________________
118
the ideals depicted in these diagrams reveals clues to something basic in the mentality of the three civilizations, not merely in logic and metaphysics but also in epistemology, axiology, ethics, religion, politics,15 and aesthetics. The Tao symbol is the chief symbol of one of the three great civilizations, and its symbolic significance should be better known to Western artists and aestheticians.
Western artists often seek sharp contrasts which may then be harmonized, and sometimes maximize a contrast so as to exhibit willful mastery in overcoming it harmoniously-perhaps one reason why tragic plots have such a strong appeal to Western minds. Hindu artists often symbolize identity (one and the same God manifest in a jungle of avatars), without trying to embody it; e.g., musicians prolong a song or instrumentation more extensively than silence. Chinese artists, depicting nature, include both empty space and variegated content in each painting and deliberately include both harmonious and disharmonious sounds, often imitating a whole menagerie of animals, in such a way that sometimes one dominates and sometimes another.
Turning from the Taoism of Lao Tzu, who was so extremely naturalistic in a rural way that his "shun artificiality" included "shun society" and "shun art," to the Taoism of Confucius, who studied and approved music and the arts as part of his philosophy of proper family and courtly (i.e., social) life, what happens regarding reason and will as ideals? For Confucius, family and courtly life was just as natural as any other. He found principles for the best way (tao) for people to live together. The principle of reciprocity-do to others as you would have them do to you if you were in their shoes-is inherent in social life. Parent-child relations are not artificial but natural, and filial piety is a manifestation of what is natural.16 Themes about ideal family life become central. Paintings of family and courtly scenes, especially in their natural, including home, surroundings result appropriately. If canons of good taste, in painting, music, dress, and archi
ARCHIE J. BAHM
tecture, develop naturally, accept them willingly. Reason, although used by Confucius, was not idealized except as a means to discovering what is appropriate in natural, especially social, living. Will, in the sense of good will (jen), was central to his teaching, though this consists in a willingness to let each one follow his own nature and to take the trouble to gain insight into the nature of others before acting toward them. Children should willingly accept the good will of their parents for them, and parents should willingly accept the responsibility which comes to them naturally as parents. Likewise, in learning music, the pupil should willingly accept instruction, and the teacher should willingly submit to his duties in requiring what is needed from the learner. The highest ideal is that of perfectly embodying completely spontaneous willingness (chih) to whatever life brings. Hence, willingness, not either willfulness nor will-lessness, must characterize the successful artist.
Zen, a Taoized form of Buddhism, epitomizes actualization of spontaneity, in life and in art. "Art-meaning all the fine arts, including painting and calligraphy, flower arrangement and gardening, haiku poetry and other literature, music, and drama-is an area of life reaping enormous riches through Zen attitudes. If aesthetic experience means something enjoyed as an end in itself, then Zen experience is always aesthetic. The Zen spirit, which looks not beyond the present, interprets every experience as intrinsically aesthetic.... The 'art of living' becomes self-evident in Zen." 17 A Zen painter, for example, starting with whatever inspiration happens to arise within him and only a partially formed idea of how to express it, may begin by depicting some portion of an animal and, alertly noticing new potentialities in unintended aspects of his brush strokes, will evolve his idea as he works, using suggestions in each modification for rounding out some completed whole. The entire work, often completed in a few seconds or minutes, requires embodiment in the painter of the Taoistic attitude of willingness to enjoy being guided by appearances as they
