On The Aesthetics Of Wu Of Chuang-Tzu

Generally speaking,Chuang-Tzu's Aesthetics is the Aesthetics about Tao,and the beauty is the appearance of Tao.But Chuang-Tzu's Tao is stipulated by Wu,thus Chuang-Tzu's Aesthetics is the Aesthetics which stipulated by Wu,or gives Wu priority to You(Being)in which the two are complementary to each other.There are four meanings of Tao in etymology:roads,guidance,blazing roads,living roads.The first two is the basic meaning of Tao.Road is a guiding road,and the guiding is the achievement and completement of the road.The last two both emphasize the becoming of Tao.Chuang-Tzu's Tao mainly includes three aspects:the existing,thoughtful and linguistic.The existing Tao also contains three aspects:the physical Tao,metaphysical Tao and the self-denial Tao.Chuang-Tzu emphasizes the guiding and becoming of Tao.Tao is something that exists firstly,which is the constant and supreme existence.It is the basis of other things.At the same time,it also exists in other things.This process is a appearance,implementation and completement of Tao.Tao,however,originates from non-existence,and exists in the form of non-existence,which is invisible,unknown and unspeakable.In terms of existence,Tao is quiet,serene,insipid,lonely,inaction and twilight;In terms of thought,Tao Looks like stupid;In terms of language,Tao Looks like silent.So the nature of Tao is Wu.Although Tao exists,it is stipulated by Wu.There are three kinds of Wu in the Chuang-Tzu:the physical Wu of things,the metaphysical Wu of Tao and the self-denial of Wu of Tao.In terms of the Wu of things,it can negate the artificial beings,lose sight of the natural beings,and make the beings out of nothing.In terms of the Wu of Tao,everything is not only originated from it,but also stipulated by it.And the self-denial of Tao is not only the completement of Wu,but also the self-fulfillment of Tao.This kind of Wu in the Chuang-Tzu concretely displayed in three aspects:the existing Wu—non-benevolence,the thoughtful Wu—non-knowledge,the linguistic Wu—non-language.From the angle of human,non-benevolence,non-knowledge and non-language mean that people must deny the artificial benevolence,knowledge and language,forget the natural benevolence,knowledge and language.From the angle of Tao,non-benevolence,non-knowledge and non-language are originate from the nature of Tao.From the perspective of self-denial of Tao,non-benevolence,non-knowledge and non-language refused to become a new constraint.In the Chuang-Tzu,things are roughly equivalent to You(beings).Things can be divided into sensible things,insensible things and the whole things,and it also can be divided into natural things,artificial ones and the happening ones,etc.But fundamentally speaking,things can be divided into two types:the things which stipulated by You(Being)and the things which stipulated by Wu.The latter gets Tao.Wu is not only the origin of things,but also the nature of it.For the thing,it need uselessness,which can protect and hold itself.For the human,he does nothing,which can not hurt and interfere other things.So Wu protects all things.Human is the special things in the Chuang-Tzu,who is also stipulated by Wu.On the one hand,his body is stipulated by Wu.In terms of origin,he is nothing but the accumulation and dispersion of the gas;In terms of nature,he can truly exist only when he doesn't seem to exist.On the other hand,his mind is also stipulated by Wu?No-mind.From negative aspects,No-mind means denying the artificial mind.From certain aspects,No-mind means that the mind was empty,quiet and insipid originally.No-mind is the nature of mind.It is his mind that makes human special.By the Wu of mind(negation,forgetfulness and translation),he returns to Tao.And the process of returning to Tao is also the returning to Wu and Beauty.It is in the horizon of Tao that beauty is related to Wu.However,in the horizon of human,beauty is associated with You(beings).So Chuang-Tzu Aesthetics emerged as the opponents of secular beauty.It is the aesthetics in the life world,rather than rational aesthetics;It is the aesthetics of unification of the human and the world,rather than the separation between them;It is the letting aesthetics,rather than creating aesthetics.Chuang-Tzu Aesthetics is different from the human-centered aesthetics.Chuang-Tzu Aesthetics is the aesthetics stipulated by Wu,and its beauty is stipulated by Wu.Firstly,the beauty embodied in the physical Wu of things.On the one hand,it is the Wu as negation which can negate the false appearance and reveal the truth.On the other hand,as the thoughtful and linguistic Wu,it also can generate the beauty of ignorance and silence.Secondly,this kind of beauty also embodied in the metaphysical Wu of Tao,which is different from the beauty of sense,truth and good.It's the really great beauty.Finally,the beauty also embodied in the self-denial of Wu of Tao,which is the complete and perfect implementation of itself.Based on these,the process of beauty of Wu characterized by three phases:Shun as letting,Yu as giving and Sheng as becoming.So Chuang-Tzu's beauty lies mainly in three aspects:Firstly,it means appearance,which is not only appeared to himself,but also opened to others,and not only a sensuous appearance,but also a perfect show.Secondly,it means lighting up,which is not only appeared to himself,but also lighted up the others,and let the world under the light.Thirdly,it means perfect,which refers to the beauty of completement and entirety.On this basis,the talented person can get the free and easy wandering and the great happiness.However,the beauty of Wu is not equal to that of Tao.The latter contains the former,although the former stipulates the latter.Chuang-Tzu's beauty of Wu has an important significance in the history of the aesthetics and art.To reveal various forms' beauty of Wu become a common pursuit of the Aesthetes and Artists which is intentional or unintentional,and which lighted up their art and life.Of course,Chuang-Tzu's beauty of Wu also has its own demerits such as the loss of the beauty of You(Being),and the deficiency of the beauty of Wu,and the simplification of the Wu as a negation,and the abstraction of unification,the absolutization of the nature and mind...In a word,Chuang-Tzu's beauty of Wu is not perfect enough,which is just on the way.