The Search for the Peculiarity of Chinese Aesthetic Categories

This article is the continuation of the text on Chinese aesthetics, published in the Logos 79 (pp. 74-84) and Logos 80 (pp. 65-2). From general theoretical consideration concerning the influence of Chinese idiographic script on aesthetic categories it goes to the detailed analysis of separate categories as well as entire their system. At the beginning, it concentrates attention on the peculiarities of the system of Chinese aesthetic categories which determines the explanation of organic and holistic world view, unity of ideal and real principles, influence of various systems of classification. Further, it discusses the naturalness, simplicity, purity, spirit, and spontaneity of such aesthetic categories as Emptiness, Dao, qi, yin and yang. The author of the article is the most interested in the category of "blandness". He tries to explicate its peculiarity as well as the forms of its expression in monochromic paintings.