Abstract: Image is unique in the theory of word-image-meaning in Chinese culture. Word, Image and meaning are interconnect and at the same time autonomous whether in Zhouyi philosophy or aesthetics. The theory of word-image-meaning in aesthetics took form in the Wei and Jin Dynasties and evolved into the theory of "visay" in the Tang Dynasty because of its interaction with the Buddhist theory of visay, thus having completed its aesthetic turn and established the structure of "the visay within word-visay" (scene-image-affection-meaning) and "the visay beyond visay" (including scenery beyond scenery, image beyond image, and meaning beyond meaning. )

Key words: word-image-meaning, image in philosophy, image in aesthetics, visay