In the development of Wang Guowei's aesthetic theory, his intentions and methods of theoretical construction, the establishment of theoretical structures and levels, and the incorporation of academic principles all exhibit a close and direct relationship with his examination of Kant, Schopenhauer and other Western philosophy and aesthetics. Wang Guowei's journey from Commentary on the Dream of the Red Chamber, A Word on Literature to Preface to the Second Draft of the Poetic Remarks in the Human World, and finally to Poetic Remarks in the Human World illustrates a complex process from reliance on Schopenhauer and integration of Schiller's aesthetics, to reliance on Schopenhauer and integration of Kant's aesthetics, and then to reliance on Kant and integration of Schopenhauer's aesthetics. This process involves both sublation and integration. However, with the writing of A History of the Dramas of Sung and Yuan Dynasties, Wang Guowei began to gradually diminish the traces of Western influence. His transformation reflects his reflection and understanding of Western theories and concepts, the characteristics of Chinese literature and theory, and the compatibility of the two. This reflection encompasses the complexity and innovation of knowledge cognition and choice, thereby constituting an important subject in the study of academic history.

Mirrors, as a tool for presenting images, often have a mysterious quality. From the initial reflection to the later symbolic metaphor, mirrors often appear in the illustrations of popular fictions and xiqu in the Ming and Qing dynasties due to their practical imaging function and multiple symbolic meanings. As a physical carrier, painters use the images reflected by mirrors to create a different image of space-time in the illustrated world. It symbolizes deep emotions and characters' destinies that were not clearly expressed in the illustrations, creating a special visual image of “painting in the mirror”. As a pictorial symbol, the “painting in the mirror” becomes part of the whole expression of the main picture, becoming “mirror in the painting”. Painters not only use mirrors to expand the space of the picture, but also continuously interact with various objects in the main picture through the “picture in picture” in the mirror, leading viewers into the world of “picture in picture” with endless meanings.

In solidifying the scholarly framework of “the learning of scholar-officials”, Zeng Guofan, inspired by the cosmological insights of the “Xici” (the chapters explaining the principles of The Book of Changes) and the dialectical perspective of Zhang Zai, drew upon Han Yu's discourse of the “complementary use of Confucianism and Mohism” to formulate his own theory of “complementary use of odd and even prose”. This theory, distinguishing itself from mid-Qing narratives on the interplay of prose styles, posits odd prose as foundational, to be harmoniously integrated with even prose. This approach evaluates prose through the lens of qi dynamics and divine governance, re-establishing Han Yu's ancient prose as a bridge in academic diversification and as a paradigm in stylistic evolution. Furthermore, Zeng's theory expands upon Yao Nai's dichotomy of prose into yin and yang, aiming to rectify the biases of overt masculinity, thereby neglecting feminine subtlety in literal works of Tongcheng. By adopting Han Yu's ideal of returning to the classical virtues and embracing broad scholarly knowledge, Zeng Guofan's acceptance of the controversial “complementary use of Confucianism and Mohism” underscores his commitment to rejuvenating the ethos of self-improvement, societal education, and pragmatic application during the late Qing transformation.

The article offers a reinterpretation of the nuanced relationship between Lu Xun's role as an “enlightener” and a “participant in life” as proposed by the Japanese scholar Takeuchi Yoshimi. It contends that, beyond his identity as a purely “literary” figure, Lu Xun's role as a “participant in life” significantly contributes to his stature as an “enlightener”. This perspective underscores Lu Xun's active engagement with tangible reality. His enlightenment was forged through an earnest immersion in the lived experience of Chinese society. He grappled with and contested these experiences, delving deeply in them before emerging with fresh insights into the issues surrounding enlightenment within the crucible of real life. The interplay between Juansheng and Zijun serves as a reflection of Lu Xun's contemplation of the environment in which enlightenment ideas were received and his examination of the subject of enlightenment. Concurrently, it provides a lens through which he scrutinizes the ethical conundrum and the crisis of alienation inherent in enlightenment thought during the post-May Fourth era, resulting in the intricate interplay of Juansheng's soliloquies and the text's complexity. The novella not only stands as an indispensable element within Lu Xun's narrative of enlightenment but also as an important practice of his renewed confrontation with the issues of enlightenment during the post-May Fourth era, all approached with the disposition of a “participant in life”.

Su Shi's culinary odes drew inspiration from The Book of Songs, On Encountering Trouble and comedian's lyrics, blending the lofty ideals of The Songs of Chu and the playful wit of comedian's lyrics. This synthesis reflects Su Shi's intent to innovate within the literary tradition, allowing his compositions to entertain divinities, the audience, and himself. Immersing his full life experience into his work, Su Shi blurred the distinctions between high and low culture in both aesthetic preference and emotional expression. He moved beyond the dichotomy of refined versus common subjects, adopting an aesthetic approach to everyday life with equanimity. Su Shi's reflections on the interplay of elegance and vulgarity also mark his personal journey towards self-realization and character development. Far from mere literary diversion, Su Shi's culinary odes established a classic paradigm with lasting influence on subsequent generations.

In the early twenty-first century, a group of sociologists based at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, represented by Jeffrey C. Alexander, formally developed a constructivist theory of cultural trauma, or a constructivist social theory of trauma. Based on the rejection of pathological and essentialist theories of trauma, this theory argues that trauma does not exist naturally, but is a symbolic/representational construct; trauma, therefore, is not innately traumatizing but becomes so through social and cultural interpretations and interactions. The primary objective of this cultural trauma theory is to uncover and understand the nature, processes, and mechanisms behind this construction, thereby providing insights into the social underpinnings of trauma.

François Jullien coins the term “de-coincidence” (dé-coïncidence), considering it a refreshing source for artistic creation. From this perspective, he reexamines the Western artistic tradition based on “representation” (adéquation), criticizes its lack of fruitfulness, and proposes the use of “divergence” (l'écart). To de-coincide, Jullien turns to traditional Chinese painting as a source of enlightenment, perceived as the “outside” (dehors). He highly extols Dao, namely the continuous bipolar interaction and transformation, and believes that the great harmony in Daoist thought is a driving force to reflect on the European aesthetic tradition. Jullien's work has sought to avoid exoticism and Orientalism, with the ambition of constructing a dialogic approach to the interpretation of Chinese issues.

Georges Didi-Huberman adopts a trans-historical and interdisciplinary approach to image, and his theory of image unfolds through an ongoing dialogue with such particular figures as Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Aby Warburg, Walter Benjamin, and Gilles Deleuze. On the one hand, Didi-Huberman develops a style of “figurative thinking” in which he often starts from an old image and reformulates his own conceptual framework, such as the “Ninfa fluida”, the “firefly of resistance” and the “double Atlas” (atlas and resistance). On the other hand, despite the extensive and diverse nature of Didi-Huberman's research, his theoretical thinking maintains remarkable coherence. In the early years, he focused on the issue of image migration and survival represented by the image of the flowing Ninfa, as a means of reassessing the potential for rewriting art history as an open narrative. He later turned to the visual form of image juxtaposition, the atlas approach, and introduced the multiplicity and heterogeneity of montage. In recent years he has attempted to transform the historical and political reflection on image into a philosophy of action: how images move towards emancipatory action through the mediation of desire, affect and imagination.

Current aesthetic and literary theoretical research on AI art primarily focuses on issues such as originality and subjectivity, which reflects an instrumentalist view of technology that deviates from the trend toward the integration of art and technology. For this reason, this article examines AI creation from the perspective of Marxist art production theory. By identifying various technological concepts in the genealogy of art production theory and sorting out the technological lineage from mechanical reproduction to digital originality, this article further explains the connotation and potentiality of AI art from three aspects: social organization, spiritual production, and the problem of “imbalance”. Accordingly, it argues that scholars in humanities and art should examine the practice of spiritual production in the digital age through the dialectical relationship between art, technology, and society, in order to propel the production turn of contemporary aesthetics and realize the contemporary innovation of Marxist art theory.

The practice of “fenchu” (separation) marks a pivotal development in the Ming dynasty's chuanqi playwriting system, manifesting as either “implicit” or “explicit” separation within early Southern Opera texts. The late Ming period saw enhancements in the separation methodologies within actors' performance manuscripts and reader-oriented printed editions, improving upon the character entry and exit strategies from the Song, Yuan, and early Ming operas. This led to the formulation of separation standards that reconcile character transitions, scene consistency, and narrative cohesion. The emergence of the separation mechanism in Southern Opera is attributed to multifaceted causes: for performance scripts, it facilitated staging; for printed editions, it enhanced readability; and for literary compositions, it signified playwrights' endorsement and standardization of theatrical conventions. The advent of selected scene plays and the demands of public discourse, requiring the “establishment of dispersed identities” and “collective interaction,” played a crucial external role in the development of this system. The inception of the separation mechanism signifies a comprehensive understanding of drama's intrinsic and extrinsic structures by performers, patrons, and playwrights alike, highlighting the intricate interplay between script performance and consumption, and between creators and audiences.

Marcel Duchamp's artistic endeavors not only challenge Kantian aesthetics but also reflect a certain continuity with it. Duchamp embodies the paradox of the genius who both establishes and transcends indescribable rules. These rules are not templates for imitation by other artists but exemplars for the genesis of new norms. Driven by skepticism towards other agents, Duchamp crafted his own set of artistic principles, valuing innovation and autonomy. However, his venture did not achieve a harmonious integration of imagination and intellect, severing the traditional lineage of aesthetic appreciation without addressing its universality. This led to an untamed creative subjectivity, perpetually embroiled in controversy. Duchamp's ready-made art asserts that not everything qualifies as art. While Duchamp rebuffed the notion of beauty, he did not eschew meticulous formalism. The misinterpretation of Duchamp's oeuvre as “Art equals fine art” overlooks the nuanced levels of his artistic philosophy, where understanding the hierarchical nature of art concepts dispels such misconceptions.

Chinese landscape painting invites “roaming” and “residing” within its realms, guided by the Tao, which manifests both in the metaphysical realm and as tangible pathways in the artwork. This Tao is not merely a detailed object within the landscape but often emerges as the emptiness framed by mountains, trees, and stones. The panoramic landscape of the Five dynasties and Northern Song dynasty, resonating with our body schema, facilitates an immersive experience, thus founding the spatial perception inherent in Chinese landscape art. Pathways depicted typically ascend from the frame's lower edge, winding upward, perceived by viewers as extending deeply into the scene, fostering a dynamic engagement. These paths, though varied, consistently appear as “narrow paths” within vast landscapes, embodying the concept of “three distances” and emphasizing the portrayal of immense distances on a finite frame. Coupled with the motif of “going alone,” these elements resonate with traditional Chinese philosophical and poetic themes, propelling the viewer towards a transcendent interaction with the cosmos.

The concept of xiaoshuo was introduced as the equivalent to Western terms of “romance” and “novel”, and the role of Japan and the culture in Meiji Japan as a mediator was crucial. This translation was notably observed in English-Chinese dictionaries compiled by missionaries, particularly in the English and Chinese Dictionary: With the Punti and Mandarin Pronunciation compiled by Wilhelm Lobscheid, where xiaoshuo was rendered as “romance” and “novel”, subsequently impacting Yan Huiqing's An English and Chinese Standard Dictionary. Tsubouchi Shōyō distinguished between “romance” and “novel” in his work The Essence of Novel, while Lu Xun provided academic definitions in A Brief History of Chinese Novel. The pivotal juncture in the evolution of xiaoshuo occurred with the recognition of its characteristics as a fine art. Fumio Yano and Tsubouchi Shōyō introduced and adapted the characteristics of the novel as a fine art, and Liang Qichao elucidated the artistic mechanism of the novel. Wang Guowei delved into the aesthetic value of The Story of the Stone, while Huang Ren incorporated fine art principles into the editing of the Fiction Forest journal. Xu Nianci synthesized ideal aesthetics and emotional aesthetics, and Lü Simian turned to narratology on an aesthetic foundation. Yoshio Ota's theory of pure literature influenced Lu Xun and Zhou Zuoren, who interpreted the novel as both fine art and pure literature. The Sino-Japanese integration of the concept of xiaoshuo facilitated widespread dissemination, academic delineation, the discovery of artistic characteristics, and the transformation of the concept.

In the 17th century, French painter Jacques Linard executed a series of still life paintings over thirteen years, consistently featuring a blue and white porcelain bowl adorned with the motif of “Dongpo's Tour at Red Cliff.” This repeated motif emerged as a symbolic element within his works exploring themes of the “five senses” and “vanitas.” Due to the divergent cultural and artistic contexts of China and the West, the depicted porcelain bowls exhibit a transformation in function, decoration, and significance. These alterations not only shift the representation of “Dongpo's Tour at Red Cliff” from its literary origins to a purely visual form but also imbue the motif with new layers of meaning. Consequently, Linard's works, particularly Porcelana china con flores, prominently display characteristics of a “meta-picture” or “meta-painting.”

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, China experienced significant transformations in its state structure and territorial attributes, largely due to the expansion and impact of Western colonialism. One of its primary challenges was to make the shift from the territorial conceptualizations and allegiance patterns of the ancient Chinese tributary system to those of modern sovereignty. This evolution underscored the significance of the ‘frontier,’ which became a focal point and a challenge in 20th-century Chinese political life. It also motivated literary and artistic exploration of the Northwest frontier during the 1930s and 1940s. This article begins its discussion from the essential concept of “construction of landscape.” It examines how various strategies and narrative modes of frontier representation during that period facilitated the integration of the Northwest into China's territory within the nation-state framework. Concurrently, it sheds light on the remarkable heterogeneity within the Northwest landscape. These disparities not only reflect the intricate interplay of political, social, and intellectual dynamics in cultural practices and landscape production but also underscore the diverse undercurrents and discursive competitions within Chinese nationalism at the time.

The major issues and fundamental perspectives concerning the popularization of literature and art can be broadly categorized into six aspects: the direction of development, the object of service, the subject of creation, the content and form, the language, and the evaluation of the May Fourth and New Culture Movements. While the theory and practice of the popularizing literature and art hold positive significance, they are also subject to biases and limitations. Mao Zedong, rather than merely perpetuating the ideals and objectives of the movement, deconstructed, synthesized and reformed its content and issues. He proposed his own insights and solutions to the associated problems and disputes, elevating them to a new level. The publication of the Speech on the Yan'an Forum on Literature and Art marked the transition of popularizing literature and art into a phase of “generalization.” Following the 1950s, the flourishing socialist literature and art demanded sophisticated works, causing the momentum of popularizing literature and art to gradually wane. By the 1980s, traditional popular literature and art faced pressure from emerging mass culture, leading to their decline. In 2014, Xi Jinping further developed the ideas of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping to address the increasing spiritual and cultural needs of the people, putting forward the “strategy of fine works”. Both in practice and theory, the popularization of literature and art deviated from its original reality and rationality. The trajectory of the development of literature and art has shifted from popularization to the strategic pursuit of refined works, which has become an inevitable demand of the times and the inexorable trend of history.

The Ming synopsis of A General Catalogue of The Complete Library of the Four Treasures provides significant insights into Qing officials' perspectives on the criticism of the Ming anthology. As an official compilation, it largely represents the official scholarly and political stance of the Qing dynasty. As a result of the Qing rulers' historical reflection that the Ming dynasty fell from factionalism, the synopsis denounces the Ming scholars' tendencies towards forming societies, advocating schools and establishing factions. It attributes the overall decline and regression of Ming dynasty anthology criticism to disputes among literary schools and academic factions. Officials at all levels involved in the compilation of The Complete Library of the Four Treasures, following the directives from above, employed three methods, including criticism and denunciation, content editing, and censorship, to suppress and eliminate Ming dynasty anthologies that touched upon sensitive topics such as literary schools, academic factions, and political rivalries. This significantly contributed to the silence and even absence of Ming anthology criticism in the official evaluation system of the Qing dynasty. In short, as a tangible representation of political bias in literary criticism, the synopsis highlights the contradictions between Qing dynasty official academic research and contemporary anxieties.

This essay elucidates Derrida's Before the Law: The Complete Text of Préjugés. Derrida's thesis is twofold: law qua literature and literature qua law. Law qua literature points to law's narrativity and fictionality. Law possesses no essence; the genealogical history at its core is utterable. However, it is precisely this absence of origin that triggers off the deferred narration marked by repetition of difference. Literature qua law refers to the institution and convention of literature. Once a text is being written, it exhibits functions of the law and accomplishes “legitimate” expressive acts, wherein the reading and circulation of literature also take place. Bringing in Derrida's interpretation of Maurice Blanchot in the “Law of Genre” and its intertextuality with his reading of Kafka, we can further explore the mutual production and domination between law and literature, as well as sexualize their correlation. This essay first examines the two folds in Derrida's reasoning, drawing an outline of the “tabooed” love. It then explores the issue of singularity that Derrida accentuates with the help of his “Force of Law: The ‘Mystical Foundation’ of Authority,” illustrating the break between the generality of law and the singularity of a subject's being as well as the impossibility of full justice. This essay enquires how the singularity of literature may enable the singular being of a subject, and thereby tempt law into a game of love to make it stand before literature.

During the period of the revolutionary literature movement, the dissemination and evolution of Marxist ideological theory significantly impacted the development of Marxist literary and art theory. Initially introduced from Japan as part of historical materialism, Marxist ideological theory focused on the implications of “spiritual structure” and its connection to the “economic basis.” However, as the revolutionary conditions and theoretical development of the Chinese proletariat progressed, the spread of Chinese Marxist ideological theory gradually distanced itself from Japanese influences and aligned with Russian Soviet Marxist Leninist literature and ideology theory. The focus of Chinese Marxist ideological theory also shifted to emphasize class struggle in the fields of literature, art and ideology. Examining the development of Chinese Marxist theory on literature and art is of great importance in advancing the theoretical process of Marxism in China in the new era.