Myth of Light and Time: A Series of Books on Aesthetic Design and Art Education

Author: (Canada) Weisi, translated by Hu Jihua and others
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: In the current so-called knowledge economy era, the immense pressures of real life are growing day by day. People not only need various useful knowledge as means to find employment and make a living but also require aesthetic wisdom as a support for self-redemption. This kind of wisdom, in the realm of artistic expression, helps achieve creation from nothingness or innovation by breaking conventions; in spiritual life, it fosters a taste for appreciating the myriad things of the world or aesthetic freedom for self-entertainment. With this wisdom, people can hope to restore their true self-knowledge, improve their quality of life, and further see the true essence of life in calm seas and still waters, recognize the nature of the mind in faint flavors and sparse sounds, listen to the harmonious melodies of heaven and nature in the rustling of pine trees and the gurgling of springs, and discern the wondrous art of the universe in the misty light at grassy edges and the reflections of clouds in water. In environmental design and artistic decoration, one can savor the elegance and beauty, and from fine works such as calligraphy, painting, music, and dance, one can gain various aesthetic experiences. It is worth noting that in Western cultural tradition, love of wisdom is philosophy, and wisdom has two wings. One is the theoretical emphasis on contemplation and reflection, and the other is the practical approach of taking concrete actions. This original meaning has endured for over two thousand years, evolving in Croce's spiritual philosophy into a "two categories, four dimensions" system. Following this line of thought, the human pursuit of wisdom in cognitive activities is divided into the two major categories of theory and practice.