Article From “What Art Is” to “How Art Exists”: Toward a Praxis–Existence Paradigm for Chinese Art History

Abstract

Abstract: This paper addresses a profound paradigm crisis in Chinese art history studies by proposing a new research framework centered on a practice-existence perspective. It advocates a fundamental shift from the essentialist question of “what art is” to an exploration of “how art exists.” This approach examines art as a dynamic event, practice, and mode of being that emerges within specific historical, cultural, and lived contexts of the Chinese people. Grounded in the ontological principles intrinsic to Chinese art, such as the unity of dao and skill and the inseparability of substance and function, the paradigm employs a dialectical methodology that respects both the differences among artistic categories and their underlying unity. It further calls for critical self-consciousness in art historical writing itself. The ultimate aim is to contribute to the construction of a discursive system with Chinese subjectivity, capable of interpreting its own aesthetic experiences and existential wisdom. The paper argues that only through this philosophical and methodological reorientation can Chinese art history transcend its dependence on Western theoretical frameworks and categorical fragmentation, evolving into a mature humanities discipline characterized by cultural self-awareness and theoretical originality.