Zen and aesthetic standards of Chinese and Japanese traditional arts

Zen was born in China, introduced into Japan and has profound influence on Chinese and Japanese traditional aesthetic standards. The common attributes of Zen theory, art thinking and aesthetic gnosis lie in intuitive insight, which makes ancient things be seen in an instant, the wonderful come from commonplace, and abstruse theories come from simplicity. Influenced by Zen, Chinese and Japanese traditional aesthetic standards are characteristic of “comprehension” and “empty”, “indifference” and “meaning”. Both standards stress the indifferent attitude towards ambitions after comprehension. Chinese art aesthetic standard emphasizes the beauty of being free from vulgarity and connotation, while Japanese art aesthetic standard pursues “quietness”, the meaning of tortuous “feelings” and regard commonness and simplicity as beauty.