礼:中国美学起源时期的核心

Ritual-the Cornerstone of the Nascent Period of Chinese Aesthetics

中国美学起源于"美"字。美是在上古仪式的整体活动中产生的,因此,美的整体性体现在"禮"字上。"禮"字由四部分构成,即后起的"示"和原有的"■■"、"豆"、"豈"。这四部分正好体现了上古之礼的四大结构:"示"与仪式地点相关,"■■"与玉相关,"豆"与盛食器皿相关,"豈"与仪式中的音乐有关。这四大体系产生了上古美学的八大重要观念:象、味、玉、文、中、和、观、乐。

Chinese aesthetics originated with the character ＂美＂ which came into being in ancient ritual activities, therefore the totality of beauty inheres in the character ＂禮＂. ＂禮＂ is made up of four parts, with ＂示＂ added to the existing ＂王 王＂, ＂豆＂ and ＂豈＂. These four parts best reflect the four major structures of ancient rituals -- ＂示＂ denotes the location of the ritual, ＂王 王＂ jade, ＂豆＂ a container for food and ＂豈＂ music in the ritual -- which in turn generate the eight major con-cepts of ancient aesthetics, namely, images, taste, jade, writing, medium, harmony, observation and music.