Chinese Aesthetics in a Global Context

This book examines aesthetic issues based on humanities principles and creates a theory of Chinese aesthetics from a global perspective by applying China’s traditional and cultural history to a Western theoretical framework. In particular, this book emphasizes the shared features of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, namely the unity of heaven and men, unity of nature and society, and the materialization of human feelings and humanization of material things. It also highlights the dominant role of humans in the aesthetic relationship between human and object, while placing imagery in a focal position.

Zhu Zhirong, a Changjiang Distinguished Professor, received his doctorate degree in literature and Art from Fudan University. Currently Zhu teaches at the Department of Chinese Language and literature of East China Normal University, supervises doctoral students, and serves as the standing director of the Chinese Society of Aesthetics, the standing director of the Chinese Society of Literary Theory, and the standing director of the Chinese Society of Chinese and Foreign Literary Theory. Zhu published more than 220 academic papers with prestigious journals such as Literary Review, Literary Research, Academic Monthly, and Journal of Fudan University. Some of these papers have been reprinted by Xinhua Digest and by periodical literatures reprinted by China People's University. He also published more than 10 monographs such as Philosophy of Chinese Art, The Aesthetic Thought of Kant,  On the Aesthetic Consciousness in Xia Shang Zhou Dynasties, among which Chinese Art Philosophy has been translated into English, German, Russian and Korean. He has presided over the general projects, key projects and major projects of the National Social Science Foundation of China, and won the second and third prizes for outstanding achievements in scientific research in higher education institutions of the Ministry of Education of China, and the second prize for outstanding achievements in Shanghai Philosophy and Social Sciences. 

About the translator：

Xurong Kong received her first Master’s degree in Classical Chinese Literature from Beijing Normal University and her second Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Classical Chinese Literature from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kong once taught at Colombia University and San Diego State University, and received her tenure at Kean University in 2011. Currently Kong teaches Chinese Literature and World’s History in History Department, and directs both Chinese Studies and Asian Studies at Kean University. 

Kong was Fulbright Core Scholar Finalist for 2017-2018 and for 2019-2020, and is on Fulbright Specialist Roster for 2018-2023. In the summer of 2019, Kong is assigned to Sichuan University under the Fulbright Specialist Fund. In Spring 2022, she will go to Chuo University of Japan to conduct research with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship.

Kong’s research focuses on early medieval Chinese poetry. She has published articles and books with Chinese and American top publishers and journals, such as the forthcoming book Reading Poetry along the Silk Roads, Selections from the History of the Later Han and Selections from Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government (China Book Company, 2018), “An Annotated Translation of Fu on Pomegranate in Yiwen leiju” (Journal of Early Medieval China, 2017), “Soundless Existence: Music in Classical Chinese Literature” (Yuefu xue, 2015), and “Origins of Verisimilitude: A Reconsideration of Medieval Chinese Literary Thought” (Journal of American Oriental Society, 2011).