"The wise enjoy water, the benevolent enjoy mountains" comes from a famous saying in "The Analects of Confucius. , The benevolent will live longer.”

Here, Confucius pointed out that the reason why people like certain natural objects is because the images of natural objects themselves show characteristics similar to human virtues. It is precisely because the wise and the benevolent have the same attributes of movement, stillness, joy, and longevity with mountains and water respectively that they have established certain aesthetic relationships with mountains and water. This kind of "Comparing virtue" with "mountain as comparison of virtue and water as comparison of wisdom" is to observe the natural scenery from the perspective of ethics and morals and personality psychological structure, and is accustomed to compare it to a certain personality character.

Confucius’s aesthetic view of landscapes based on the theory of “comparison with morality” makes Confucian ideals close to nature. The most representative one is Zeng Dian's ambition recorded in "The Analects of Confucius·Advanced": "In late spring, when the spring clothes are ready, five or six people are crowned, and six or seven children are bathing in Yi, the wind is dancing, and they are singing. Return." This is in line with Confucius's aesthetic ideals and embodies the harmony and comfort of man in nature, so it is highly praised. Therefore, "the wise enjoy the water, the benevolent enjoy the mountains" is actually a manifestation of "harmony", that is, the harmony between man, mountains, rivers and nature.

Mountains are thick and heavy, and water is impermanent. Mountains and water constitute two completely different forms in nature. Mountains have their own height, depth, breadth, and size; water has its own spirit, movement, softness, and change. One has high aspirations, and the other follows the crowd. Mountains express strength by their perseverance and uprightness, and water expresses wisdom by their smoothness and suppleness. The philosophy of mountains embodies integrity, and the philosophy of water embodies wit. The logic of the mountain means that the clouds are rising straight up, while the track of the water represents the circuitous penetration. Simplicity is the style of the mountain, which rises from the ground and looks directly into the sky; richness is the personality of the water, which swims all over the ground and is free and easy. Mountains have memories, and over the years and vicissitudes of life, they have achieved greatness; water is soft and gentle, and dissolves all things. It is large in its tolerance, so it flows continuously. Mountains are static books, which describe the temperament of green pines and rock styles, and can polish your fortitude and pride; water is a flowing book, which records romance, love between children, and can cultivate your flexibility and sensitivity. By reading mountains, you can understand what perseverance is; by reading water, you can understand what is fleeting.