Discussion On Jin Shengtan's Novel Aesthetic Thought

During the developing course of ancient novel aesthetics of China, undoubtedlyJin Shengtan is a critic of novel theory with the significant contribution. He had donethe deepest and most valuable excavation to the ancient novel art, moreover he hadproposed many rich, profound and original viewpoints, among of which wereunprecedanted in the history of China aesthetics. Jin Shengtan is a talent in theaesthetics and literature theory criticis history of China. So it can be said that JinShengtan established the novel aesthetics of China. Now the researchs about JinShengtan's aesthetic thoughts are on the rise and the achievements seems to be quiterich. However, Jin Shengtan's thoughts about novel aesthetics are numerous anddisorder, the emphasis points of the research are many and varied. The article mainlyattempts to reorganize Jin's aesthetic thoughts in whole in order to make them moresystematic and orderer, and to highlight the most valuable parts in Jin's aestheticthoughts and its influence to the novel aesthetic development after it.The full article is divided into three parts altogether:Chapter1: "The time background and the philosophy foundation about Jin'saesthetic thoughts." Jin lived the chaotic time between Ming Dynasty and QingDynasty and the social contradiction was very intensified. These made Jin's worldoutlook and life outlook contradictory, which engraved the deep mark in his novelaesthetic thoughts. In addition, Jin's aesthetic thoughts were influenced by LiZhi'sphilosophy and Ru Shi Dao thoughts, which can be found from his novel easthetics.Chapter2: "The main frame of Jin's novel aesthetic thoughts". This chapterincludes five typical aspects: Ontology, Writing Theory, Typical Character Theory,Plot Theory and Language Theory.These aspects are very rich and important inJin's aesthetic thoughts, which can be called the main frame of his novel aestheticthoughts.Chapter3: "The influence of Jin's novel aesthetic thoughts to Qing Dynasty'snovel criticism."As a talent theorist who pushed the novel aesthetic thoughts to the highest point, Jin Shengtan's thoughts influenced Zhang Zhupo, Mao Zonggang andZhi Yanzhai after him deeply. Many viewpoints and thoughts were inherited anddeveloped by the theorists afterwards, which wrote down a deep mark in the historyof China novel aesthetics.