Zhuangzi's "inaction" state, such as "fasting" and "forgetting", is closely related to his social, humanistic and political environment. He wants to enter the pure spiritual world to escape the law of the jungle and fame and fortune in the material world. This negative concept of avoiding the world will inevitably lead to the loss of human subjective initiative. However, as an aesthetic proposition, this realm marks the real discovery of China's aesthetic mind theory in the history of classical aesthetics. Mr. Ye Lang pointed out: "Zhuangzi's spiritual realm of" keeping in mind "and" forgetting "is reasonable as the requirement of aesthetic subject. ..... Zhuangzi's exposition on' caution' and' forgetting' emphasizes that the subject of aesthetic photography and aesthetic creation must be detached from the concept of interest, which is the real discovery of aesthetic mind (in a sense, it can also be regarded as the discovery of aesthetic subject). "
Aesthetic Quality of Zhuangzi Xiaoyao Tour
Recently, I read a comparison between Chinese and western philosophy, and saw that Nietzsche and Zhuangzi in the west had many * * * characteristics, so I read some books by Zhuangzi and fell in love with Zhuangzi's mentality of being born.
"Wandering freely" is the highest realm of Zhuangzi's thought and the highest ideal of Zhuangzi's theory. In the philosophy of life, Zhuangzi advocated a carefree and natural attitude towards life, advocated "fasting in the heart" and "forgetting", emphasized the concept of "God", and put forward the viewpoint of "integrating reason with the world, Taoism with communication". These profound philosophical propositions are also aesthetic propositions. Wen Yiduo said that Zhuangzi was "the most authentic poet" and "his thought is a wonderful poem in itself." ① As the general program of Zhuangzi, carefree travel naturally shows profound aesthetic views and extremely rich aesthetic qualities.
First, the aesthetic mentality-"Xin Zhai" and "Sit Forgetting"
Zhuangzi regards "Tao" as the highest form of human existence in nature and respects it. He thinks that meditation on Tao is the greatest happiness in life. Tian Zifang explained this truth in the form of a dialogue between Confucius and Laozi, pointing out that as long as we can abide by the "Tao", we can reach the realm of "beauty and joy". This state can only be understood by "wise men" and "saints" who have abandoned life and death, fame and fortune, gain and loss, wealth and shame, because "wise men have no self, saints are useless, and saints are nameless". The three levels of mental state, namely, self-denial, reactive power and anonymity, are the premise of achieving "perfection and beauty", and then the state of "body and intelligence". From the rejection of the material world to the rejection and denial of ideology, Zhuangzi called this highest state "Xin Zhai", also called "Sit Forgetting".
In Happy Travel, there are "things to do" from Kun Peng to Yan que, from Dade to filial piety. In other words, the subject can't cancel the dependence on objective things, and can't enter the spiritual realm of "swimming" with absolute freedom. Only by thoroughly eliminating the concept of interests from the deep heart, getting rid of all kinds of calculations and thinking about people's gains and losses, and entering the spiritual level of "three noes", can we enter the realm of "carefree travel". Xu You, the sage in Happy Travel, the man of God on the mountain you miss, the wise man in Sheng Da and the real person in Tian Zifang are all "people who have nothing to do". To achieve "inaction", they must first enter the realm of "three noes", or "external world", "external things" and "external things" mentioned in The Master, that is, they will rule out personal gains and losses, worldly affairs and even life and death, resulting in an empty state of mind. Only this empty state of mind can realize Tao. Of course, it is incomplete to exclude only the connection between man and the material world and even the life and death of man. Zhuangzi also rejected and denied people's ideology, that is, "being clever in body, knowing beyond its shape, and being in the same place", which is precisely "being like a stake and feeling like ashes". This is the "waiting for nothing" in Human Life and the "heart fasting" of "sitting and forgetting" in The Great Master. People should be freed from all kinds of physical and psychological desires, from worries about interests and fame, and from confusion about life and death. When Zhuangzi transferred his understanding of life and death from human ontology to another higher and more universal existence outside the individual, the boundary between life and death disappeared; When Zhuangzi denied the spiritual world of human beings, he reached the realm of "mind dead" and "emptiness". It is futile to treat things. The so-called "waiting for things" is actually "unequal", and this spiritual realm is closer to the realm of "Tao". Zhuangzi made a profound interpretation of this attitude towards life through "Happy Travel".
From this interpretation, we can see that the realm of "Leyou" is the ideal natural state of "fasting" and "forgetting myself", which can realize the contemplation of "Tao" and thus truly enter a realm of "swimming". Wandering is not only a state of spiritual existence, but also a spiritual realm and aesthetic realm. Regarding the aesthetic characteristics of "you", the following will make a special analysis.
Zhuangzi's "inaction" state, such as "fasting" and "forgetting", is closely related to his social, humanistic and political environment. He wants to enter the pure spiritual world to escape the law of the jungle and fame and fortune in the material world. This negative concept of avoiding the world will inevitably lead to the loss of human subjective initiative. However, as an aesthetic proposition, this realm marks the real discovery of China's aesthetic mind theory in the history of classical aesthetics. Mr. Ye Lang pointed out: "Zhuangzi's spiritual realm of" keeping in mind "and" forgetting "is reasonable as the requirement of aesthetic subject. ..... Zhuangzi's exposition on' caution' and' forgetting' emphasizes that the subject of aesthetic photography and aesthetic creation must be detached from the concept of interest, which is the real discovery of aesthetic mind (in a sense, it can also be regarded as the discovery of aesthetic subject). " ②
First of all, the mental state of "inaction" is the primary requirement for the aesthetic subject. As an aesthetic subject, when he enters the state of creating or appreciating beauty, he must abandon any realistic and utilitarian considerations of gain and loss, abandon the shackles of existing social concepts and humanistic concepts, and carve and appreciate aesthetic objects wholeheartedly. Only in this way can we fully mobilize the ability of beauty, emotion, imagination and ideal, forget things and get aesthetic pleasure. If the aesthetic subject can't insist on "inaction" and is still burdened by objectivity, then it will not be able to enter the realm of nature, nature and detachment, and the spirit and creation will be bound, thus affecting the creation and appreciation of the aesthetic object, and ultimately unable to release the most perfect aesthetic pleasure. Zhuangzi emphasized the propositions of "making much ado about nothing" and "governing by doing nothing" both in "Happy Wandering" and in other articles, which actually entered what Schopenhauer called "aesthetic meditation". The state of "carefree travel" is just an aesthetic way to get temporary relief from the bondage of a will and desire. This way inevitably requires the subject to give up the habitual view and break the boundary between nature and human beings. People should integrate into nature to the greatest extent and abandon material desires and desires. Many fables in Zhuangzi further support this theory. Sheng Da's couplets celebration is exquisitely carved. He emphasized that the state of creation should be "quiet", "dare not celebrate and reward", "dare not be clever and clumsy" and "forget that I have four feet" This is a state of "no work", "no name" and "no self", which is an aesthetic mind.
Secondly, Zhuangzi's aesthetic nature of "being wary" and "forgetting" has a more prominent significance in aesthetic creation activities, which has become the beginning of "the theory of emptiness and quietness" in China's ancient artistic creation theory. "Virtual quietness", also known as meditation, empty quietness, pure heart, condensed heart and so on. It refers to a mental state in which the subject excludes all interference from subjective and objective factors and concentrates on artistic conception and creation. This state is also a state of "doing nothing" and a state of "being comfortable". Zhuangzi praised Zi Qing's superb skills, but he appreciated his mental state more, which was a manifestation of "emptiness and quietness". The thought of emptiness and tranquility can be regarded as a necessary psychological state for the subject to carry out aesthetic or artistic creation activities, but fundamentally speaking, it requires the subject to transcend the secular world, forget the past and be clear-headed, so as to obtain spiritual liberation and freedom, which is also related to "heart fasting" and "sitting and forgetting" Zhuangzi's thought of emptiness and quietness has a far-reaching influence on later art. Zong Bing, a painter in Wei and Jin Dynasties, demanded that "saints should be sincere and have good qualities" and "Song Shu?" 6? 1 the biography of seclusion records that in his later years, he still felt "old and sick, and it is difficult to visit famous mountains, but he kept an open mind and slept." "Ming Xin" means Ming Xin and Ming Xin, which is the practice of Zhuangzi's "Xin Zhai" thought. In the poem "Hiding in Shu Dynasty and Being able to Draw Bamboo", Su Shi described the creative scene when the painter wrote and was able to draw ink bamboo: "When you can draw bamboo, you can't see people when you see bamboo. I didn't see anyone alone, but I left my body. Its bamboo is infinitely fresh. " Zhuang has nothing, but who knows the concentration? "The creation process of harmony is based on' emptiness and quietness' as the artistic conception and the basic premise of creation. From Laozi to Zhuangzi, the theory of aesthetic mind and nature experienced a process from germination to real discovery and popularization, which further influenced China's artistic creation for thousands of years. From Li Bai to Zhang Xu, and from Guo, this empty and quiet aesthetic mentality has always influenced the literati and China art. The inner core of this art is the mentality of "no self", "no work" and "no name" in "carefree travel" and the mentality of "treating things with emptiness".
Second, Zhuangzi's aesthetic realm-"Tour"
Let's look at the realm of "wandering" in "Wandering at large". First of all, it is an aesthetic realm, a realm of "extreme joy and beauty". Zhuangzi in "Tianzifang", in the words of Laozi, "My heart begins with things" and "My husband is right, beautiful and enjoyable. Swimming to the greatest pleasure is called "the most beautiful". "Wandering from the beginning" here means wandering in the Tao, that is, "carefree travel". "Travel" is a basic concept in "Happy Travel", which shows the freedom and infinity of this aesthetic realm and is a free realm of life. With this realm, "man" is detached from the existing state of "things" and "roles" and indulged in the soaring between heaven and earth.
Zhuangzi used "swim" to define the realm of "happiness and beauty", such as "swim infinitely", "swim beyond the four seas", "swim in nothingness" and "swim in light". From today's aesthetic point of view, these have accurately grasped the characteristics of aesthetic activities, and are beyond ordinary aesthetic activities. Because Zhuangzi's "wandering" is a kind of "wandering in the heart" and "forgetting myself", it not only transcends utility, but also transcends the physiological and psychological characteristics of self and self, so it has more ethereal and magical aesthetic quality. In fact, the original meaning of "travel" is a game. Mr. Ye Lang pointed out that this game has no utilitarian purpose. (3) Utilitarianism is a threat to the natural state of "swimming" and a noise that destroys the sound of natural flutes. The pure realm of "travel" is beyond material desire and utility. Will not stick to things, tired of things, tired of the world, tired of fame and fortune. Therefore, in our modern eyes, this is a pure aesthetic realm. Similarly, from our aesthetic point of view today, what supports Zhuangzi is a spirit of play, a spirit of detachment and an aesthetic spirit. Of course, Zhuangzi himself won't realize the existence of this spirit. He denies the spiritual world and assimilates beauty and ugliness. Aesthetics has no meaning to him, and these meanings only have an impact on future generations and our present people. We say that Zhuangzi's "game" is an artistic and aesthetic game. It is a game of "taking the meaning of heaven and earth, resisting the debate of six qi, and swimming endlessly". It is a spiritual game with aesthetic charm. In Zhuangzi's works, we can clearly feel the grand atmosphere of this kind of "tour". The essence of this breath, from the aesthetic point of view, is the aesthetic pleasure of spiritual personality. The mechanic in "Master of Health" is "good at understanding cows" and "new in nineteen years", reaching the realm of wandering at will, just like Ziqing mentioned above. Although my behavior is not purely artistic creation, the so-called "my understanding skills of cattle conform to the rhythm of music and dance and reach the aesthetic realm". Moreover, he brought others into the aesthetic realm, amazed others and got pleasure at the same time. This kind of pleasure comes from the freedom of creation, and it is a kind of spiritual enjoyment produced by entering the aesthetic realm, that is, aesthetic pleasure. At this point, my master "stands with a knife, looks around and is full of ambition". This kind of happiness is obviously super utilitarian, and my creative state is just an "empty" state. As Marx said, man "perceives himself intuitively in the world he created", "reproduces himself" and "affirms himself". When people find their own free state, they come into contact with the essence and beauty of beauty. From our human point of view, the "tour" in "carefree tour" is a symbol of "life" and a realm of life. "Travel" represents the journey of life, represents a carefree life, and "travel" represents freedom and happiness. The carefree state is fascinating, but it is impossible to get the qualification of "swimming" out of thin air. If you want to travel at will, you must strengthen your self-cultivation and sublimation. Happy Travel introduces four levels of life. In fact, the sublimation of human beings is endless, which is exactly what Zhuang Zi thinks of as "infinity". Only in infinity can we be truly comfortable.
The realm of "travel" was even written by Zhuangzi in his "Happy Travel" with magical pen and ink: "The mountain shot by the ancients is inhabited by immortals, and its skin is like ice and snow, just like a virgin. Don't eat whole grains, suck the wind and drink dew. Take the cloud, descend the dragon and travel around the world. " Here, Zhuangzi broke the individual's freedom between heaven and earth because of foreign objects. Although it is not pure "inaction", this description of the supernatural has already reflected the contemplation of "Tao". This is an unrestrained spiritual journey, and it is also a journey for the subject to transcend time and space. Zhuangzi advocated "taking the meaning of heaven and earth, but resisting the debate of six qi", achieving the unity of subject spirit and Tao in "swimming" and entering the realm of "heaven and earth coexist with me, and everything and me are one" (On Everything). This thought laid the image thinking theory of China's classical aesthetics, which is "the wandering between gods and things" and "the harmony between thinking and environment". Entering today's aesthetic level, Zhuangzi's "wandering" process is not only a process of close combination of imagination and image, but also an emotional activity with strong theme. Zhuangzi not only brought us vivid images and rich emotions, but also brought us a lot of imagination, which is exactly Zhuangzi's breakthrough and transcendence of concrete foreign objects. This informal style is a reflection of "fasting" and "forgetting to sit". It is in this sense that Zhuangzi's freedom beyond time and space laid the foundation of thinking in images in artistic creation, especially in China's poetry creation.
Third, the aesthetics of carefree travel.
"Wandering" in "wandering" refers to the spiritual realm of wandering in "Tao", and the core of Zhuangzi's philosophical thought is "Tao". In order to demonstrate the highest state of Tao, he takes the word "big" as the clue and "the distinction between small and big" as the main line throughout the whole article in "Happy Travel". In "Happy Travel", everything in nature, from giant Peng to learning pigeons, repels others. Long-lived ghost spirit, big toon, short as fungus; In social life, great virtues, such as Song and Lieyu, and small virtues, such as fame and fortune, are essentially the same. Not only is there no difference in size, but beauty, ugliness, dignity, right and wrong, life and death are all the same as "the difference between size", and there is no difference. In "The Theory of Everything", he proposed: "Therefore, it is the case of Li and Yun, the case of Li and Shi, and the metaphysical and Taoist are integrated." In other words, there is no difference between a small straw and a big wood, an ugliest person and a most beautiful person, and all strange things. It is equal to understanding with the ontology of "Tao".
From the perspective of modern people, Zhuangzi's philosophy completely ignores the stipulation of things and regards "size", "beauty and ugliness" and "good and evil" as purely subjective things. In this way, he moved from aesthetic relativism to aesthetic subjectivism, and undoubtedly fell into the misunderstanding of relativism epistemology of subjective idealism. In fact, starting from Zhuangzi's thought, Zhuangzi not only denied the stipulation of things, but even denied the things themselves. His view of "the unity of all things" actually destroyed relativism. There is no aesthetics in Zhuangzi's era, so the induction of our descendants is meaningless to Zhuangzi's era. But as an aesthetic proposition, we can explore an aesthetic view from Zhuangzi's thought, which is of great significance in the ancient aesthetic history of China.
First of all, in Zhuangzi's philosophical system, concepts such as size, beauty and ugliness are not only relative and identical, but also nihilistic. Only the Tao, as the ontology of the universe, is the highest and absolute. That is, "there is great beauty in heaven and earth without saying anything", which is the beauty of vitality and natural forces in the universe. This has a very important influence on the logical system of China's classical aesthetics. In China's classical aesthetics, the beauty and ugliness of phenomena only belong to the lower aesthetic category. Mr. Ye Lang pointed out that "a natural thing, a work of art, as long as there is commerce, as long as it fully shows the vitality of the universe, then ugly things can also be appreciated and loved by people, and ugly things can also become beautiful, even the uglier the more beautiful." ④ This highest category of "vivid charm" has become one of the remarkable aesthetic features of China's classical aesthetics.
From the perspective of aesthetic creation, aesthetics in Zhuangzi's thought focuses not on the realistic representation of specific images, but on the whole nature; It is not limited to expressing a single image, but strives to express the sense of life, history and universe contained in the object.