Research Into The Artistic Thought Of Deng Yi-zhe

Deng Yi-zhe is the noted expert on aesthetics and artistic in current China. In 1930s and1940s the field of Chinese aesthetics used to call " In the south we have Zong;in the north wehave Deng". In early 20th century, Deng went abroad to study philosophy in Japan andAmerica, and he focused on the study and research of artistic philosophy. His research ismainly on artistic appreciation. And he is particularly brilliant in the study of aesthetics onChinese traditional calligraphy and painting.Deng took arts as supernatural and an expression of ideal world, in this way he highlightsthe entire artistic world form a view as high as philosophy. He integrates Immanuel Kant'sultra-utilitarianism and Yuan Mei's soul performance;hence brought arts to the altitude of theideal and prospect of human life. On the one hand he put great emphasis on theultra-utilitarianism of arts, on the other hand he also emphasizes the connection between artand life, and therefore he esteems the art of human life. He also emphasizes the contactbetween arts and society, thinking the society needs the artists, and vice versa. Artists andsociety should combine tightly, thus put the soul of arts and society together.Probe into painting artistic is an important essay on painting aesthetics, published byDeng in 1947. In this paper, Deng thought the art experienced the process from usage todecoration, and then from decoration to the esthetic appreciation. And the painting art alsounderwent a process from "body" to "form", then "form" to "soul". At the same time Dengexpressed the development of aesthetics appreciation of painting art from the point of view of"vividness to soul to mood". For him, mood is the integration of "vividness" and "soul".Mood lays particularly stress on the representation of heart, and it is displayed in "spirit"."Spirit is the supreme achievement of calligraphy and painting and the uppermost attainmentsof aesthetics."Appreciation of calligraphy is a theoretical works on calligraphy art. Deng believe that"mood is bound to be explicated in terms of form." He illustrated the meaning from theaspects of "stroke", "frame" and 'method". Stroke casts special meaning in Chinese traditionarts of calligraphy and painting as the unique factor of it.Deng studied Chinese tradition theory of calligraphy and painting from a view ofphilosophical theory, his study integrated historical research with philosophical analysis andcombined macroscopic historical grasp and microcosmic theoretical deduce. His study is theproper probe into the aesthetical history of calligraphy and painting, and an early study ofspecialized history of Chinese aesthetics. His thesis of "History of painting is the theory of it"casts great enlightenment for us, and his way of research is also worth study andreference.