This book is a collection of translations of recent work by contemporary Chinese aestheticians. Because of the relative isolation of China until recently, little is known of this rich and ongoing aesthetics tradition in China. Although some of the articles are concerned with the traditional ancient Chinese theories of art and beauty, many are inspired by Western aesthetics, including Marxism, and all are involved in cross-cultural comparisons of Chinese and Western aesthetic traditions.

本书为美学专科大辞典, 收词4000余条. 分为美学原理, 中国美学, 外国美学四大部分, 收录了中外有关美学的术语, 学说, 流派, 人物, 著作, 刊物, 会议, 事件, 机构团体等, 全面系统地介绍了美学学科的知识内容, 提供了大量有关资料和数据.