The Feminine Features Of Chinese Traditional Aesthetics

Different from Western aesthetic philosophy which centers on reason and logic, traditional Chinese aesthetic focuses on experience and perceptual knowledge, which is more harmonious and feminine. The aesthetic tendency of feminine characteristics embodied in every aspect of Chinese traditional culture. In the first place, Chinese classical literature opened up the romantic tradition of "vanilla beauty" since The Songs of Chu in pre-Qin period. In Song Dynasty, the graceful poetry had its own characteristics and the literary became the tradition of "dignified Shi and enchanting Ci". Secondly, China has a long traditional opera history. The opera style evolved from the coexistence of energetic northern opera and soft Southern opera to the southern opera which melt the north one, and then to the boom of Kun Opera. After that, Beijing Opera which was good at feminine beauty turned into national opera. Gradually, the gently beautiful posture and delicate in Beijing Opera has been inherited from then on. Once again, China has nearly seven thousand years of Jade culture. It developed from "Jade God" to "Jade Ritual" and then "Jade Morals". In ancient times, jade was worshiped as "Jade God" which was a solemn totem symbol; and jade was turned to an important ritual symbol and solemn sacrificial vessel in civilized society; then it became to morality and aesthetics symbol of implicit, polite and gentle spirits in moral aspect. Jade eventually became an important part of national cultural psychology by means of literature. Finally, Chinese traditional ink wash painting emphasizes that ink is melted by water to draw natural scenery in dark and light colors. Chinese people praise highly "ink" color with low, fresh and simple characteristics, from which we can see the feminine tendency of Chinese national aesthetic consciousness.China is relatively isolated is the first cause of the tendency. It is surrounded by mountains in the west side, and the east of China are seas and oceans. Thus, Chinese cultural character is introverted with the favor of harmony and ethic. From the mid-Tang dynasty, the southern cultural character with gentle temperament becomes the mainstream, which direct impact Chinese aesthetic. Secondly, Chinese tend to the women thinking, which is peaceful and modest. Under its influence, Chinese people select the aesthetic which is reserved and harmony. Thirdly, the gentle and soft Confucian cultural and the feminine Taoist culture also affect the aesthetic by cultural awareness. Finally, our mythology contains widely Goddess worship. The Goddess image includes of reproduction, caring for people, and gentle culture, which seeps in many fields, like literature, sculpture and paintings. The growth of Goddess worship promotes feminine anesthetic’s development.