Aesthetic and Moral Appreciation of Nature in Philosophical Traditions of China - Earth Stewardship: Linking Ecology and Ethics in Theory and Practice - page 44

sincerity and emptiness regarded as the objects of aesthetic appreciation? I argue
that it is through empathy. Empathy in the Chinese aesthetic appreciation of nature
is characterized by the following two features. The fi rst is that nature has certain
features or structures which trigger certain emotions in the subject. Second, the
subject whose mind has the similar structures or features with nature projects its
cherished values onto nature. Sincerity and emptiness are both cherished values in
human life in Confucianism and Daoism, respectively. As the result of empathy, the
two objective features of ch'i become the objects of aesthetic appreciation. In the
following I will examine why sincerity and emptiness are the cherished values in
Confucianism and Daoism. I argue that emptiness and sincerity an help people to
achieve self-realization.
In terms of emptiness, Chuang Tzu develops the concept. He thinks that emptiness
is both a sublime state of mind and a state of body. As a sublime state of mind, empti-
ness is characterized by the following two features. (1) The subject is unconcerned
with fame, reputation, profi t, wealth, recognition, and cultural values. (2) The subject
has no structure in his or her mind. That is, the subject is empty of all the knowledge
we obtain through senses and rationality. As a result of emptiness, the subject has
attained a tranquil state of mind, which has no self-conscious thought, deliberation,
and application of rigid standards.
For Chuang Tzu, emptiness can help us achieve self-realization in the following
two aspects. First, emptiness can help us realize natural endowments so that we can
perform daily activities with excellence. This idea is best illustrated by Chuang
Tzu's story of a wood carver named Ch'ing. Based on this story, woodworker
Ch'ing carved a piece of wood and made a bell stand. Everyone was amazed by his
work. When asked whether he has any secret for the creation of such an excellent
work, he replied that the “secret” to making an excellent bell stand lies in the pres-
ervation of ch'i in his body. The way to do so is to cultivate a tranquil state of mind
through emptying the mind of all elements of distractions, including praise, blame,
congratulations, rewards, and even the body. When his mind is completely empty of
all those elements of distractions, the ch'i can be well preserved which brings out
the excellent work. From here, we can see that ch'i is both a state of mind and also
a state of body.
Second, emptiness can help us realize the biological powers that can relate us to
the vitality of nature. By the biological power, I refer to the excellent fl ow of ch'i
within one's body, which renews and vitalizes one's body. Chuang Tzu states:
If the gentleman can in truth keep from rending apart his fi ve vital organs, from tearing out
his eyesight and hearing, then he will command corps-like stillness and dragon vision,
the silence of deep pools and the voice of thunder. His spirit will move in the train of
Heaven, gentle and easy in inaction, and the ten thousand things will be dust on the wind.
(Chuang 1968 , p. 116)
The fi ve vital organs are a concept of traditional Chinese medicine. They are
believed to be the main dwelling house of ch'i . If our mind is not distracted by
external things, we become very tranquil from the outside. However, ch'i has
an excellent circulation in our body, which is accompanied by shen (spirit).