Art appreciation is the discovery and perception of beauty, so where is beauty? Beauty lies in our own psychology. The beauty created by painters and poets is their inner image and unique soul. So what is artistic conception? According to the author's analysis, there are five levels of contact between man and the world due to different levels of relationship: (1) there is a utilitarian level to meet physiological material needs; (2) There is an ethical realm because of the coexistence and mutual love between people; (3) There is a political realm because of the mutual influence of the crowd combination; (4) Because of studying physics and pursuing wisdom, there is an academic realm; (5) there is a religious realm because of the desire to return to nature and the unity of man and nature. The utilitarian realm is dominated by benefit, the ethical realm is dominated by emotion, the political realm is dominated by power, the academic realm is dominated by reason, and the religious realm is dominated by god. But in the middle of the latter two, take the specific life of the universe as the object, enjoy its hue, order, rhythm and harmony, and thus get a glimpse of the deepest reflection of yourself; Turning a real scene into a virtual scene, creating an image as a symbol, and concretizing and physicalizing the highest human mind is the "artistic realm". The artistic realm is dominated by beauty.

So all beautiful light comes from the source of the soul, and there is no beauty without the refraction of the soul. Therefore, the natural landscape is a spiritual realm. Artistic conception is the crystallization of emotion and scenery. Therefore, China artists are not satisfied with purely objective mechanical modeling, but always reflect the noble style of individuality in their reflections on objects. A quiet and lively life constitutes two major elements of art. Therefore, the creation of Zhong Guo's artistic conception needs Qu Yuan's lingering side and Zhuangzi's transcendence. Only by touching the fence can we go deep into the core of everything, so-called "entering the circle." Superethereal, it can be a flower in the mirror, a moon in the water, a gazelle hanging in the corner, and there is no trace to be found. The so-called "super image". Color is empty, empty is color, color is the same, empty is the same. This is not only the poetic scene in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, but also the painting scene in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. These two sentences "express the sky with the pen of chasing the light and creeping the shadow, and devote all one's efforts" show the ultimate ideal and highest achievement of China's art, including the poems of Tang and Song Dynasties and the paintings of Song and Yuan Dynasties. The field of China's greatest works of art is rooted in an active, dynamic and rhythmic mind.

The author uses his consistent viewpoint to guide us to appreciate China's poems, paintings and music, especially China's calligraphy. Just like poetry and music, the sorrows and joys of China people can be expressed by calligraphy. No other country writes in this way. The author thinks that writing the history of western art is often based on the architectural style changes of various western times, while the architectural style of China has not changed much, so it cannot be used to distinguish the changes of painting and sculpture styles of various times. However, since Yin Dynasty, the style of calligraphy has changed significantly, which can replace the position of architecture in the history of western art and spy out the characteristics of art in different times.

For example, the calligraphy in Wei and Jin Dynasties, represented by Wang Xizhi and his son, is the concrete embodiment of the simple and elegant philosophical beauty of Wei and Jin people. Art appreciation is to form artistic personality, and the beauty of personality in Wei and Jin Dynasties is the most wonderful and moving chapter in China's art history, which distinguishes it from other nationalities and shows China's artistic spirit. Before this era, ideas were fixed on statues, and art was too simple; After this era, the thought is dominated by the confluence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, and art is too mature. Only these hundreds of years will be the great liberation of spirit and the great freedom of personality and thought. The beauty of Jin people is the highest peak of this whole era.

Jin people discovered the beauty of mountains and rivers, and Wang Xizhi said, "Walking on a shady road is like swimming in a mirror. "They are natural and unrestrained, and don't dwell on things. But for the exploration of philosophy, it is infatuated. Wang Rong said that "the bell of love is ringing in our generation", and Gu Kaizhi's paintings are unique, and idiots are especially unattainable. Jin people discover nature externally and deep feelings internally. Landscape is ethereal and emotional. Tao Yuanming and Xie Lingyun's landscape poems are very good, because they have a fresh interest in nature. They are enjoying nature with their hearts.

The beauty of Jin people lies in its charm. Charm can be said to be "there are far things outside", and you don't stick to the free spirit of things, such as watching you return to Hong and waving three strings in your hand. This is a kind of spiritual beauty, which can be carved into a calm and fearless spirit when expanded. The most beautiful is the most powerful. Wang Xizhi's calligrapher said that words are powerful and easy to escape, such as dragons jumping into the sky and tigers lying in the phoenix. The triumph of flying water is rooted in Xie Anmei's character and demeanor. Liu Kun, Zu Di and Zhou Chu, who are ready to die, are all vigorous figures who have lived for thousands of years. This era is the most lively, lively and beautiful in the history of China, and its wonderful achievements are extremely high. This is an aesthetic attitude towards life, which is also manifested in the following two points: first, play with the present and seek extreme richness and enrichment in the present moment; Second, the value of beauty lies in the process itself, not in the external purpose and the so-called "inaction" attitude. For example, when the prince offered a snowy night, he suddenly remembered Diane Road, that is, taking a boat, stopping at the door and returning. People replied, "I came on a whim, but I came back in full swing." Why should I wear it? " Zong Baihua believes that this interest in the life process itself rather than the persistence in the purpose shows the typical aesthetic life of Jin people.

In this book, Zong Baihua, with his lyrical brushwork and love for beauty, leads readers to appreciate the hearts of great artists in China and the West, as well as those romantic and chic Jin people. When we came back from a walk, we found that our hearts were sublimated and purified.