Abstract:

The classical Chinese aesthetics that French sinologist François Jullien tries to construct is centered on such notions as plain (la fadeur), non-objet, désontologie, and l'immanence. In so doing, Jullien aims to give Europe an access to  "l'impensé" via Chinese aesthetics. However, his endeavour presents itself to be more like a derivative of post-structuralist  theories of Foucault and Deleuze and an invention than a reliable representation of China. On the fundamental level, Jullien's views of Chinese thought follows those of Hegel and Max Weber. Although he tries to reexamine Hegel's negative comments on China, his seemingly exquisite discussions fail to rectify the stereotyical notion of European Sinology. Meanwhile, Jullien values the Heideggerian concept of "the undifferentiated basis prior to the realization of form," which has a non-interventional and non-political import. Despite this philosophical ambition, Jullien fails to reach out to reflecting contemporary socio-political problems and therefore his aesthetic construction entails questions in terms of its relevance to current politics.

Key words: Fran?ois Jullien, Chinese aesthetics, plain, non-object, immanence