The Rise of the Concept of “Aesthetic Categories” in Modern China

Abstract

Abstract: The concept of aesthetic categories (meixue fanchou) serves as a cornerstone of Chinese aesthetics. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the terms “aesthetics” and “categories” entered the Chinese academic discourse as loanwords from Japanese, but they were rarely used in conjunction. Discussions surrounding “categories” within the relam of “aesthetics” remained confined to the Western and philosophical frameworks. However, following the 1920s, phrases such as “aesthetic-perception categories” (meigan fanchou), “categories of Chinese aesthetics”, and “aesthetic-appreciation categories” (shenmei fanchou) emerged, signaling not only a more equitable dialogue between China and the West but also a deep integration between philosophical aesthetics and artistic aesthetics, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the conceptualization and understanding of “aesthetic categories” in the Chinese context. Subsequently, during the 1980s, efforts towards disciplinary systemization and the influence of power discourse propelled the process of “borrowing form and establishing soul” of “aesthetic categories.” Consequently, the recognition of Chinese “aesthetic categories” took shape, leading to systematic case studies. Overall, the Chinese conceptualization of “aesthetic categories” has traversed three stages: the “philosophical category” stage, the “aesthetic-perception category” stage, and the “aesthetic category” stage, embodying the inherent logic of “introduction-localization-artistic abstraction.” This process also elucidated the historical context of establishing and developing “Chinese aesthetics” within academia.

Key words: Chinese aesthetics, aesthetic categories, discipline-systemizing

Han Wei. The Rise of the Concept of “Aesthetic Categories” in Modern China[J]. Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art, 2024, 44(3): 151-161.

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