A Study of Confucius's Views on Natural Beauty and the Measure of Aesthetic Criticism

The purpose of this study is to provide guidelines for gaining wisdom about life through natural beauty and utilizing it for educational purposes. Nature is the environment for human survival and is closely related to human life. Confucius's remarks on the different preferences for landscapes and water between &quotwise men&quot and &quotvirtuous men&quot reveal a common perspective on natural beauty. Certain natural objects evoke such affection because they share a formal structure resembling a certain human spiritual quality. &quotThe Doctrine of the Mean&quot (中庸) is the fundamental principle of Confucius's philosophy and the standard for his aesthetic criticism. Chinese aesthetics embodies a profound dialectical understanding of artistic creation and appreciation. Its earliest ideological roots lie in Confucius's principle of &quotthe Doctrine of the Mean.”