The Exploration And Analysis Of Confucious’ Thoughts On “aesthetics”

This paper analyzes the aesthetic thoughts of Confucious about “the application of poems” with the case study of the Analetics of Confucious from the perspectives of Confucious’ opinions to the function, purpose and the aesthetic views on “the application of poems”. Accordingly, the paper has three parts in total.The first part mainly illustrates Confucious’ explanation of the function of “the application of poems”. Most of the previous literary researches just focus on the aesthetic functions of Confucious’ thoughts of “the application of poems”, while the educational and knowledge functions have been overlooked. The view that “Poem is the fundamental of personality cultivation; poem is the reflection of the society and the era that can be used to improve ourselves; poem is a necessary moral integrity of gentlemen; poem can be used to cultivate our moral feelings” belongs to the aesthetic function; the view that “serving our fathers and the superior” belongs to the educational function; the recognition of the natural things belongs to the knowledge function.The second part illustrates the purpose of “the application of poem”. The author gives a general summary from the perspectives of “showing the ambition with poems”, “showing the ritual with poems”, “showing the morality with poems” and “showing the way of administration with poems”. “Showing the ambition with poems” focuses on the ambition of the “user of the poem”. “Showing the ritual with poems” is originated from the vindication and worship of the feudal ethical code. “Showing the morality with poems” and “showing the way of administration with poems” both serves for spreading the thoughts.The third part is the aesthetic view of Confucious’ “the application of poem”. His viewpoints mainly contain the following aspects. First, the beauty of innocence is the summary of the thoughts of “the application of poem”; second, the beauty of honesty is the aesthetic principle; last, the beauty of perfection is the pursuing goal of “the application of poem”.