Aesthetics in Four Lectures (Revised and Illustrated Edition)

Author: Li Zehou
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: This book is a monograph by Professor Li Zehou that comprehensively and systematically expounds his aesthetic thought, accompanied by exquisite illustrations. It guides readers into the magnificent palace of aesthetics, truly a classic work of aesthetic reading for the general public. From ancient to modern times, from the West to the East, the author addresses and analyzes contemporary aesthetic issues, critiquing the views of famous scholars and schools while also presenting his own unique perspective. Together with The Odes of the Way and The Aesthetics of Huaxia, it forms a complete, unified, and richly diverse landscape of aesthetics. Starting from the concept of "the naturalization of nature," the author advocates the "anthropological historical ontology," establishing a grand theoretical framework with a rigorous structure. It not only responds to current mainstream domestic and international schools of aesthetics but also explores, from a philosophical height, the unity of society and nature through the practice and accumulation of the subject. The book discusses such issues as the ontological existence of beauty and humans, the "mathematical formula" of aesthetic feeling and psychological emotions, artistic products and works, "postmodernism," and proposes a future where beauty is interconnected with the fate of humanity. The book is divided into four parts, answering four questions in sequence: What is aesthetics? What is beauty? What is aesthetic feeling? What is art? With concise, powerful, and highly condensed language, the author cites a wealth of references and presents the content in a conversational manner, guiding readers through careful reading and deep reflection to enter the magnificent palace of aesthetics.