Blank Absorbs Everything

Blank is an important way of interpreting the beauty of art. It has abundant theoretical sources, and there are many studies on it both in Western literary theory and Chinese Classical Aesthetics. It is mainly apt for the literary works in the former with focus on the specific and finite"appealing structure", while it can apply to any forms of art in the latter, such as, painting, architecture, calligraphy, poetry, novel, drama and so on, from which the abstract and infinite connotation is pursued. However, until now, there is little comprehensive study on blank theory with combination of the two. Along with the infiltration and integration of Chinese and Western theory, this thesis tries to get a tentative study on blank theory based on the understanding of it both at home and abroad, namely, to combine the two together so as to reveal the realm that"blank absorbs everything"with the unity of concreteness and abstract, finiteness and infiniteness, in which an illustration from John Galsworthy's The Dark Flower is used to prove the study. This attempt not only opens a new perspective understanding towards blank, but also enhances people's perception of art.There are six parts in this thesis: Introduction, four chapters of analysis and Conclusion.Introduction gives a brief analysis and literature review to blank and Galsworthy's The Dark Flower, and presents that the significance of the thesis lies in its attempt to study blank theory in the context of insufficient research both in the Western and China.Chapter One is the study of blank theory based on analysis of it both in Western literary theory and Chinese Classical Aesthetics. Four elements of the literary activity—universe, artist, work and audience, are used as the cutting point to combine concreteness and abstract, finiteness and infiniteness. It is presented specifically in three aspects, void to solid of the artist, void from solid of the work and combination of void and solid of the audience, which embodies function and connotation of blank theory through the whole activity of art creation, art work and art perception process, and finally achieves the realm of"blank absorbs everything"that blending into vast universe. In turn, the universe affects the artist and another round of void to solid of the artist, void from solid of the work and combination of void and solid of the audience starts again and circulates down constantly. Therefore, the open, infinite and eternal blank theory is produced.In next three chapters, blank theory is illustrated from the three perspectives just mentioned above with example of The Dark Flower.Chapter Two studies blank in the creation process from two aspects: creation subject and void to solid. The creation subject materializes blank in the intangible universe, in the form of void, into concrete artistic form, as Galsworthy actualizes the abstract idea of love in The Dark Flower.Chapter Three analyzes void from solid of the work through the language level, the image level and the implication level with illustration from The Dark Flower, which reveals that the alterability of language, uncertainty of image and difference of implication in the work produce response-inviting both in structure and content of art work that need receptor's participation to fill in the blank through aesthetic experience.Chapter Four focuses on the combination of void and solid of the audience. On one hand, the combination of solid work and void reader makes the work reach unity of concreteness and abstract in structure. On the other hand, the combination of void work and solid reader let the work achieve integrate of finiteness and infiniteness in content. With illustration from The Dark Flower, receptors get a full and deep understanding towards love and life that like changes of season, circulating down endlessly.Conclusion summarizes the connotation of blank theory that is suitable for all kinds of art, like painting, calligraphy, movie, novel, poetry and so on, from which the crux of blank theory—"blank absorbs everything"is achieved.