Sidelights on The 8th International Conference on Bie-Modernism
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On December 9-10, 2023, The 8th International Conference on Bie-Modernism was held in Shanghai, which was organized by the School of Humanities in Shanghai Normal University, the Institute of Aesthetics and Aesthetic Education in SHNU (IAAE), the Center for Chinese Bie-modern Studies from the United States (CCBMS), the Center for Bie-modern Studies from Slovenia (CBMS).
Detail：
Participants from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Central Conservatory of Music, Minzu University of China, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Lanzhou University, East China Normal University, Shanghai Theatre Academy, East China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai University, Donghua University, Shanghai Normal University, Institute for Culture and History of Sichuan Province, Yangzhou University, Zhejiang Normal University, Northwest Normal University, Hangzhou Normal University, Hebei Normal University and other universities, Research Institutes. More than 200 participants, including senior experts, young scholars, doctoral students, as well as famous artists, lawyers and poets, attended the conference online and offline, and discussed the theme of the conference – “Philosophy and Creativity” from different perspectives, which was rich in content and new insights. This report will focus on the discussion on aesthetics among the participating scholars.
1. Focusing on the Construction of Aesthetic Theory
Professor Xie Jinliang of Fudan University reflects on and criticizes the Western paradigm in the study of ancient Chinese aesthetics, pointing out that during the Bie-modern period, Chinese aesthetics had three theoretical forms of aesthetics rooted in the Western academic discourse system, such as epistemology, practice, and value, and that a contemporary aesthetics theoretical system, in which the practice of aesthetics is the mainstay, had been formed. In order to build a Chinese-style modernization, realize the great renaissance of literature and art, and even realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, an aesthetic theory with Chinese characteristics that meets China’s national conditions and adapts to the sustainable and peaceful development of mankind must come into being, and Bie-modernism aesthetics is a notable example. The reconstructed aesthetic theory must have the cultural inheritance of the country’s excellent tradition, must carry out the “second combination”, and must have the subjectivity and ethnicity of Chinese aesthetic thought, so it is inseparable from the close combination with the thinking of Yixue and the culture of Yixue.
Prof. Ma Zhengping, curator of the Institute for Culture and History of Sichuan Province, based on the lecture of Prof. Song Jin at the Central Conservatory of Music. He analyzes and analyzes the aesthetic and philosophical spirit of “Bie-modernism” contained in Prof. Song’s lecture. This will reveal the aesthetic and philosophical essence of the aesthetic activity of contemporary Chinese “post-modern” art creation, and provide reference for revealing the true philosophical connotation and character of “post-modernism”.
According to Wang Caiyong, a professor at Fudan University, Bie-modern gives us a perspective and a way to think about the modernization of Chinese aesthetics and art, and the concept evokes an expectation of how we should go about developing at the present time.
Xia Jinqian, the former deputy editor-in-chief of Academic Monthly, believes that Bie-modern has achieved fruitful results in the course of nearly a decade of development, forming its own system of concepts and categories, and as a very generalized concept suspending various Western isms, advocating that our academic research should start from reality and lead to theoretical innovation. Thus, transcending aesthetics on this basis, it is the cornerstone of philosophy, economics, jurisprudence, and all kinds of academic research.
Rong Yueming, professor of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, believes that the theory of Bie-modernism as an original concept has inspired academic research. In the current development, we should avoid the current drawbacks of theory to theory and concept to concept in the construction of disciplines and theoretical research, and promote the formation of Chinese literary aesthetics theory with contemporary characteristics from the contemporary cultural practice and literary and artistic creation practice.
According to Prof. Xiao Jianhua of Guangzhou University, Chao-praxis Aesthetic is a true construction of aesthetic system of modernity, which is different from the existing aesthetics in the West, as well as from the established Practice Aesthetic, Post-practice Aesthetic, Literary Aesthetics, and Ecological Aesthetics in China. Rather, it is a kind of Bie-modernism aesthetics that distinguishes between various kinds of false modernity and false subjectivity, and has the characteristics of true and full modernity.
According to Prof. Zhao Jianjun of Jiangnan University, as a form of critical thought expression, Bie-modern possesses the internal logical basis of “Bie Bie Bie”. This kind of thinking shows the unique negative connotation of Bie-modern, which is distinctly different from the traditional classical poetic negativity, the rational negativity of modernism and the ecological negativity of Post-modern. It is a kind of spiritual energy that cuts down the “pseudo-neutralization” and “pseudo-synthesis” of reality, and it is a positive constructive force that highlights the absoluteness and infinity in negativity.
2. Focusing on Art Creation
Professor Keaton Wynn of the Center for Chinese Bie-modern Studies from the United States (CCBMS) argues that contemporary art’s creative and free use of materials is an instinctive response to the power-materialism of contemporary consumer culture. These creative sentiments parallel Wang Jianjiang’s “Life Equity”. “Life Equity” is not quantitative, but qualitative life experience. This also reflects the traditional Western anthropological focus on human potential and meaning, manifested in “human flourishing.” Professor Wei Zhang of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts commented on Keaton Wynn’s presentation. He argued that Keaton Wynn’s neo-formalism emphasizes the material involvement of materials in artistic expression and the creative and free use of materials, which distinguishes it from Marx’s, Heidegger’s, Foucault’s, and Heidegger’s understandings of matter. Keaton’s aim in revisiting the materials of art in a digital context is to access the mystery of the material world as a means of reclaiming human dignity and the power to resist instrumentality. Arguably, this is a response to the Bie-modernism theory of life equity in the exploration of art theory.
According to Professor Ernest Ženko of the Center for Bie-modern Studies in Slovenia, creativity is a fundamental human trait. It is especially important in challenging times when new ideas, perspectives and approaches are needed to advance development, solve problems or simply maintain the quality of life that has been achieved. In this context, he argues that creativity is a focal point in the core of Bie-modern theory. At the same time, he also sees Bie-modern theory as an important corrective to the prevailing Western paradigm, which is mainly characterized by individualism and goal orientation.
Prof. Liu Junping from the Department of Art and Art History, University of California, Davis, and the University of Emergency Management delivered a speech. He believed that Gilles Deleuze proposed the idea of a “third way” in painting when he saw Bacon’s artworks, and that the Bie-modern theory is an important inspiration for the construction of the third image theory of art.
Professor Wu Xiaoning of East China Normal University believes that the main features of the aesthetic form of Bie-modernism art are somehow compatible with the deconstructive method, black humor and alternative expression in the phenomenon of Chinese contemporary art creation.
Bie-modernism is a hybrid of Chinese and Western aesthetics in the field of contemporary art, and its diversification, heterogeneity and transcendence are the direction of today’s and tomorrow’s art.
According to Prof. Li Huaxiu of Hebei Normal University, the “BIE” of Bie-modern not only describes the complexity of Chinese philosophy, but also presents the current state of the world to us, which provides a unique perspective for us to understand the true meaning of art. The word “BIE” has many semantic meanings, which makes Bie-modern more inclusive than “Modern” or “Post-modern”. While “Modern” and “Post-modern” only describe parts of the world, Bie-modern embraces the whole. Only by seeing the whole can we move towards the truth. Therefore, we need to rethink many issues of art in the perspective of Bie-modernism.
Meng Yan, the representative of Bie-modernism artists, believes that the philosophical construction, theoretical innovation and artistic practice of Bie-modernism are complementary to the altruism, good thoughts and good deeds of “good culture”. Combining the “good culture” embodied in the East and the West is a perfect match with the idea of Bie-modernism, and at the same time, it is also the great ego style that should and must be embodied in the process of Bie-modernism’s creativity and practice.
Zuo Yilin, a Bie-modernism artist and professor at Lanzhou City College, elaborated on the connection between post-color ceramic creative practice, which began with the regeneration of Dunhuang art, and Bie-modernism theory. He reflects on the practical significance and future value of post-colored pottery creative practice, and explains Bie-modernism’s method of interpreting post-colored pottery artworks by sorting out the consensus between post-colored pottery practice and Bie-modern theory in the face of constructing divergent thinking.
Well-known art designer Liu Yuxiang dissected the design process and concept of the “Bie-modern” logo. According to him, the Bie-modern theory is a theoretical proposition for the establishment of true modernity, so it is also international in nature. Therefore, in addition to highlighting the Chinese character “别”, the logo also incorporates the abbreviation “BM” for Bie-Modern. Because the Chinese character “别” and “BM” appear in the logo at the same time, the colors red and gray are used to distinguish them.
Cao Dongliang, a representative of Bie-modernism poets, believes that Bie-modernism theory is a great guide to poetry creation. When we realize that modern poetry creation has sunk into personification narration and verbal rhetoric, the relevant sub-theoretical categories in Bie-modernism theory provide us with highly inspiring ways to break out.
Bie-modernism painter and exhibition planner Yao Liyong believes that Bie-modernism is not unique to Chinese society, but is a universal state of international society, which is his greatest feeling after visiting European countries. Whether it is real life or artistic creation, Europe presents a Bie-modern scene – a kind of multi-faceted hybridization of pre-modern, modern and post-modern. However, if Bie-modern is only understood as a mix of pre-modern, modern and post-modern, Bie-modernism can hardly go far. Therefore, he believes that Bie-modern also has its own meaning – a kind of complex Bie-modern that transcends pre-modern, modern, and Post-modern. Only by transcending pre-modern, modern, and post-modern can Bie-modern have its independent value as a theory of Eastern philosophy in the 21st century.
3. Focusing on the study of Aestheticology of Bie-modernism
According to Prof. Jian Shengyu of Yangzhou University, Prof. Wang Jianjiang’s Aestheticology of Bie-modernism demonstrates the ” Bie-culture” thinking implicit in Chinese cultural tradition in the process of research practice. He explores and explains a series of relevant theoretical contents with a unique research perspective and positive attitude, and puts forward many thought-provoking and innovative theoretical points of view, which provide valuable research ideas for contemporary aesthetics research.
According to Prof. Xiao Minghua of Jiangxi Normal University, Aestheticology of Bie-modernism is a theoretical construction based on the social reality of “Bie-modern” culture. It is especially interested in intervening in the current aesthetic phenomenon of literature and art, and thus is a “miscellaneous aesthetics” as a cultural aesthetics. In line with this, the Aestheticology of Bie-modernism has a conscious local identity, it has a basic demand for modernity, and actively promotes “modernity in art and aesthetics” according to the social and cultural reality of modernity. At the same time, Aestheticology of Bie-modernism has a conscious pursuit of originality, and it tries to construct a new aesthetic form and a new aesthetic theoretical form of Bie-modern social and cultural context. Aestheticology of Bie-modernism can be called the “new” aesthetics of “contemporaneity”, which is an aesthetic theory constructed independently in the process of Chinese modernization.
4. Focusing on the Study of Aesthetic History
Prof. Cao Qian of Shanghai University believes that since the 20th century, the theory of “imagery”, as one of the modern Chinese aesthetics, has gone through a path of modern transformation. Firstly, the theory of imagery is based on the ancient culture and aesthetic spirit of China. Secondly, in the Republican era and the 1980s of the 20th century, the theory of imagery absorbed many elements of Western aesthetics and Marxist aesthetics, which gave it the character of modern aesthetics. Again, since the new century, imagery theory has absorbed the latest achievements of contemporary aesthetic theory. Throughout the twentieth century, the development of Chinese imagery aesthetics theory has been a path of modern transformation that incorporates the Sino-Western-Marxist-I theory advocated by Bie-modernism.
According to Associate Professor Yang Ning of Minzu University of China, the modern transformation of Chinese aesthetics is essentially a process of large-scale exploration of the internal and external worlds of human nature under new historical conditions. In this process, a group of thinkers represented by Dai Zhen, through the affirmation of the individual’s emotional desires and cognitive abilities, constructed an ontology centered on the “human being”, elevated the individual’s subjective status, and laid the theoretical foundation for the occurrence of modern Chinese aesthetics.
Associate Professor Wang Weiyu of Huainan Normal University believes that Zhu Guangqian’s aesthetics research is based on the experience of the times and with the perspective of modern Western experience, whether it is literature-genesis or symptom-genesis. In essence, they are all a kind of “empirical-genesis” reading. This is a kind of westernized experience according to the times, which is different from Zhu Guangqian’s rational and aesthetic man who is based on the times and traditions, and corrects the western modern rational man and aesthetic man with traditional resources. With the Bie-modern empirical-occurrence path, we pursue the organic human being in the existential sense with a more traditional face.
Associate Professor Xu Dawei of Liaoning Normal University argues that, unlike the origins of poetry, novels, and opera, the stylistic nature of Chinese prose is related to the symbolic form of the text of the state’s political ideology. This genre not only has literary and aesthetic self-regulatory significance, but also its transmutation is closely related to the change of dynastic regimes. Modern Chinese prose emerged and flourished during the May Fourth Movement because of the so-called “Wang Gang’s Explanation” of the disintegration of the political system in the late Qing Dynasty.
Dr. Liu Tao of Fudan University believes that the artistic view of Bie-modernism can be summarized into three points: A. The exploration of aesthetic nationalism based on the study of ancient Chinese art, trying to break through the discourse interpretation under the background of Western theories, different from the West. B. Taking art as a breakthrough, grasping the new characteristics of the aesthetic form in the current society, different from the modern, Post-modern. C. Organize Bie-modernism Art Exhibition to realize the interaction and mutual support between theoretical construction and art practice, to find a breakthrough for the future development of art, and to highlight the artistic tension and pursuit of Bie-modernism.
Dr. Zhan Hong of Shanghai Normal University believes that in the 21st century, with the recovery and rise of China’s economy, returning to history and reshaping culture have again become the focus of this century’s ideological construction. How to innovate and how to revitalize have become the questions that must be pondered in this era. The concept of “Bie-modern” proposed by Wang Jianjiang is synonymous with this period.
5. Focusing on Bie-modernist Cultural Computing
According to Professor Zhang Gong of East China University of Politics and Law, the concept of practice in the digital era gives the concept of practice in the new era the essence of digitization: openness, compatibility, and sharing, which gives it characteristics different from those of previous eras. Characteristics such as artificial intelligence, symbolic intermingling, and group commonality, at the same time, bring technological intelligence, cross-media, and “beauty and commonality” to Bie-modern art.
Professor Chen Haiguang of Shanghai Normal University analyzes the proportion of modernity in world literary masterpieces with the theoretical support of Bie-modernist cultural computing. He thinks that the cultural computing methods, paths and models with Bie-modernism can be self-evident and it-evident, indicating its feasibility, reliability and the possibility that it can be popularized and applied.
According to Peng Kai, a young scholar from Northwest Normal University, the rapid development of new technologies has brought about dramatic changes in history, which has given more importance to the task of “Bie-modern” research. Bie-modern theory is used to study the newer and more urgent topics that people are facing in today’s world. The first and foremost meaning is to help people to “recognize the difference”, that is to say, to recognize this unprecedented change in human history, and then to guide people to adapt to the development trend of history, which is also to “adapt to the difference”. This is also the proper meaning of Bie-modern theory.
According to Chang Jun, a doctor at Shanghai Normal University, the animation series of New Gods is based on the pre-modern Chinese mythological stories with the theme of sealing the gods, and it is symbiotic in the intervention of modern technology as well as the artistic approach of Post-modern. This Bie-modern phenomenon exactly fits the special social form and historical development of China’s current pulse of the times, and caters to the aesthetic psychology and aesthetic needs of the contemporary young audience, becoming the main reason for its success.
According to Dr. Sun Ruixue of Shanghai Normal University, Bie-modernist cultural computing enters the field of human-computer interaction, combines cultural computing with artificial intelligence technology, and realizes the cross-study of literature and science disciplines. Aiming at the problem of aliasing brought about by the development of artificial intelligence technology, Bie-modernist cultural computing builds a Bie-human recognition system, taking cultural computing recognition system and artificial emotion computing as the technical key point, improving the self-awareness of the information system, and screening false information and pseudo-civilization in the Bie-modern society.
According to Dr. Lin Jiafeng of Shanghai Normal University, Bie-modernist cultural computing is mainly applied to the study of Bie-human, the analysis of AI writing, and the analysis of the proportion of the elements of modernity in literary works. Combined with the existing research results, it can be seen that this theory not only updates the scope of application of computer theory tools, but also greatly broadens the research space in the field of culture, provides a new possibility for the production of knowledge, and enriches the theoretical content of cross-disciplines.
6. Focusing on Art Theory
According to Prof. Zhang Jin of Lanzhou University, “Silk Road Aesthetic Culture”/”Silk Road Aesthetic Community” is a typical “Bie-modernism”. The cultures of different nationalities and regions have borrowed from each other, taught each other, exchanged and mingled, derived and regenerated, and coexisted and co-prospered, constituting a vast and profound productive and heterogeneous cultural geographic space. In it, all kinds of modernisms, including “anti-modernism”, “meta-modernism” and “non-modernism” coexist simultaneously, constituting a Bie-modernist “hybrid” space. “It is a non-territorial “super-object” and a “network of actors” composed of both human and non-human actors. It is a “parliament of things” composed of mobile objects. The potential of the Bie-modernist “heterotopia” and “inter-objectivity” has been centralized.
According to Prof. Luo Xiaofeng of Yangzhou University, Chinese new poetry criticism has often been questioned and criticized as “ineffective”, “useless” and even “terminal” because it has not been able to construct an original local discourse mode and theoretical system. Bie-modern theory, as an original local theory, provides a new perspective and a theoretical fulcrum for Chinese new poetry criticism. Taking Bie-modern theory as a new perspective of Chinese new poetry criticism, we can reflect on and re-examine the dimensions of new poetry criticism such as “modernism” and “post-modernism”. It also provides a possible path and direction for the future development of Chinese new poetry criticism.
According to Prof. Wang Hongyue of Zhejiang Normal University, Bie-modern art theory is built on the basis of Bie-modern and Bie-modernism. It is a kind of art theory that was created in response to the established art phenomena and art trends in contemporary China. Bie-modernism is a new theory created at the dislocation between China’s drastic transformation into the 21st century and the West’s virtual “post-modern” era. So, Bie-modern art theory is naturally characterized by reflection, integration and transcendence of the above theories about “modern” and “contemporary art”.
According to Guan Yu, a young scholar at the Communication University of Shanxi, “parody” is the most common and representative means of contemporary art, highlighted by the characteristic of “spatialization of time”. For parody, it is necessary to establish an intertextual relationship between the source text, the pre-text and the parody text. Combining with the mechanism of “figure-underground”, a deeper understanding of the text is needed in order to differentiate between the “Post” of Post-modernism and the “Bie” of Bie-modernism. Thus, we are able to reveal the irony of the works and the deeper meaning of the critique of the real context, and thus accurately grasp the essence of contemporary art. Parodies originating from Chinese contemporary avant-garde art have formed a meaning and expression that is different from Western post-modern parodies and Chinese “Cynical Realism”.
Prof. Song Jin of the Central Conservatory of Music was anticipated by many delegates before the conference with his academic presentation on “An Examination of Musical Phenomena in Bie-modern Perspective”. This time, he focused on the singing of yin and yang in the field of music, the musical life of the cyborgs, the collage of compound styles, and the stage show of the real and the imaginary in the same time in just 10 minutes, which aroused a great interest from the audience. He further pointed out the need to reflect on the name of “Bie-modern”, its social causes, the current meaning and practice of inner aesthetics, what other musical phenomena exist, and how to transcend them.
According to Sun Yue, a young scholar at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Bie-modernism, qualitative computational sensibility and post-human music, these three terms are concatenated to make up a very broad topic, which obviously cannot be completed in a short abstract, but which constitutes a set of questions worth exploring and thinking about.
Bie-modernism is a general term for the ideological, socio-cultural and artistic characteristics of a number of countries and places that characterize this era. Qualitative Computing is derived from contemporary human geography research and aims to define a non-representational theory of the mechanisms of interaction between human space, environmental data, and human emotional impact.
7. Focusing on Bie-modernism Theory Correlation Studies
Professor Liu Zuoxiang of Shanghai Normal University, a jurist, believes that Bie-modern is a kind of critical theory or reflexive critical theory, which provides us with a new and unique perspective to understand China, and even the world, and is a theory of thought with originality.
According to Prof. Shi Wenlong of Shanghai Normal University, law is a system of rules and behavioral norms built on the basis of morality, and as far as the norms of rights are concerned, there are deep value foundations and ethical attributes behind any norms of rights. In the teaching of rights, it is of great practical significance to expand the value foundation and ethical attributes of rights.
According to Yu Guangrong, an international lawyer from Shanghai Anzhiqin Law Firm, although the idea concept of Bie-modernism is not protected by intellectual property law, the right to invent the idea concept is protected. The “Bie-modernism Creative Practice and Intellectual Property Protection of its ‘Ideas'” discussed in this conference opens up a new research direction of Bie-modernism and broadens the research field of Bie-modernism.
According to Guo Hailong, a professor at the Central Academy of Party History and Literature, the crisis of the materialist conception of history is due to the misinterpretation of the materialist conception of history: the “five-stage theory of social development” and the “theory of economic determinism”, and to the challenge posed to the conception of history by the scientific revolution of the twentieth century and the lack of popular beliefs. The Monist Multilinear Theory clarifies the misinterpretation of the materialist conception of history. The challenge was successfully met by the monadic duality based on the scientific revolution of the 20th century, which led to the renewal of the materialist conception of history. In view of this, it is necessary to push organic intellectuals to construct a meso-level theory in line with the materialist conception of history in order to grasp the masses and transform it into a historical initiative.
According to Dr. Xing Juanni of Shanghai Normal University, in response to the emergence of various Bie-modern editing and publishing problems, the problematic consciousness of “BIE” as the logical starting point and the growth point of academic editing and proofreading has become the indispensable thinking consciousness that editors of academic journals need to have. Under the perspective of Bie-modernism, editors of academic journals need to have multi-dimensional thinking consciousness of seeking differences, adjusting and innovating, so as to improve the level of editing and proofreading of journals, strengthen the characteristics of journal development, and make the editing and publishing activities gain lasting and far-reaching development.
In addition to the above deepening interpretation of Bie-modernism theory from different angles by experts, scholars, artists, jurists and other professionals from different industries, another achievement of this conference is the launch of the MOOC Aestheticology of Bie-modernism and the book of the same name. The MOOC of Aestheticology of Bie-modernism is the first digital presentation of Bie-modernism theory as a whole.
This is in line with the five books on Bie-modernism: Bie-modern: Space Encounters and Times Spans, Bie-modern: Discourse Innovation and International Academic Dialogue, Bie-modern: Works and Commentary, Bie-modern: Art and Philosophical Thinking, and the newest one, Aestheticology of Bie-modernism. These form a spreading square, with a new name, new scope, new methodology and new principle, showing its “heat, greatness and vigor” as an original local Chinese doctrine with international influence.