperate to help the formation of a citizen society in Europe. As a result, religious culture is replaced by worldly culture; individuals are released from churches; personal sphere is separated from the state. The main places of public sphere are no longer churches but squares again. As the critical nature of public sphere emerges, aesthetic experiences are liberated from the threat of religion and public power. Consequently, humanists and enlighteners show their individuality and experiences without reservation as subjects of criticism in public sphere. Aesthetic experiences give off a blaze of humanity that have never been emitted before. China, however, starts its modernization from the Song Dynasty, and the process does not end until the dusk of the Qing Dynasty----the end of whole feudal society in China. Knowledge discourse and political power separate as well as counteract. The main places of public sphere are courts and schools, especially the colleges. The neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming dynasties greatly influence the evolvement of knowledge and thoughts, and the evolution of culture and art henceforth. Accompanied by the development of commercial economy and prosperity of private schools, Chinese society bears a tendency of secularization and citizenization. All these lead to the emergence and development of a public sphere in literature. Aesthetic experiences represent peculiar secularity and individuation that have never been seen.Chapter Five discusses the transfiguration of modern public sphere in the middle of 19^th century and features of aesthetic salvation. In the west, with e development of capitalism and rationality, the fusion of state and society leads to the transfiguration of public sphere of bourgeoisie. Critical public becomes consumptive public. Public sphere loses it independent function of criticism and is manipulated by state power. As "the flowers of evil", aesthetic experiences present the reasonability of satisfaction and fullfill the assignment of aesthetic salvation. The latest one hundred year is an era of turbulence in China. Historical themes in this period are against invasion, searching for independence, freedom and democracy. During this period, state mobilizes the whole society in the name of nation, which makes the unity of state and society. Finally, the expansion of political public sphere overwhelms personal sphere. Aesthetic experiences shoulder a responsibility of constructing the identity of nation, identity of state and identity of culture. Social concerns substitute personal emotions, and aesthetic salvation merges into national liberation and development.Chapter Six studies the issue of reconstruction of public sphere and features of emotional experiences in a time of globalization. In the globalized and informationalized world, freedom and equality, rational argumentation, harmonious communication are realized in public sphere as they are meant to be. Subjects of aesthetic communication in public sphere become some changeable selves and others, some vagrants and travelers. The places they have been are totally surrounded by visual information, which provides instant satisfaction for thirsty bodies. However, aesthetic objects in public sphere are merely constantly changing imitated images. Because of the ambiguity of virtual reality and realistic fiction, the internet space highlights the rupture of people's feelings and its substitution----electronic fiction. Subjects of aesthetic communication in public sphere in the internet time are transformed in to bits, which have no weight or quality, exist nowhere yet everywhere. As an infeasible ideal and an aesthetic image, all information from all times and all places get together in the end.The conclusion points out that aesthetic communication is a kind of communication both of emotions and interest. Whereas it is the public sphere which we must enter into provides us the feasibility of this communication. Aesthetic communication in public sphere purifies the emotional rushes in human behaviors and makes them more sensible, while it also weakens the compulsion of human sense so as to make their behaviors more sensitive and free. All in all, only when we are selfless and return back to public life, may we realize transcendental co-existence.