A term in ancient Chinese poetic terminology, this concept refers to aesthetic appreciation that is natural, spontaneous, and unadulterated. Xian (现) means“appear,” and liang (量) means “measurement.”The term came originally from the Hetu vidya (knowledge of causes) Theory in Buddhism, and referred to the direct responses of human senses to physical things in the world. Buddhism holds that human intuitive perception of the physical world is a spontaneous and subjective reaction that does not need intentional deliberation. Wang Fuzhi (1619-1692)applied the term to art and literary criticism to argue that aesthetic images in familiar lines of classical Chinese poems such as“upon the long river the setting sun is round” and “ask the woodcutter across the stream” come from direct observation and spontaneous reaction. Thus the “beauty of spontaneous response”is actually a type of beauty that can be intuitively sensed, arouses interest on the spot,naturally inspires, needs no rationale, and defies explanation.

If a poet gets an image from directly observing an object, then he would have to either “push” or “knock” the door. In other words he doesn’t have to weigh the most appropriate word. If a poet naturally perceives objects and spontaneously responds to them, he can make his poems exquisite and miraculous with no need to deliberate at all. “Upon the long river the setting sun is round” was not set out to describe a stationary scene; and “ask the woodcutter across the stream” was not a verse obtained through deliberation. They must be what a Chan Buddhist calls spontaneous responses. (Wang Fuzhi: Desultory Remarks on Poetry from Ginger Studio)

Wang Wei’s poems contain picturesque images; his paintings contain poetic sentiments. The two share similar stylistic charm, and can blend as naturally as milk and water. They are both obtained directly via the senses, before artistic images are conjured up and emotions stimulated. (Wang Fuzhi: A Collection of Four-line Poems on Reed and Geese)