The first half of the twentieth century saw the great work done by Chinese
aestheticians, such as Wang Guowei, Cai Yuanpei and Zhu Guangqian, who dedicated
themselves to the introduction of modern Western philosophical and aesthetic
theories into the country, and to the ingenious inheritance of ancient Chinese traditions.
The purpose of such endeavors was twofold: to reconstruct the Chinese
ideology and culture, and to enlighten the mind and soul of the public. The direct
consequence of such intellectual activities was the creation of “aesthetic utilitarianism”
(审美功利主义), a theoretical framework that was neither a replica of the
modern Western aestheticism nor a mimic of traditional Chinese political and moral
utilitarianism. Instead, this theory, resulted from a seemingly “misreading” of the
Western proposition of “aesthetic disinterestedness” in its application to the particular
context of China at the time, propagated the innovative notion of “usefulness
through uselessness” (无用之用). Its kernel was to cultivate the enlightenment
potential of aesthetic disinterestedness, maximize the utilitarian functions of aesthetic
appreciation, and, in the process, achieve the goal of refining morality,
purifying sentiment, and salvaging life. Thus “usefulness through uselessness”
provided a unique dialogic solution to seemingly oppositional conceptual frames of
aesthetic disinterestedness and utilitarianism, and came to be an indispensable part
of modern Chinese aesthetic traditions. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of this
theoretical construct will not only be conducive to grasping localized characteristics
of Chinese aesthetic principles and literary contemplations of the time, but also help
gain a panoramic vision of modern Chinese aesthetic studies as a whole.

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• Aesthetic utilitarianism: heritage of modern Chinese aesthetics