Wang Guowei’s Guya Theory and the Thoughts on Literary Talent in Ancient China

Abstract: Guya (" 古雅”) is a conception from Wang Guowei, he created this conception for investigating the aesthetic values of non-genius creation in ancient China. And the relevant theories present some contradictions. On the one hand, guya theory reflect the profound influence of relationship between nature and human beings in ancient Chinese literary thoughts. This theory accurately grasp the impossible of study in literary and artistic creation. On the other hand, guya also introduces the connotation of Western superman theory into the concept of genius. Through the distinction between genius, genius creation and non-genius, non-genius creation, taking shape of the nature and human being’s opposite surface from " beauty arts” and " not real beauty arts”. This theory blurs the general knowledge of talent limit in ancient Chinese literary talent thoughts. For one thing, this theory emphasized guya could rely on manpower. For another thing, guya also revealed it is really hard to reach the tendency if someone has no certain creation talent. These contradictions are derived from the author’s general understanding of Kant’s theory of genius and used Schopenhauer’s genius theory to explain Kant’s genius, and derived from he did not make a distinction between western concept of genius and literary talent, nature, natural endowment and some inherent concepts of the circumstances of mandatory interpretation in our country. The discussion maybe have some bias, but the methodology is also an important enlightenment to help us make cultural construction.