艺术是什么？这个答案我们再不能从复杂的哲学的美学上去寻求一种不定的定义，我以为要解答这种问题应从两方面观察：一方面寻求艺术之原始，而说明艺术之由来，一方面寻求艺术构成之根本方法，而说明其全体。

我们从人类的过去的悠久的历史中，寻求艺术原始之痕迹，如欧洲诸地所表现在第四世纪时人类原始时代关于艺术上的各种证据，由此实可证明艺术之产生，并不是在文化极其发达的某时代艺术之原始，实与人类而俱来。我们试想象原始人类时代，穴居野处，当时人类之生活，实极简单。他们一方面为滿足生活的需要而产生工具；一方面为滿足情绪上的调和而寻求一种相当的表现，这就是艺术。

原始人类，他们为维持生活而创造工具，因外界的情形日益复杂，所以工具亦逐漸变化由简单而趋完密，这是人类本能上自然的一种倾向。人类的生活依其经验上之增长，一方面滿足其物质上之需要与情绪之调和，他方面则寻求逃避痛苦之方法，凭其直觉与本能，不断的寻求一种比较适合的生活。人类的满足各方面的需求，因有进步并且智慧与躯体均较其他动物为完密。运用其自身而产生工具，或于自身之外产生一种方法。最初用手而创造工具，后来用工具而产生新工具，总之，人类能应用其所有之经验、而产生方法，又能利用方法將其所有之经验传散于群体之中，不断的增进其经验而伟大于后代。他种动物只能以自身为工具，个体所得之经验又限於个体之消灭，不能有群体的演进。工具之不完备，方法之不发达，因此在生活上沒有伟大的增进，一方面艺术上亦只限于不完全之表现。由此可见艺术与工具之产生，其原始虽各不同，但互相影响的关系却很大。

人类的语言与文字，实为文化演进的中心。言语之原始，起于一种直接上的模仿，而原于像声（Onomatope），如 C oucou Cricri Glouglou 之类，此类言语实为人类听觉上的一种印象。如某种动物，以其特别的叫声，以名其名。他方面人类在视觉上又得到许多印象，线形之产生，即为文字与绘画之原始。在言语与文字之中，最使我们注意的一种表现，，就是音韵（Le Rythme）音韵之原始，由简单的相似的声音，而使适合于一种节奏之中，儿童及野蛮民族皆视此种为可爱之音乐，愈单调的相似的愈能使其得到更多的快感。其实这种现象，不独在声音如此，即动作上亦莫不有此倾向，野蛮民族的舞蹈，总是很单调而相似的动作多。儿童对于母亲之单调歌唱能使其安靜睡眠。重复的游戏能使其笑悅，都是这种原因，总之艺术上的演进由单调而复杂。

总之艺术的原始，是人类情绪的一种冲动，以线形，颜色或声音举动之配合以表于外面。斯宾塞谓艺术之原始是游戏，游戏是人类情绪上的一种冲动，这倒还说得下去；若谓在下等生物的生命里许多力量全消失于生命之维持和继续，人类却在此项要求之外还有余力而产生艺术，这种论调把人类于其他动物产生艺术的分别点，立论在剩余之时间上，且以此解决。人类有产生艺术之可能，其他生物不能产生艺术。其理由很有可讨论处 Schiller谓鸟之歌唱，不独是一种欲求的呼叫，其他如各种动物中有艺术创造之能力者很多，果由剩余之时间而推论我们家中的家畜，其生活的力量全不费力，我们可否希望这类家畜，將有艺术上之创造，这是事实上绝不可能的。

艺术是情绪冲动之表现，但表现之方法，需要相当的形式，形式之演进是关乎经验及自身增长不增长，可能与不可能诸问题。人类对此两方面比较完备，在表现方法上积成一种历史的观念，为群体之演进，个体之经验绝不随个体而消灭的。

艺术为人类情绪的冲动以一种相当的形式表现在外面，由此可见艺术实係人类情绪得到调和或舒畅的一种方法。人类对着自己的情绪，只有两种对付的方法：前一种在自身或自身之外，寻求相当的形式，表露自己的内心情绪，以求调和而产生艺术，后一种是在自身之内，设立一种假定，以信仰为达到滿足的目的，强纳流动变化的情绪于固定的假定及信仰之中，以求安慰而产生宗教。宗教之构成，总含着特别的条件而出世与超物质的思想为其根本方法。埃及古代的宗教，因死灭的怀疑精神上怀着一种死的恐怖，于事实上无可如何之中，在自身之外，不能再寻求一种逃避的方法，因转而向内寻求逃避之方法，假定死后复生诸说以宗教信仰面信仰之。.不独埃及是这样，即希伯来及佛教其构成之方法全是如此，

艺术自身上之构成，一方面是情绪热烈的冲动。他方面又不能不需要相当的形式而为表现或调和情绪的一种方法，形式的构成，不能不赖乎经验，经验之得来又全赖理性上之回想。艺术能与时代之潮流变化而增进之，皆係艺术自身上构成的方法，比较固定的宗教完备得多。因此宗教只能适合于某时代，人类理性发达后，宗教自身实根本破产，其时代附属于宗教之艺术，起而替代宗教，实是自然的一种倾向。

What is Art? This answer cannot be sought from the complex philosophy of aesthetics with an indefinite definition. I believe that to answer this question, we should observe from two perspectives: on the one hand, seeking the origin of art to explain its inception, and on the other hand, seeking the fundamental methods of art composition to explain its entirety.

Looking for traces of the origin of art in the long history of human existence, as evidenced in various regions of Europe during the fourth century, there are various pieces of evidence from the primitive era regarding art. This effectively proves that the emergence of art is not exclusive to a culturally advanced era but inherent in humanity. Let us imagine the primitive era of humanity, living in caves and the wild, where life was extremely simple. They created tools to satisfy their material needs on the one hand and sought a suitable expression for emotional harmony on the other—this is art.

Primitive humans created tools to sustain life, and as external conditions became more complex, tools gradually evolved from simplicity to complexity. This is a natural tendency in human instinct. Human life, with its growing experience, aims to satisfy both material needs and emotional harmony while seeking methods to escape pain. Through intuition and instinct, they continuously seek a more suitable way of life. Human satisfaction of various needs, coupled with progress and a more developed intellect and physique than other animals, leads to the creation of tools or methods outside of themselves. Initially, they created tools with their hands and later produced new tools using existing ones. In short, humans can apply their accumulated experience to create methods and use these methods to disseminate their experience among the community, continually advancing their knowledge for future generations. Other animals are limited to using themselves as tools, and the experience gained by individuals is confined to individual existence without evolving into a collective.

Human language and writing are central to cultural evolution. The origin of language arises from direct imitation, originating from onomatopoeia, such as sounds imitating natural phenomena. In terms of visual impressions, the origin of linearity, which represents writing and drawing, emerges. In language and writing, one notable expression is rhythm. The origin of rhythm comes from simple, similar sounds suitable for a rhythmic pattern. Children and primitive tribes alike find pleasure in the monotony of repeated similar sounds. This phenomenon is not limited to sound but also extends to actions. The dances of primitive tribes often consist of monotonous and repetitive movements. Children find comfort in their mothers' monotonous singing, and the repetition of games brings them joy. In summary, artistic evolution progresses from simplicity to complexity.

In conclusion, the origin of art lies in the impetus of human emotions, expressed through the coordination of lines, colors, or sound and movement. Schiller stated that the origin of art is play, which is an impetus of human emotions. This argument holds true. If we argue that in the lives of lower animals, many forces are entirely consumed by the maintenance and continuation of life, humans, beyond this requirement, have surplus energy to create art; this reasoning sets humans apart from other animals in terms of art creation. The ability to create art is a result of the surplus time and energy available to humans. While it is true that birds sing for more than just communication, if we apply this reasoning to domesticated animals with surplus time for artistic creation, it becomes apparent that such animals will not produce art. This is practically impossible.

Art is the expression of emotional impulses, but the method of expression requires a corresponding form. The evolution of forms is related to questions of experience and personal growth. Humans have comparatively complete views on both aspects, forming a historical concept for collective evolution and individual experience that will not perish with the individual.

Art is the external expression of the passionate impulse of human emotions, serving as a method to harmonize or soothe these emotions. Humans have two methods for dealing with their emotions: one seeks appropriate forms outside or inside themselves to express their inner emotions, resulting in art; the other establishes assumptions within themselves, using faith to achieve satisfaction, forcefully confining fluctuating emotions within fixed assumptions and beliefs to find solace, leading to the creation of religion. The construction of religion always involves specific conditions and transcendent thoughts for its basic method. Ancient Egyptian religion, due to a skeptical spirit towards death and its inherent terror, found no method of escape externally. Consequently, it turned inward, seeking refuge in assumptions like the belief in resurrection after death. This method is not unique to Egypt; Hebrew and Buddhist religions share a similar approach.

The construction of art itself involves, on the one hand, passionate emotional impulses and, on the other hand, the need for corresponding forms as a method to express or harmonize emotions. The formation of forms relies on experience, and the acquisition of experience depends on rational recollection. Art can progress with the changing trends of the times, and its methods of composition, more stable than religion, are substantially more developed. Therefore, the art attached to a particular era, subservient to religion, eventually emerges to replace religion, representing a natural inclination.