Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.1, 2019 

The Aesthetics of Existence and the Sinicization of Marxist Aesthetics

(Abstract)

Zhang Gong and Zhang Yuneng

Foucault’s aesthetics of existence is not only significant for clarifying the wisdom of human living and for the thoroughly reconstruction of Western philosophy and aesthetics, but also inspirational for the development of contemporary Chinese aesthetics. The mainstream development of contemporary Chinese aesthetics is the sinicization of Marxist aesthetics. Foucault’s aesthetics of existence has influenced contemporary Chinese aesthetics in terms of discursive practice (discursive production);bio-politics; “the aesthetics of body, sex and love,”particularly in the development of new practice aesthetics. The viewpoint of practice based on Marxist aesthetics; a “free and conscious view of life”; and human-selfproduction theory. Therefore, learning and reflecting Foucault’s aesthetics of existence may open a new page for the sinicization of Marxist aesthetics.