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This thesis attempts to take “aesthetic conception” as the subject matter to study Mohist aesthetic thought. It does not try to construct a universal Mohist aesthetic theory; instead, it draws on “aesthetic conception” to illustrate how Mohists use the word “beauty” and the significance of this usage. Three telling points—“Condemnation of Music,” “The sage-kings did not engage in musical activities,” and “Nature is prior to nurture”—thus can be viewed to manifest the origin and practice of Mohist aesthetic principle. Aesthetic conception links two main issues: the epistemological question of how does a subject understand the world and the question of evaluation. Regarding the epistemological question of how does a subject understand the world, Mohists focus on the problem of “the nominal and the reality.” They ask: How does the nominal correspond with the reality? What is the use of naming? For example, what is the use of name such as beauty? Regarding the problem of evaluation, Mohist thought is viewed against the background of Chin dynasty and the key concepts such as “Extended-Love,” “The Will of Heaven,” “The View of Human Nature,” “Imitation of the Sage-Kings” are used to establish a system of evaluation. Mohist thought develops its own principle of practice and critique of judgment in the fields of aesthetics and art, along with a particular path to each kind of literary and artistic activities. Based on the inquiry into the origin of aesthetic feelings, Mohists illustrate the feasibility of “Extended-Love to the World.” In this study, I attempt to discuss the Mohist’s problem of the nominal and the reality of beauty, the signified of beauty in the context of thought, the aesthetic interest, the aesthetic mood, the views of music and art as well as the view of Li-Yo. Consequently, my reading of Mo Tzu in terms of aesthetic interest results in an explanation of “Joy/Non-Joy,” “Beauty/Non-Beauty,” “Sweetness/Non-Sweetness,” “Coziness/Non-Coziness.” I conclude my study as follows: Mohists regard the aims of artistic activities as a realization of the value of Li and the function of recreation is merely additional. The form of expression of artistic activities cannot deviate from the essence of Li—“Awe,” and its function—“Regulation.” Because Mohists adopt the view of Extended-Love, the ruling class when undergoing musical activities must take the principle of “Condemnation of Music” and “The sage-kings did not engage in musical activities” as their aesthetic gesture. Following the concept “Nature is prior to nurture,” Mohists offer their interpretation of aesthetic interest to manifest the order of human aesthetic.
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