2007•Journal of Shanghai Normal UniversityRequires access
Boundary of the "Beauty" in Confucian Aesthetics of the Pre-Qin Period
Qian Zhang
Open publisher page 0 citations
Abstract
Beauty is a very important concept in Confucian aesthetics of the pre-Qin period(before 221 BC,when the first emperor of Qin Dynasty united China).Confucian aesthetics of that period defines this concept in terms of two major aspects: the negative approach by which it is stressed that beauty is not good in the aesthetic meaning;the positive way by which two factors are stressed: one is that beauty is relevant to the feeling which is not an animal's sense,the other is that beauty is highlighted as a special form(wen) with a certain meaning.The beauty in Confucian aesthetics of the pre-Qin period may be defined as a wen(form) capable of communicating feelings or activating the reaction of feelings.