Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.1, 2019 

 

The Origin of Liang Qichao’s Idea of Quwei (Taste)

(Abstract)

 

Wu Zequan

 

Quwei (taste) was an important aesthetic proposition of Liang Qichao in his later years. Liang emphasized the unity of art and life, considering taste as the essence of both art and life. Taste was premised upon disinterestedness and “doing nothing for the sake of doing it”.His theory of taste was related to Liang’s attitude towards life and his knowledge of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. In terms of its conceptual origin, Liang’s “taste” can be attributed to the NeoConfucianism of the Song and Ming Dynasties and modern pedagogy. The theory is of great significance to the understanding Liang’s thought and the interdisciplinary symbiosis among aesthetics, philosophy and pedagogy in modern China.