The Aesthetic Intention Of "Qi" In Laozi

"Qi"appears in ten chapters of Laozi. It literally means only some visible implement or ten thousand creatures; however, its intention is not limited in those but is related with"Tao"closely. The"Qi"in Laozi is a whole and an inevitable developing process of"root– forming– alienation - regression"in the term of relationship between"Qi"and"Tao". There is Lao Tzu's deep thought about how human survive and develop in order to achieve the beauty of life behind it, containing the process of"affirmative of beauty - alienation of beauty - negativity of beauty - reappearance of beauty". Tao, as the root of world, the greatest and most fontal beauty, must transforms from trans-form to under-form, which is from"Tao"to"Qi"; this is the material appearance of"Tao". Under conservation of"Tao","Qi nature exists and develops freely; nature beauty of life generate, which is affirmative of beauty. Once"Qi"forming, the user or owner of them-human often neglects or deviates"Tao"in the use of"Qi", which makes"Qi"become horrible. Human, as"sacred Qi", also loses his nature beauty, which causes the beauty of individual and society alienated. Facing serious consequences of alienation, Lao Tzu pointed out two way of returning to real beauty according to the inexorable law that"Qi"must return to"Tao". On the one hand,individual would realize the wisdom that"we should recognize the usefulness of what is not"in all walks of life and not be limited in utility and interest. On the other hand, all people and things return to their nature through the governance that"everything can be activated by this very inactivity", and"Qi"return to its root. The two ways eliminate people inside and outside restriction and achieve aesthetic liberation of life, which are the embodiment of negativity of beauty. Finally"Qi"becomes"greatest Qi"connecting with"Tao"and natural beauty of human reappear. Individual and society achieve the beauty of natural development and natural harmony.The process above contains philosophic thinking of Lao Tzu like"Tao and Qi can not be separated","Being and Non-being grow out of one another". It inspires human that they ought not to deviate their nature beauty; respect and take tolerate attitude to other people's beauty; work toward to aesthetic realm in the development of individual and society.