Abstract:

 Zhang Jingsheng’s aesthetic ideas can be understood from the development of ideological history and his proposal of Utopian concepts in the 1920s which find best expression in two of his books: Beautiful Outlook on Life and Beautiful Rules of Social Organizations. The former mainly discusses the concepts and methods of building a Utopia while the later discusses the forms of social organizations and lives after the founding of a Utopia. As to the analysis of aesthetic thoughts, both books have a touch, but the former better traces the ideological history. Beautiful Outlook on Life is not only an indepth discussion of aesthetic thought, but also a systematic answer to the questions about the outlook on life. The answer was also a prompt response to the Debate between Science and Metaphysics, a big event in the ideological history in the 1920s. The book pushed forward the Debate substantially not only by offering the methods of comprehending the outlook on life, but also by constructing a set of plans. In view of this, Zhang’s aesthetic ideas distinguished themselves as unique. Judging form epistemology, aesthetic methods do not parallel with that of science and metaphysics, but include and surpass the latter. Regarding the fusion between material and spiritual life, Zhang’s aesthetics had both a material frame for practice and a spiritual ability to resist materialization caused by the former. In terms of the purpose of life, Zhang’s idea of beauty is an ultimate conception, exceeding truth and goodness.
 

Key words: Zhang Jingsheng, outlook on life, Utopian Construction, Debate between Science and Metaphysics, aesthetic