Art As The Concealment And Manifestation Of Noumenon

Art is the spiritual product of mankind, whose creation and appreciation are under the profound influence of human philosophy, whereas the highest form of philosophy is ontology, which embodies certain culture's inquiry about origin and existence. Consequently, a study of noumenon is an important approach to interpret art from philosophical perspective.The word "Ben Ti" means origin and naturalness in archaic Chinese. In that context, although Chinese traditional philosophy does not have a discipline similar to western ontology, it pursues transcendence and inquires about origin with its own outlook of noumenon which believes that there exist origin and basis of transcendence in secular life and order. In Chinese culture which is the confluence of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, the origin and basis are called by a group of words like heaven, Daoism, (elementary) Qi, (Tai) Yi, Tai Chi, Tai Xu, Xuan, the Promise, harmony and mechanism. In the philosophical visual threshold, "Taoism is not far from people" and noumenon is just concealed in all creatures in the universe that it gives birth to, manifesting in witty and penetrating remarks.As characters of noumenon, Concealment and manifestation are also the artistic way of being in Chinese classical aesthetic concept. Owing to the promotion of ontological concept, Chinese art achieves its consciousness, which is the "image of Taoism" or "artistic conception". Investigating the two categories of ingenuity and conception and distinguishing artistry from art, artisan from artist is the primary premise of restoring Chinese classical conception in art and literature- noumenon concealment and manifestation.Viewing art and literature, noumenon concealment and manifestation conception maintains that art and its products are not solid and physical but dynamic and changeable by the promotion of Taoism, with Qi ("Qi-yun") as their motive force. The course of motion reflects infinite creativity and productivity. Therefore, both art creation and appreciation are the conflict and combination of way of heaven and human mind on special occasions. Artists thus gain detached bliss and absolute freedom, restoring human nature. Art products transcend materiality into divine being, for they are the manifestation and images. Then art becomes the way by which the audience meets the indescribable, with matter manifesting consciousness. Soul gets access to noumenon and freedom in the realm of Taoism. Accordingly, through concealment and manifestation, art enlightens the deepest truth (the truth of being, not the truth in science) of the whole universe, history and life.