The “2022 Academic Frontier Series of Famous Lectures” was held online on April 9, 2022
On the morning of April 9, the School of Literature of Lanzhou University held the “2022 Academic Frontier Series of Famous Lectures”. Professor Wang Jianjiang, a second-level professor at the School of Humanities of Shanghai Normal University and Director of the Institute of Aesthetics and Aesthetic Education, was invited to give an online lecture entitled “Bie-Modernism Aesthetics”. This academic event was chaired by Professor Guo Maoquan, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Professor Zhang Jin, Director of the Institute of Arts, served as the panelist. More than 100 teachers and students from Lanzhou University, Sun Yat-sen University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Lanzhou University of Finance and Economics and other institutions participated in the lecture online.
Prof. Wang Jianjiang first pointed out that “Bie-Modernism” is a theoretical category with rich connotations. In general, “Biemodernity” is closely related to the characteristics of contemporary “mixed society”, as well as the randomness of social development and subject selection. In the field of artistic aesthetics, we are also faced with this “random” choice: bie-modern, or bie-modernism.
In Prof. Wang Jianjiang’s view, if “Bie-modern” art is a passive reaction to the characteristics of Bie-modern society, then Bie-modernism should be a reflection and criticism of everything “Bie-modern”. On this basis, the aesthetics of Bie-modernism is regarded as a thinking based on the investigation of the relationship between social form and aesthetic form. His way of thinking is “seeking differences”, which is an innovative humanistic doctrine, or Aesthetic Philosophy.
Prof. Wang Jianjiang further pointed out that in contemporary Chinese society, Bie-modernism and aesthetic thought have great potential for interpretation and practical value. It helps us differentiate the Chinese social status quo from the linear development model of the West, to identify the current social conditions in China: a mix of modern, post-modern, and pre-modern.
From the perspective of Bie-modernism aesthetics, we should form a reflective and “differentiated” theoretical thinking to better identify the characteristics and elements of society and the times.
In the question and exchange session, Professor Wang Jianjiang gave detailed and earnest answers to the students’ questions. In response to the divergent thinking of the students on the “Bie Modern” theory, Professor Wang Jianjiang affirmed the possibility of the “Bie Modern” theory being applied in more fields. He pointed out the necessity of paying attention to “integration” and “similarity” while advocating “difference”.
In the academic dialogue session at the end of the lecture, Professor Zhang Jin had an in-depth exchange with Professor Wang Jianjiang. Prof. Zhang Jin pointed out that Prof. Wang Jianjiang’s “Bie-Modern” theory has rich theoretical connotations and strong practical concerns, and reflects Chinese characteristics, Chinese stance and Chinese style. This theory has important reference significance for both cultural research in today’s society and theoretical research in the contemporary context.
