Research On The "Bone" Theory In The Pre-Tang Dynasty

“Jin Qu Zhu Shen” is a unique expression of metaphorical thinking in ancient China.Under this principle,there are a large number of very physical vocabulary and concepts in Chinese classical aesthetics.“Gu”(bone)is one of them.As a part of our body,bone has inherent nature that are slender,hard and can straightly sting.The ancients created the Chinese characters of “Gu” by xiang-xing.In the Qin and Han dynasties,it is one of the important standards of the physiognomy to predict people's fate.At this stage,the use of “Gu” is full of pragmatism,and it does not have aesthetic attributes.However,the emergence of the physiognomy has made the physical bones begin to be associated with human vitality and other abstract attributes.The Wei and Jin Dynasties is the initial stage of the theory of “Gu”.This category,in the Han and Wei Dynasties,gradually transferred from “physiognomy” to “character evaluation” and combines with the “Feng”(wind)to form “Feng Gu”,a core aesthetic category.It's mainly used for the aesthetics of body and has political color and moral meaning.For example,“Gu Geng” represented the image about the loyalty of “dare to admonish straightly,integrity and incorruptible”.“Feng Gu” represented the characteristics of heroic and positive personality,and not being stagnant by the common things.In this period,the theory of painting connect to the characters aesthetics and art criticism.It not only uses "Gu" to describe the profile of the characters in the painting,but also regulates the pen using by “Gu Fa”.This period was an important stage in the comprehensive development of the “Gu” theory.From the literature point of view,the popularization of painting theory is slightly earlier than the handwriting,and the completely ture handwriting literature appeared in the Southern Dynasties.During the Southern Dynasties,“Feng Gu” appeared in the Wen Xin Diao Long,which became the formal establishment of the “Gu” theory in the literary criticism.“Gu” means vigorous,stern and powerful aesthetic value and an expression of critique.These characteristics are derived from the physical properties of the bones,such as “hard and straight”.Through the “metaphorical thinking” shared by human beings,“Gu” first became a language symbol.The “mirror neurons”,which naturally exist in our brains,enables people to connect the feeling of stimulation with the symbols,providing physiological evidence for the arousal of the "presence".Therefore,the “bone” in the flesh has become an appropriate aesthetic category to express vigorous and stern.