"rectification Of Names" And Qin Confucian Aesthetics,

During the Spring and Autumn Period(770-476BC), the system of self center built by governors by naming every thing in three levels,namely,nature, society and ethic had been disturbed because of the change of economy and politics. Name wasn't in accordance with existence, and the order of society and ethic were broken. In order to change this situation, Confucius brought his theory of name rectification when he discussed politics. He tried to remodel the society focusing on ceremony, and the character focusing on humanity. In this way, "name rectification" became the immanent basics of Confucianism aesthetics.Mencius believed that "name rectification" should begin with the rectification of human's heart. He considered human nature was kind, thus, the human have the sprouts of humanity, Tightness, ceremony and wisdom. If we developed the sprouts by the rectification of human's heart, everyone would have "humanity ". This was also the quality the subject should have in order to cognize and name correctly. And the great verve formed by the development of this sprouts became his major standard of measuring personality.Difference with Mencius, from the aspect of epistemology, Xunzi thought that the subject of name rectification should be void and quiet. Only by this, the subject can wipe off the inner blindness, making people concentrate on the cognition of things. Then we can have a right name for existence. Finally we can unify the name and existence, then reach the purpose of "distinguish the gentle and simple, same and difference". When he explained society name rectification of Confucius, he advanced that "music can unify emotion, ceremony can distinguish difference."After Qin dynasty(221-207BC), the theory of name rectification got furtherdevelopment and perfection, at the same time, becaming ossification. At last, Mingjiao came into being and fettered human nature severely. This aroused opinions of pursuing freedom in Wei and Jin dynasty such as "transcend Mingjiao and follow the feeling", "transcend Mingjiao and follow the nature". It was the pursuing of human nature that lead the Chinese aesthetics to enter into a golden period.