Abstract

Leisure is recognized as an arena in which an individual deals with two fundamental human concerns, i.e., living a good life and pursuing happiness. There is little doubt that the importance and consideration of leisure rises whenever our basic and most pressing needs are satisfied. In the West, the awareness of the important role of leisure in our lives has grown since World War II, particularly in the United States, where Leisure Studies has been an academic field for over four decades. However, the study of the non-Western philosophy of leisure has been long overdue. With a general understanding of the Chinese concept of hsiao yao, one may find that this concept is comparable to the Western concept of leisure, especially in its classical sense, which implies freedom from the necessity of being occupied. Applying practical literary criticism and historicism, the writer undertook this study to explore the Chinese concept of hsiao yao and to expand the horizon of Leisure Studies. This study first gives an overview of the Western concept of leisure and then examines the Chinese concept of hsiao yao from three aspects: how it has evolved; how it has been reflected in Chinese literary tradition; and how it has been influenced by the political climate of different dynasties. The study also demonstrates the fact that hsiao yao has been not only considered by Chinese intellectuals as an ideal worth pursuing but also treated as an important motif in Chinese literary and aesthetic tradition. For many Chinese, hsiao yao, or leisure, can be attained by those who can enjoy the inner serenity that derives from being in harmony with Nature