德性美和天性美：中国美的基本形态

杨春时

德性美和天性美：中国美的基本形态

杨春时

作者简介: 杨春时,厦门大学中文系教授(福建厦门 361005)。

中图分类号: B83

Virtuous Beauty and Innate Beauty: The Fundamental Forms of Chinese Aesthetics

YANG Chunshi

CLC number: B83

摘要: 中国美学界一般认为中国的秀美和壮美与西方的美和崇高相对应，是中国美的基本形态，但此说并不合理。美的基本形态体现着某种美学基本理念，而秀美和壮美没有体现中国美学的基本理念，也不与西方美学的美和崇高相对应，故只是美的两个种类，而不是美的基本形态。中国美的基本形态是德性美和天性美，它们分别体现了中国美学的两个基本理念：德性美主要体现了儒家的“美是道德的完善”思想；天性美主要体现了道家、禅宗的“美在自然天性”的思想。同时，德性美和天性美作为两种美的基本形态，也形成了各自的内容和形式的特性，如德性美具有以理节情、中和无邪、文质相合等审美特性以及方正典雅的风格；天性美则具有放任性情、孤高超逸、形式独异的审美特性以及清淡自然的风格。德性美和天性美互相影响、渗透，同时也各自独立发展，在不同的时期分别作为主流呈现为主导的美学思潮。在传统社会后期，德性美衰落，天性美成为主导的美的基本形态。
- 中国美学 /
- 美的基本形态 /
- 德性美 /
- 天性美
Abstract: The Chinese aesthetic community generally holds that Xiumei (“秀美”,graceful beauty) and Zhuangmei (“壮美”,majestic beauty) correspond respectively to beauty and the sublime in Western aesthetics,constituting the fundamental forms of Chinese beauty.However,this view is untenable.Fundamental forms of beauty embody certain fundamental aesthetic ideas.Since graceful beauty and majestic beauty fail to reflect the fundamental ideas of Chinese aesthetics and do not correspond to beauty and the sublime in Western aesthetics,they should be regarded merely as two types of beauty rather than its fundamental forms.The fundamental forms of Chinese beauty are virtuous beauty and innate beauty.These two forms respectively embody two central aesthetic doctrines in Chinese thought.Virtuous beauty primarily reflects the Confucian idea that beauty lies in the perfection of moral character,whereas innate beauty mainly embodies the Daoist and Chan Buddhist belief that beauty resides in one's natural disposition.As two fundamental forms of beauty,they have each developed distinct characteristics in content and form.Virtuous beauty is marked by such aesthetic qualities as regulating emotion through reason,achieving harmony and moderation without moral deviation,and balancing refinement with simplicity,thus forming a style of masculinity and elegance.Innate beauty,by contrast,is characterized by emotional spontaneity,aloofness and transcendence,and distinctive aesthetic features,with a pure and natural style.Virtuous beauty and innate beauty interact and permeate each other while developing independently,each emerging as the dominant aesthetic trend in different historical periods.In the later stage of traditional Chinese society,virtuous beauty declined,and innate beauty became the prevailing fundamental form of beauty.
- Chinese aesthetics /
- fundamental forms of beauty /
- virtuous beauty /
- innate beauty
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沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院沈阳 110142

德性美和天性美：中国美的基本形态

作者简介:杨春时,厦门大学中文系教授(福建厦门 361005)。

关键词:

摘要: 中国美学界一般认为中国的秀美和壮美与西方的美和崇高相对应，是中国美的基本形态，但此说并不合理。美的基本形态体现着某种美学基本理念，而秀美和壮美没有体现中国美学的基本理念，也不与西方美学的美和崇高相对应，故只是美的两个种类，而不是美的基本形态。中国美的基本形态是德性美和天性美，它们分别体现了中国美学的两个基本理念：德性美主要体现了儒家的“美是道德的完善”思想；天性美主要体现了道家、禅宗的“美在自然天性”的思想。同时，德性美和天性美作为两种美的基本形态，也形成了各自的内容和形式的特性，如德性美具有以理节情、中和无邪、文质相合等审美特性以及方正典雅的风格；天性美则具有放任性情、孤高超逸、形式独异的审美特性以及清淡自然的风格。德性美和天性美互相影响、渗透，同时也各自独立发展，在不同的时期分别作为主流呈现为主导的美学思潮。在传统社会后期，德性美衰落，天性美成为主导的美的基本形态。

Virtuous Beauty and Innate Beauty: The Fundamental Forms of Chinese Aesthetics

Abstract: The Chinese aesthetic community generally holds that Xiumei (“秀美”,graceful beauty) and Zhuangmei (“壮美”,majestic beauty) correspond respectively to beauty and the sublime in Western aesthetics,constituting the fundamental forms of Chinese beauty.However,this view is untenable.Fundamental forms of beauty embody certain fundamental aesthetic ideas.Since graceful beauty and majestic beauty fail to reflect the fundamental ideas of Chinese aesthetics and do not correspond to beauty and the sublime in Western aesthetics,they should be regarded merely as two types of beauty rather than its fundamental forms.The fundamental forms of Chinese beauty are virtuous beauty and innate beauty.These two forms respectively embody two central aesthetic doctrines in Chinese thought.Virtuous beauty primarily reflects the Confucian idea that beauty lies in the perfection of moral character,whereas innate beauty mainly embodies the Daoist and Chan Buddhist belief that beauty resides in one's natural disposition.As two fundamental forms of beauty,they have each developed distinct characteristics in content and form.Virtuous beauty is marked by such aesthetic qualities as regulating emotion through reason,achieving harmony and moderation without moral deviation,and balancing refinement with simplicity,thus forming a style of masculinity and elegance.Innate beauty,by contrast,is characterized by emotional spontaneity,aloofness and transcendence,and distinctive aesthetic features,with a pure and natural style.Virtuous beauty and innate beauty interact and permeate each other while developing independently,each emerging as the dominant aesthetic trend in different historical periods.In the later stage of traditional Chinese society,virtuous beauty declined,and innate beauty became the prevailing fundamental form of beauty.