Li, Zehou and Jane Cauvel. Four Essays on Aesthetics: Toward a Global View. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2006.

Abstract

A classic in Chinese philosophy of aesthetics for the past twenty years, Zehou Li's Four Essays on Aesthetics (Meixue-sijiang) has finally been translated into English to bring philosophical insight to Western readers. It's seminal work focuses on the widely-debated philosophies in China concerning the origins, manifestations, importance, and transformative power of beauty, art, and aesthetic experiences. Drawing upon the influences of both Eastern and Western philosophers and writers, Li discusses the origins of the practices of beauty and aesthetics, in addition to the origins of art credited to shamanistic rituals. He rejects the concepts of Western aesthetics and embraces the traditional Chinese purpose for art: to mold human minds. He stresses the importance of the involvement of aesthetic philosophers in advocating technology and other vital aspects of society that will contribute to harmony among individuals, environments, and social relationships. In an initial series of engaging conversations, Zehou Li and Jane Cauvel reveal their philosophical presuppositions and expose a deeper, crosscultural understanding of the philosophy of aesthetics. Their groundbreaking work creates a bridge between the traditional and the modern, the East and the West, and brings us one step closer to understanding the beauty in human nature.