The Study About "Xiang" Of Chinese Classicalaesthetics Category

"Xiang"category is a basic category of Chinese classical aesthetics, and"Xiang"acts as the aesthetic object in the aesthetic process, it has a close contact with Chinese Aesthetic Object Theory. In Chinese classical aesthetics"Xiang"is not only the external form of the aesthetic object, but also the subjective meaning which is gave by the aesthetic subject to the aesthetic object in the aesthetic process, namely that it has the character of unity of form and spirit, it is the unity of form and content. The"form"and"spirit"of"Xiang"are not always balanced, during the lengthy dynastic replacement in our country, it appears different representative literary thought and artistic form in different historical periods. The evolution of the literary thought and artistic form embodies the liquidity of the internal components of"Xiang"category. It also embodies that aesthetic subject carries on different observation and focuses on different angle to aesthetic object in different historical periods.The preface of this paper introduces the research status and research significance of"Xiang"category, a good many scholars carried on research and interpretation on"Xiang"from different angle. We could understand the popular aesthetic thought of different historical periods through the research on the aesthetic object in different historical periods in ancient China, it is also conducive to the study of the historical development of the classical aesthetics in China.This research is divided into three sections:The first part mainly explores the origin and connotation of"Xiang". We could understand"Xiang"as a pure character how to evolve into a aesthetic category through the research on the birth of the character"Xiang"and the evolution of part of speech."Xiang"acts as the aesthetic object in the aesthetic process, it has the characteristic of unity of form and spirit, it consists of"form"and"spirit". According to the process of observation, creation and appreciation,"Xiang"is classified into representation, image and image beyond the object.The second part discusses the historical development of"Xiang"in the ancient society in China, it also studies the static constitution and dynamic flow of"Xiang"through the research of the different artistic forms in different historical periods. It respectively wrote the development of"Xiang"in the Dynasty of Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, explored the evolution of the aesthetic significance of"Xiang"in different historical periods and the influence on the aesthetic ideal of the time. In the Dynasty of Qin, Han, it talked about the xiang thinking which existed in the primitive religious culture, studied the germination and development of"Xiang"thinking through pictographic implements and pictographic grain decoration explored the cultural characteristics through the representative thought of the Pre-Qin thinkers. In the Dynasty of Wei, Jin, Tang and song, it mainly discussed the links and derivative relationship between"Xiang"category and other literary theory categories. On these grounds it shows that"Xiang"category is an important basic category of classical aesthetics in China, it is a aesthetic thought which contains both inclusiveness and creation. In the Dynasty of Yuan, Ming and Qing, it rised from the commodity economy. In the historical background of the subjective emotions which is attached importance, it understood the dynamic flow of the"form"and"spirit"of"Xiang"through the research of the presentation of"Xiang"in the flield of painting, calligraphy and opera, etc.The third part explored the influence caused by"Xiang"on Chinese classical aesthetics and the modern significance of the study of"Xiang"category. The influence on Chinese classical aesthetics mainly reflects on: prompting the ancients use the appreciation mode which notices comprehension and experiences, it has the characteristic of interacting between the subject and object; we can comb other related categories while study"Xiang", enhance the comprehension of the relationship among each categories, then conducive to collectively grasp Chinese classical aesthetics system. The present research significances are: it conducive to keep the characteristics of Chinese culture, make Chinese classical culture be saved more completely; it helps realize the complement of Chinese and Western aesthetics; it helps correct some current informal aesthetic habits; it dicussed how to give some guidance to current esthetics research through the study of our classic aesthetics categories.The epilogue of this paper made a simple summary of research status of the whole paper, and it put forward some problems which need further study, such as: how to use Chinese classical aesthetics to guide current esthetics research, how to realize the complement of Chinese and Western aesthetics, etc.