The article explores the aesthetic theory of Shitao, an early Qing dynasty painter who belonged to the Individualist school of painting which advocated painting from subjective experience of life and ...learning from the Dao, thus following the aesthetic tradition of literati landscape painters. Shitao composed his own theory of painting and aesthetics in the work The Remarks on Painting (Huayulu 畫語錄), which was the result of his artistic practice and philosophical reflections collected throughout his life. The article delves into Shitao’s critique of the Traditionalist school of painting which prevailed in his time as the mainstream painting style, advocating imitation and repetition of the old masters. For Shitao and other Individualist painters, such an approach and attitude towards art led to creative stagnation and a departure from the aesthetic ideals of classical landscape painting. With their artistic and theoretical intervention, however, they managed to preserve, upgrade and bring to life new perspectives in artistic production and aesthetic theories. This paper presents Shitao’s defence of subjectivity as a vital catalyst for the rejuvenation of artistic perspectives and the restoration of Chinese art, thus providing an invaluable contribution to the discourse on artistic creativity and subjectivity.
Članek prouči estetsko teorijo slikarja Shitaota iz zgodnjega obdobja dinastije Qing, ki je pripadal struji individualističnega slikarstva. Ta zagovarja slikarstvo, ki izhaja iz subjektivnih izkušenj življenja in učenja od Daota, s čimer sledi estetski tradiciji krajinskega slikarstva literatov. Shitao je ustvaril lastno teorijo slikarstva in estetike v delu Zapisi o slikarstvu (Huayulu 畫語錄), ki predstavlja rezultat njegove vseživljenjske umetniške prakse in filozofskih razmišljanj. Članek se osredotoča na Shitaovo kritiko tradicionalistične struje slikarstva, ki je kot glavni slog slikarstva prevladovala v njegovem času in temeljila na doslednem posnemanju starih mojstrov. Za Shitaota in druge individualistične slikarje je takšen pristop in odnos do umetnosti vodil v ustvarjalno stagnacijo in odmik od estetskih idej klasičnega krajinskega slikarstva. S svojim umetniškim in teoretskim posredovanjem so individualistični slikarji uspeli ohraniti, nadgraditi in oživeti nove perspektive v umetniški produkciji in estetskih teorijah. Članek predstavi Shitaovo zagovarjanje subjektivnosti kot ključne pobudnice v produkciji novih umetniških perspektiv in obnovitvi kitajske umetnosti, ki predstavlja neprecenljiv prispevek k razpravi o umetniški ustvarjalnosti in subjektivnosti.
The article examines the research methodology of Chinese intellectual history developed by the Modern Confucian Xu Fuguan 徐復觀 (1904–1982). His novel methodological approach differed significantly ...from the methodology advocated by Fu Sinian 傅斯年 (1896–1950), the founder of the Institute of History and Philology of Academia Sinica in 1928, who advocated a rigorous adoption of Western scientific methodology in historical research, based exclusively on a philological perspective. Fu Sinian’s methodological approach, however, prevailed among Chinese historians in mainland China in the first half of the 20th century and in Taiwan after 1949. Xu Fuguan was highly critical of such an approach, considering it inadequate and inappropriate because it did not allow for conceptual interpretations on the one hand, and disregarded the contextualization and historical development of concepts and meanings on the other. Xu’s methodology is based on the application of the hermeneutic circle, which Xu calls dynamic and structural holism from a comparative perspective. In his methodology, a method of seeking embodied experience (zhui tiyan de fangfa 追體驗的方法) and intersubjectivenes (zhuti jianxing 主題間性) play a crucial role as they enable actualization of and communication with ancient thinkers in present times. However, Xu’s methodological approaches are also strikingly similar to Gadamer’s method of the fusion of horizons and Schleiermacher’s hermeneutic circle, which begs the question whether his critique of Fu’s adoption of Western methods was not based upon hypocritical grounds.
The article examines the specifics of the Chinese containment measures of the COVID-19 pandemic and their social consequences at the beginning of 2021. The author analyses empirical psychological ...research results on distress and anxiety of people in times of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, and explores to what degree the individual feelings of anxiety in contemporary China are conditioned by the traditionally prevailing absence of faith in higher transcendent forces on the one hand, and social isolation on the other. It proceeds from Xu Fuguan’s interpretation of the origins of a traditional Chinese concept of “concerned consciousness” (youhuan yishi 憂患意識). The author shows that this concept can be compared to the feeling of anxiety, but highlights important differences which separate it from the anxiety as developed and understood in the framework of modern Western philosophy. The paper aims to provide some preliminary answers to the questions of whether and in what way such a traditional feeling of anxiety in the sense of a “concerned consciousness” manifested itself in the period of social isolation that was implemented as a part of the government measures for the COVID-19 pandemic in China. These questions are being investigated through an analysis of philosophical studies on concerned consciousness on the on hand, and a contemporary case study on the other. The results show that the specifically Chinese kind of anxiety, which is rooted in concerned consciousness, is tightly linked to the relational nature of Chinese ethics and the corresponding understanding of individual identity. In addition, it is connected with the traditional understanding of human destiny, which is not fatalistic or determinist, but rather based on autonomous decisions based on the social responsibilities of a free human self.
U članku se ispituje sadržaj i značenje kineskog estetskog koncepta shensi i njegov odnos prema pojmu najvišeg estetskog područja (jingjie). Duhovnu kontemplaciju ili umjetničku uobrazilju (shensi) ...temeljito je istražio Liu Xie (465. – 522.) u svom teorijskom radu o književnom pisanju Književni um i rezbarenje zmajeva u 6. stoljeću. Ovo je djelo prva sustavna teorija umjetničkog stvaralaštva u klasičnoj kineskoj estetici. Međutim, estetsku teoriju jingjie-ja prvi je istražio Wang Changling (698. – 756.) tijekom dinastije Tang, ali ju je dalje razvio Wang Guowei (1877. – 1927.) na pragu 20. stoljeća, što se smatra početkom modernizacije kineske estetike. Članak detaljno istražuje oba koncepta i argumentira da je shensi zapravo estetska metoda koja vodi do postizanja najviše estetičke sfere (jingjie) kada se uspješno primjenjuje i pojavljuje u umjetničkom procesu i samom umjetničkom djelu.Keywords
Cet article examine le contenu et la signification du concept esthétique chinois shensi et son rapport au concept de la plus haute sphère esthétique (jingjie). La contemplation spirituelle, ou l’imagination artistique (shensi), a été rigoureusement étudiée par Liu Xie (465 – 522) dans son travail théorique sur l’écriture littéraire Le Cœur de la littérature et la Sculpture des dragons au VIème siècle. Cette œuvre constitue la première théorie systématique de la création artistique dans l’esthétique classique chinoise. Cependant, la théorie esthétique du jingjie a été pour la première fois étudiée par Wang Changling (698 – 756) durant la dynastie Tang, mais a été plus tard développée par Wang Guowei (1877 – 1927) à l’aube du XXème siècle, ce qui est considéré comme le début de la modernisation de l’esthétique chinoise. Cet article visite de manière détaillée les deux concepts et soutient que le shensi est, en réalité, une méthode esthétique qui mène à la réalisation de la plus haute sphère esthétique (jingjie) lorsque son application est menée à bien, et qu’elle se manifeste dans le processus artistique et dans l’œuvre artistique même.
Der Artikel untersucht den Inhalt und die Bedeutung des chinesischen ästhetischen Begriffs shensi und dessen Beziehung zur Notion der höchsten ästhetischen Sphäre jingjie. Spirituelle Kontemplation oder künstlerische Einbildungskraft (shensi) wurde von Liu Xie (465–522) im 6. Jahrhundert in seiner theoretischen Arbeit zum literarischen Schreiben, Wenxin Diaolong: Das literarische Schaffen ist wie das Schnitzen eines Drachen, profund erforscht. Dieses Werk ist die erste systematische Theorie des künstlerischen Schaffens in der klassischen chinesischen Ästhetik. Der ästhetischen Theorie des jingjie ist allerdings Wang Changling (698–756) während der Tang-Dynastie als Erster auf den Grund gegangen; sie wurde aber von Wang Guowei (1877–1927) an der Schwelle zum 20. Jahrhundert weiterentwickelt, die als Beginn der Modernisierung der chinesischen Ästhetik angesehen wird. Der Artikel exploriert beide Konzepte im Detail und argumentiert, dass shensi tatsächlich die ästhetische Methode ist, die zum Erreichen der höchsten ästhetischen Sphäre (jingjie) führt, wenn sie erfolgreich angewendet und im künstlerischen Prozess sowie im Kunstwerk selbst manifestiert wird.
The article examines the content and meaning of the Chinese aesthetic concept of shensi and its relation to the notion of the highest aesthetic realm (jingjie). Spiritual contemplation or artistic imagination (shensi) was thoroughly explored by Liu Xie (465 – 522) in his theoretical work on literary writing The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons in the 6th century. This work is the first systematic theory of artistic production in classical Chinese aesthetics. The aesthetic theory of jingjie, however, was first explored by Wang Changling (698 – 756) in the Tang Dynasty, but further developed by Wang Guowei (1877 – 1927) on the threshold of the 20th century, which is considered the beginning of the modernisation of Chinese aesthetics. The article explores both concepts in detail and argues that shensi is actually the aesthetic method that leads to the attainment of the highest aesthetic realm (jingjie) when successfully applied and manifested in the artistic process and in the artwork itself.
The article explores the socio-political and historical development of the great debate on aesthetics and the aesthetic fever in China during the 20th century. It introduces the main figures of the ...aesthetic movement and their aesthetic theories. It introduces the period of appropriation of the aesthetic debates to Marxist ideology that prevailed in China after 1949 and lasted until the end of 1970s. The 1980s and 1990s represent a shift in the Chinese aesthetic debate which focused on the adoption of Western aesthetic concepts and paradigms in a more scientific way. The article tackles the problem of Chinese society on the verge of the millennium, and problematizes the consumerism of art and attitudes towards aesthetics in general.
The article investigates the political views of one of the most prominent representatives of the so-called second generation of Modern Confucianism, Xu Fuguan. It reveals his unique position within ...this intellectual movement. Even though all other adherents of Modern Confucianism were focused upon metaphysics and ontology rather than political theory, Xu believed that these lines of thought could not contribute enough to solving the various urgent social and political problems of modern China. In this regard, the present article focuses upon a critical analysis of Xu’s critique of the Chinese Communist Party. The author presents and evaluates his critique mainly with regard to his search for a resolution of the problematic and chaotic political and social situation of China during the first half of the 20th century. In conclusion, the author provides a critical evaluation of Xu’s social democratic thought and particularly of his attitude towards the Chinese Communist Party.
The topical processes of modern identity-making within Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) on the one hand, and China on the other, are fundamentally results of different forms of cultural and economic ...transformation, conflict and harmonious social adjustment. The aim of the present article is to show the need to appreciate the role of culture not only as a background to, but also as a constitutive part of, economic dynamics. Thus, it assumes that any comparative analysis of the rise of transitional societies must deal with questions connected to respective value systems, i.e. issues of moral education, political authority, social solidarity, and religious beliefs. It is not coincidental that the rapid recent development of the People's Republic of China (PRC) owes much to such crucial traditional virtues as social hierarchy, self-discipline, social harmony, strong families and a respect for education. In this context, the present article examines the revival of the Confucian tradition in China. According to previous research results, traditional East European values were in many aspects closer to such virtues then traditional Western values that have been mainly focused upon the idea of individual autonomy. Hence, this study examines the hypothesis that the Central and Eastern European area could function as a cultural and axiological bridge between China and Europe.
The article explores Xu Fuguan’s analysis and interpretation of the concept of qiyun shengdong 氣韻生動, which is considered to be one of the most important, fundamental and complex concepts in Chinese ...aesthetics and art. It was created by Xie He in the Wei Jin period (220–420 AD), which is marked as a turning point in the development of Chinese aesthetics. The complexity of the concept of qiyun shengdong is reflected in literary works, painting, calligraphy, and music, as well as in literary theory and the theory of painting. According to Xu Fuguan, qi refers to the external features of the artwork, while yun expresses the internal characteristics that are a matter of the human spirit. For Xu, shengdong signifies the manifestation and fusion of qi and yun in the artwork. Xu Fuguan claimed that the profound comprehension of this concept is fundamental for understanding the essence of Chinese art. The article also addresses the problem of translating this aesthetic concept into English and discusses the problem of its authenticity.
Proceeding from the inseparable relation between ethics and aesthetics in traditional (and often also modern) Chinese thought, this article aims to illuminate two important approaches to the ...aesthetic foundations of Chinese modernity. The relation between the individual and society, which is a core question of modern ethics, is reflected in most of the ethical theories of 20th century China. In this context, the article first presents Li Zehou’s theory of aesthetics and his definition of aesthetic experience. In this way, it aims to illuminate Li’s interpretation of modern art and society, and to posit it into a contrastive position to Xu Fuguan’s ethico-aesthetic theories, especially the ones regarding modernity and Western culture. The basic approaches applied by these two important modern Chinese scholars reveal great differences in attitude towards the spiritual and material development of humanity in the 20th century, which is especially interesting since they are both rooted in the abovementioned belief that ethics cannot be separated from aesthetics. Besides, Li Zehou sincerely admired Xu Fuguan’s work on traditional Chinese aesthetics and referred to his comprehension of general concepts of traditional Chinese aesthetics in many of his own works dealing with aesthetics.
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