This book is a collection of insightful writings on aesthetics and Chinese and Western art by ZONG Baihua, one of the most esteemed scholars of aesthetics in China.
The 22 essays in the book dive deep into a variety of topics, including the aesthetic theory and aesthetic thoughts in ancient China and the West, history of Chinese art, Western classical art, and art theory, as well as Chinese poetics. The book explores different types of art in the Chinese and Western culture, ranging from the painting, Chinese calligraphy, sculpture, ancient architecture, and music to Chinese classic and modern poetry. Taking a comparative approach, the author expounds on the key elements of traditional Chinese aesthetic thinking and artistic conception and also elucidates the art theory in ancient Greek and Kant’s aesthetics.
Presented in an engaging way and written in poetic prose, this title will be a must-read for both academic and general readers interested in aesthetics, Chinese ancient art, and art theory.
1. An Aesthetics Anthology: My Stroll in the Beautiful Land
2. Where Can We Find Beauty?
3. On the Ethereal Emptiness and Substantiality of Literature and Art
4. An Exploration Into Some Important Issues of Chinese Aesthetics History
5. On the Birth of Chinese Artistic Conception
6. On Void and Substantiality that Presented in Various Chinese Art Forms
7. Space Consciousness Presented in Chinese Painting and Poetry
8. On Source and Basis of Western and Chinese Painting Methods
9. Space Consciousness Presented in Chinese and Western Painting Methods
10. An Introduction to Two Books about Chinese Painting
11. On the Significance and Value of Dunhuang Art
12. On Sketch: Preface to Sun Duoci’s Sketch Collection
13. Aesthetics Ideology Presented in Chinese Calligraphy
14. Music Allegories and Music Thoughts in Ancient China
15. On A New Account of the Tales of the World and the Beauty of Jin People
16. The Greek Philosophers’ Theory of Art
17. A Review of Kant’s Aesthetics Ideology
18. After Seeing Rodin’s Sculpture
19. Form and Shadow: Notes on the Study of Rodin’s Works
20. Poetry and Me
21. A Brief Discussion about Modern Poetry
22. The National Spirit Presented in Tang Poetry
Afterword
Index
Biography
ZONG Baihua (1897–1986) was a modern Chinese philosopher, master of aesthetics, and poet who taught at Nanjing University and Peking University, China. His major works also include The Complete Works of Zong Baihua and The Realm of Art.
