This refers to an open, free, and flexible style of a work of art; it is the opposite of a “densely packed” work of art. Ethereal effect does not mean sheer emptiness; it does not completely avoid imagery, nor does it entirely avoid natural description. Rather its aim is to suggest unlimited possibilities for the viewer’s imagination through a …
A poem expresses aspirations in one’s heart. Zhi (志) here means the author’s aspirations, emotions, and thoughts. The concept of “poetry expressing aspirations,” first seen in the Confucian classic The Book of History, was hailed by Zhu Ziqing as the “manifesto” of Chinese poetry. Enriched by poetry critics through the generations, it was lat…
The term refers to a state of mind that is completely empty and void. It originates from the book Zhuangzi, in which the meaning of the term was explained by Confucius (551-479 BC) to Yan Hui (521-481 BC). Zhuangzi (369?-286 BC) believed that one’s ears and heart distinguish between oneself and others and between right and wrong, while qi (气 vit…