This book explores how prehistoric aesthetic consciousness of the Chinese nation evolved from animality and barbarism, how it was epitomized in prehistoric artifacts, and most importantly, how this aesthetic consciousness has exerted an ever-lasting influence upon the Chinese mind and culture, by examining prehistoric archaeological discoveries, particularly pottery objects, jade ware, and rock paintings from prehistoric cultures, and by studying ancient Chinese historical and literary documents. This is the first academic effort to trace the very beginning of the aesthetic consciousness of the Chinese nation back to prehistoric times. Its strength lies in the comprehensive and detailed examination of all the major prehistoric cultures and artifacts as well as in its insights into the relationship between prehistoric consciousness and the Chinese mind and culture. This book benefits graduate students and researchers who are interested in Chinese prehistoric culture and Chinese history of aesthetics.

Wangheng Chen is a professor (second-level) at the Philosophy School of Wuhan University, a specially appointed professor at the Urban Design School of Wuhan University, a doctoral supervisor in aesthetics, the director of the Research and Planning Center for Landscape Culture at Wuhan University, a member of the China Writers Association, an outstanding expert enjoying special allowances from the State Council, the vice chairman of the International Advisory Committee of the International Society for Applied Aesthetics, and the vice chairman of the Asian Art Society. His main research areas and directions include aesthetic ontology, the history of Chinese aesthetics, and environmental aesthetics. He is a well-known scholar both domestically and internationally, acclaimed in academic circles as the "pioneer of Chinese boundary ontology aesthetics," the "trailblazer of Chinese environmental aesthetics," and the "leading figure in the study of Chinese classical aesthetics."