Aesthetics is the understanding and evaluation of beauty [edit this paragraph] Beauty is the product of human social practice, the expression of human active life, and the pleasant mood caused by objective things in people's minds. Viewing the world from an aesthetic point of view is an integral part of the world outlook. Aesthetics is formed in the practice of human society and is closely related to politics, morality and other ideologies. People of different times, cultures and social groups have different aesthetic views. Aesthetics is of the times, nationality and humanity, and it is a class of class society. As an important and universal aesthetic category, the concept of "aesthetic photos" has been widely used in the aesthetic theory and practice of China and the West. However, although people often use this category, most of them know nothing about its connotation and origin. I read Mr. Lin's article "What Philosophers See-An Analysis of' Meditation' in Plato's Philosophy" in theNo. 1 issue of Philosophical Research in 2003, which is very enlightening. From the perspective of China's philosophy and aesthetics, this paper makes a preliminary analysis of the aesthetic category of "aesthetic photos". In my opinion, aesthetic photography is an inevitable process of human aesthetic activities and a special way of practical contact between aesthetic subject and object. The entry of aesthetic state and the realization of aesthetic activities depend on the occurrence of aesthetic reflection at this stage to a great extent. As an aesthetic experience, aesthetic photos are closely related to intuition, imagination, association, memory and empathy, but they cannot be equated. In the practice of aesthetic activities, observation and intuition are very similar, even have some common properties, but in theory, aesthetic photos are irreplaceable. If all the elements of aesthetic experience do not necessarily appear or exist in the aesthetic process, then aesthetic photos are essential. In other words, it is not an "aesthetic" activity without aesthetic observation of this process. In a sense, aesthetic photography is the most critical and essential link in aesthetic activities, and its existence is a sign that aesthetic activities are different from general cognitive activities. Aesthetic photos are the most direct connection between aesthetic subject and object. Observation is an intuitive and vivid way, which projects objects with representational forms purposefully, thus generating images with aesthetic value. There can be no visual way to observe, which also means that the object of observation must be the object of appearance. At this point, I quite agree with the British aesthetician Bao Sangkui. Bao Sangkui believes that only concrete and perceptual things can become aesthetic objects. He said: "Nothing is useful to us except what we can see. What we feel or imagine is only what can be a direct representation or representation. This is the basic theory of aesthetic reproduction. " [1][ 1] But at the same time, aesthetic photos are far more than ordinary visual viewing, and they also combine obvious psychological activities. The original meaning of "observing" comes from China's philosophy, and its meaning is not limited to general visual viewing, but refers to grasping the noumenon and ultimate meaning of things through visual viewing. (This will be discussed below. ) observation does not exclude cognition, and the process of observation will include the generation of cognitive value; And if knowledge is the essence of observation, it is naturally a distortion of observation characteristics. Observation is the appreciation and experience of the aesthetic subject when he looks at the object with emotion and wisdom beyond logical thinking. This process is not only a reflection of the object, but also a unique angle to transform it into an aesthetic image based on this object. It is not only the object of appreciation, but also the mutual investment with the object, forming the relationship between things and me. The aesthetic relationship between subject and object is thus formed, and the generation of aesthetic value is also in this process. Aesthetic photos need corresponding conditions for aesthetic subject and object. As far as the object is concerned, it can be the object of aesthetic photography. First, it is perceptual and concrete, which can provide a prototype or a whole material for the aesthetic subject. Second, the object itself has some aesthetic attribute or cloud beauty potential, which makes its beauty potential or attribute appear or "bright" in the intentional call of the subject; From the perspective of aesthetic subject, we should first eliminate desire, make our mood empty and focus on the object; Second, the subject is intuitive and has unique wisdom and spirituality. Without this condition, it is difficult to talk about aesthetic photos. Aesthetic photography is a special way of human subject-object relationship, and the process is relatively short. It is hard to imagine long-term meditation with the object. Aesthetic photography is the most important and critical stage for the subject to enter the aesthetic process and aesthetic situation. When the subject enters the aesthetic photo, he temporarily cuts off all contact with other things in any way, and puts himself into the object's attention intentionally or unintentionally, thus producing aesthetic pleasure. The shape of the subject and the object has become a situation in which things are forgotten by me. In fact, things in this situation and I forget each other are just a feeling theme. But it is precisely the aesthetic pleasure produced by the subject that accompanies this situation. When meditation reaches its peak, it is what Schopenhauer called "self-lost". Schopenhauer deeply discussed the subject's situation when taking aesthetic photos. He said: "At this time, according to a meaningful German idiom, man lost himself in the object, that is, he forgot his individual and his will;" He just exists as a mirror of a pure subject and object; It seems that there is only one object and no one is aware of it, so people can no longer separate the intuitor [person] from the intuitor [self], but the two have become one; At the same time, the whole consciousness is completely filled and occupied by a single intuitive scene. " [2][2] Schopenhauer's "intuition" is basically consistent with our "observation" in aesthetics. Schopenhauer's point of view has its own starting point, but the analysis of "intuition", that is, aesthetic photos, is more sufficient and practical. It is worth noting that Schopenhauer pointed out aesthetic pleasure (or cloud "pleasure") when discussing aesthetic photos. He said: "Whether it is caused by works of art or directly caused by observing nature and life, it is essentially the same pleasure." [3][3] In my opinion, the process of entering aesthetic photos will inevitably bring the aesthetic pleasure of the subject. The subject cuts off the connection with other real things and focuses on a specific object with special interest and emotion, thus achieving the degree of selflessness and "self-loss" in the object, which can not but make the subject feel a kind of aesthetic pleasure filled with body and mind. Liu Xie's theory of "Climbing high with emotion and watching the sea with emotion" (Wen Xin Diao Shen Long Si) and Tao Yuanming's theory of "Picking chrysanthemums under the east hedge and seeing Nanshan leisurely" (Drinking) all gained the pleasure of aesthetic photos.