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A Study on the Realm and Spirit of Drunkenness in Ancient Chinese Aesthetics

Tan Yulong   

  1. the Institute of Media and Art, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications the School of Liberal Arts; Sichuan Normal University
  • Online:2018-03-25 Published:2018-10-19
  • About author:Tan Yulong, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Institute of Media and Art, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications and a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Liberal Arts, Sichuan Normal University. His main research field is ancient Chinese aesthetics.
  • Supported by:
    The National Social Sciences Fund for Major Project of Art (No.16ZD52)

Abstract: The idea of drunkenness originated in the pre-Qin period and developed in the Qin and Han dynasties. After that, drunkenness was gradually transformed into an aesthetic standard of Gongfu and noumenon. Meanwhile, it consisted of life aesthetics and art aesthetics. The drunkenness of life aesthetics not only helped individuals surpass fame and fortune, but brought them into a realm of absolute equality to communicate with the ontological realm. The art aesthetics aspect of drunkenness made one disinterested so as to create art naturally. Besides, it let individuals break the bondage of skills and brought them to the realm of unity of the universe and the human. Therefore, drunkenness was not only a precious theoretical legacy of aesthetics of ancient China, but also a manifestation of the aesthetic and artistic spirit of the Chinese people.

Key words: spirits culture, drunkenness, Gongfu as noumenon, unity of the universe and the human, the aesthetic and artistic spirit of China