%A GAO Shan %T Xujing (Emptiness and Stillness) in Daoism, Aesthetic Appreciation of Nature, and Environmental Ethics %0 Journal Article %D 2017 %J Front. Philos. China %J Frontiers of Philosophy in China %@ 1673-3436 %R 10.3868/s030-006-017-0016-0 %P 224-236 %V 12 %N 2 %U {https://academic.hep.com.cn/fpc/EN/10.3868/s030-006-017-0016-0 %8 2017-06-15 %X

In this article, I will examine the concept of xujing 虛靜 (emptiness and stillness) in Daoism and its relationship with the aesthetic appreciation of nature and environmental ethics. Firstly, I will examine the Chinese philosophical understanding of nature through the concept of qi. I point out that qi is characterized by four interrelated features, which are emptiness, creativity, vitality, and stillness. Xujing are also aesthetically appreciated as the objective features of qi. Secondly, I will discuss why, as the objective features of qi, xujing are considered to be features that have aesthetic value. I argue that empathy is the reason why emptiness as the objective feature of qi is regarded as having aesthetic value. Thirdly, I will discuss how the aesthetic concept of emptiness helps contribute to the construction of place-based environmental ethics.