Introduction to Classic Western Aesthetic Texts

Author: Li Yanzhu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Recently, Professor Li Yanzhu handed me his new book, "An Introduction to Classic Texts of Western Aesthetics," asking me to write a preface for it. Although I hesitated slightly, I still agreed. My hesitation stemmed from the fact that, in both age and seniority, Professor Yanzhu is my senior. To write a preface for his book, I felt I wasn’t qualified enough. However, I ultimately agreed because, first, we have known each other for a long time and are close friends. Back in the 1980s, when I was still considered a "middle-aged" teacher, my respected mentor, Professor Jiang Kongyang, was still alive. Through him, we were introduced to each other. Over the past 20 years, we have not only frequently exchanged ideas academically but also deepened our personal interactions, allowing me to gain a better understanding of Professor Yanzhu’s knowledge and character. What impressed me most about Professor Yanzhu is his integrity, simplicity, warmth, and selfless help toward others. In terms of scholarship, he is persistent, diligent, and down-to-earth, making me feel he is trustworthy. As a close friend, I had no reason to refuse. Second, the topic and content of Professor Yanzhu’s new book are relatively familiar to me. When I studied under Professor Jiang Kongyang as a graduate student, my field of study was Western Aesthetics. My master’s thesis and the monograph "An Initial Exploration of Hegel’s Dramatic Aesthetic Thought" also fall under Western Aesthetic research. Over the past 20 years, Western Aesthetics has remained one of my main research directions, so Professor Yanzhu’s request was one I couldn’t refuse. Third, although I have recently led the research and writing of works such as "A General History of Western Aesthetics," I haven’t had the chance to read many newly published primary sources. Professor Yanzhu has carefully studied newly translated and published major series such as "The Complete Works of Plato" and "The Complete Works of Aristotle," gaining many new insights and understandings that are worth my learning from. Therefore, I gladly accepted this task. This book provides a comprehensive grasp of Western aesthetic classics and delves into their rich connotations. With the main purpose of rereading and interpreting classic Western aesthetic texts, it offers new discoveries, interpretations, and understandings during the process of revisiting these classics. It presents objective, fair, and unique evaluations of the great aesthetic masters and their classic texts, allowing readers to find new perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of Western aesthetic classics.