怪异:明清启蒙美学之特征

美学范畴的数量和内容,是随着时代的发展不断变化的。明中叶以来,中国封建社会内部开始发生蜕变,出现资本主义生产方式的萌芽,在意识形态领域,早期启蒙思潮破土而出,抗议理学权威,冲击封建罗网,高扬人欲旗帜。在审美和艺术上,掀起了张扬个性、反对封建礼教、反抗传统思想的浪漫新潮。在这种历史条件下,出现了具有特定内容的"怪异"这一美学范畴。以"怪异"自居的启蒙美学家和艺术家们,在思想行为上,主张离经叛道,反对封建统治者所遵从的儒家经典和道德信条,标新立异,背离所谓封建"正统"。在审美理想上,要求表现艺术个性,创造"有我"的独特艺术风格。在美丑关系上,他们把"丑"提升到较高位置,以丑为美,直接歌颂现实生活中被封建统治者和卫道者视为"异端"、"癫狂"的形象。在艺术形象塑造上,他们常常运用怪诞手法,塑造扭曲变形的艺术形象,以强化创作主体的审美情感。"怪异",是明清启蒙美学的一个重要范畴,也是这个时代的重要特征。

Uncanniness: the feature of enlightenment esthetics in the Ming-Qing period

The range and content of aesthetics vary with times. From the middle of the Ming dynasty, the Chinese society underwent inner transformation. With the appearance of capitalist manner of production, early Enlightenment thought emerged, which challenged the authority of Neo-Confucianism and lashed the feudal society. In the fields of aesthetics and art, romanticist thoughts occurred, which advocated individuality and opposed the teachings of Confucian rites. Against this background, uncanniness with special connotation emerged in the field of aesthetics. In their way of thinking, advocators of uncanniess deviated from the traditional feudal regulations, opposing Confucian teachings and feudal morality. In aesthetic ideals, they wanted to display their artistic character and create a special artistic style so as to reveal their personality. In the relationship of beauty and ugliness, they promoted "ugliness" to a high position and used the so called "ugliness"to praise the images they created that were regarded as"heresy"and "craziness" by the feudal rulers and their ideological guards. They often used strange means to create distorted images so as to express their emotion. Uncanniess is an important range in the field of aesthetics in the Ming-Qing period and also one important feature of the times.