Chuang Tzu's Views on Customs and Their Aesthetic Influence

Among all the pre-Qin scholars,Chuang Tzu was the first one who revealed group characteristics of and fully affirmed individual difference based on his philosophical standpoint of naturalism.He was opposed to ritual and musical enlightenment and presented non-enlightenment to realize achievement in enlightenment and in transformation of traditions and customs on the basis of his doctrine of natural humanity.His basic principles and unique ideas provided theoretical basis for the thinkers in Han and Wei dynasties to reflect on Confucian proposition no better means than music to transform traditions and customs,and finally helped to eliminate music as an appendage to political ideology and made an important influence on conscious spirit of music gradually formed in Han and Wei dynasties.