On Beauty
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Beginning readers interested in aesthetics and the philosophy of art who wish to build a systematic yet approachable cognitive framework
- General readers seeking an aesthetics of life who wish to enhance their personal aesthetic taste and spiritual realm
- Students or practitioners in literature and the arts who need to supplement a foundation in classical aesthetic theory
- People who feel anxious and restless in a fast-paced life and long for inner calm and spiritual nourishment
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting a large number of specific art case analyses or practical guides to aesthetic techniques
- Professional scholars seeking cutting-edge, critical, or highly specialized aesthetic theory research
Reading tips
- It is recommended to read the whole book first, grasping the friendly thread and overall thought of its epistolary form, without rushing to delve into individual terms
- While reading, reflect in light of your own aesthetic experience, such as recalling a natural landscape or work of art that moved you
- The book touches on some Chinese and Western aesthetic concepts; if you encounter difficult points, you may set them aside and return to savor them after finishing, which often yields deeper understanding
About the publisher
Peking University Press is a comprehensive university press whose publishing areas cover classical literature, popular science, social culture, world history, Western philosophy, and culture. Its catalogue contains 6,031 titles, with representative books including A Dream of Red Mansions, Relativity: The Special and General Theory (15th Edition) (with Einstein's classic papers on unified field theory and other topics), Elements, Conics, The Aristocratic Families of the Eastern Jin, The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume I), The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume II), and The Origin of Continents and Oceans. Representative authors include Cao Xueqin, Zhou Ruchang, Albert Einstein, Euclid, Apollonius, Tian Yuqing, Schelling, and Xian Gang. The press has developed distinctive strengths in classical Chinese literature and in the translation of Western philosophical classics, while also covering scientific classics and social and cultural studies. As public information is limited, this description is based only on the books in the catalogue and offers no further extrapolation.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序
- 开场话
- 第一谈 我们对于一棵古松的三种态度——实用的、科学的、美感的
- 第二谈 “当局者迷，旁观者清”——艺术与实际人生的距离
- 第三谈 “子非鱼，安知鱼之乐”——宇宙的人情化
- 第四谈 希腊女神的雕像和血色鲜丽的英国姑娘——美感与快感
- 第五谈 “记得绿罗裙，处处怜芳草”——美感与联想
- 第六谈 “灵魂在杰作中的冒险”——考证、批评与欣赏
- 第七谈 “情人眼底出西施”——美与自然
- 第八谈 “依样画葫芦”——写实主义与理想主义的错误
- 第九谈 “大人者不失其赤子之心”——艺术与游戏
- 第十谈 空中楼阁——创造的想象
- 第十一谈 “超以象外，得其环中”——创造与情感
- 第十二谈 “从心所欲，不逾矩”——创造与格律
- 第十三谈 “不似则失其所以为诗，似则失其所以为我”——创造与模仿
- 第十四谈 “读书破万卷，下笔如有神”——天才与灵感
- 第十五谈 “慢慢走，欣赏啊”——人生的艺术化
FAQ
How does this book differ from Zhu Guangqian's Literary and Art Psychology and A History of Western Aesthetics?
Can I understand this book without a foundation in art or philosophy?
What are the features of this edition of On Beauty?
Comments
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About the author
Zhu Guangqian (1897–1986), courtesy name Mengshi, was a native of Tongcheng, Anhui, and a renowned modern Chinese aesthetician, literary theorist, educator and translator, as well as one of the pioneers and founders of modern Chinese aesthetics. He studied at the University of Hong Kong and later pursued advanced studies at the University of Edinburgh in Britain and the University of Strasbourg in France, and after returning to China he taught for many years at Peking University. His works cover aesthetic theory, literary criticism and youth education, with representative titles including On Literary Psychology, On Beauty, On Poetry, A History of Western Aesthetics and Twelve Letters to Young People. His style is accessible and warm, explaining profound ideas in plain language, and his writings have influenced generations of readers. He also translated such Western classics as Hegel's Aesthetics and Vico's The New Science, making important contributions to the establishment of Chinese aesthetics as a discipline and the introduction of Western aesthetic thought.
