"Zhu Guangqian on Beauty - A Classic Elucidation of Eastern and Western Aesthetics (Color Illustrations and Text)"

Author: Zhu Guangqian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: What is beauty? Beauty is not only in objects, nor only in the heart; it lies in the relationship between the heart and objects. However, this relationship is not, as Kant and most people imagine, with objects as stimuli and the heart as perceptions; rather, it is the heart expressing its sentiments through the images of objects. There is no beauty that exists naturally and is easily found in the world; all beauty must be created by the heart. The world of aesthetic beauty is purely an imaginative world, independent of utilitarian relationships. When creating or appreciating art, people move from the practical world of utilitarian relationships to the ideal world of realizing these relationships. The activity of art is "acting without fear for the sake of acting." I believe that whether one is engaged in scholarship or pursuing a career, they should adopt a "doing without purpose for the sake of doing" spirit, treating their scholarship or career as a work of art, seeking only to satisfy ideals and interests, without being overly concerned with gains and losses, in order to achieve true success. Great achievements all stem from a broad vision and an open mind.