Abstract:
Confucian and Taoist theories of aesthetic education in the preQin times had their respective distinctions. For means of aesthetic education, Confucians emphasized poetry, propriety and music while Taoists advertised “natural” and technical aesthetic teaching. For the principle of aesthetic education, The Confucian idea of “internal benevolence as the beautiful” formed a contrast against the Taoist requirement of “nature as the supreme principle of the Tao”. For the purpose of aesthetic education, Confucians advocated the objective of establishing men and working for the society while Taoists emphatically developed the free mind of men. For methods of aesthetic education, Confucians realized aesthetic education by instructing and practicing while Taoists emphasized “silent instruction”. Both Confucian and Taoist theories of aesthetic education are of the effect of treatment to contemporary social diseases, such as indulgence on physical desire, loss of spiritual home, and tensional relationship between men and nature.
