Transcultural Trails of German and Japanese Aesthetics in the Chinese Aesthetic Education Movement in the 1920s: Examining Yu Jifan’s Works

The Aesthetic Education Movement, spearheaded by Cai Yuan-pei 蔡元培 (1868–1940), played a significant role in introducing a multitude of foreign literature and art-related books to China during the Republican era. However, the comprehensive transcultural context surrounding this movement remains largely unexplored. To shed light on this aspect, this chapter focuses on the endeavours of Yu Jifan俞寄凡 (1891–1968) during the 1920s and 1930s. By tracing the origins of his translated works, this chapter delves into the cultural interplay between, and divergence of, German and Japanese aesthetics that underpinned Chinese intellectuals’ efforts. The chapter contributes to the idea of the Asian Commons by citing a case study to reveal the exchange of Western aesthetic trends within Asian cultures. It argues that the Chinese aesthetic education movement should not be viewed in isolation, but rather as part of a broader trend that spanned Europe and East Asia, highlighting the shared acceptance of Western aesthetic ideas in China and Japan and emphasising the importance of considering cultural commonalities and exchanges from a transcultural perspective.