Listen to this articlechúnsù 纯素
Pure and Unadorned
纯粹而素朴，指纯然素朴、不加人工雕饰的本色之美。“纯”即纯然、纯粹，不含任何杂质；“素”本指未经染色的生丝，引申指白色、本色、素朴、不加修饰等义。以老、庄为代表的道家认为“道”是万物之美的总根源，“道”自然无为，最是素朴无华，因此道家美学将自然本色、素朴无华作为审美的最高境界。在古人看来，“纯素”是一种不与物相杂的本真状态，即使混迹于事物之中，它也保持着自然天成的本质，其内在的神气没有一丝亏损。这一思想广泛影响了中国古代文学艺术的创作风格与审美追求。中国古代诗歌崇尚素淡冲远，绘画崇尚平淡天真，都体现了“纯素”的审美追求。
This term refers to natural, unadorned beauty. “Pure” means untainted, unadulterated or containing no impurity. Su (素) originally means “undyed raw silk.” Later it came to mean “the quality of being white, authentic, unspoiled or undecorated.” Daoist thought, represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi (369?-286 BC), held that Dao is the ultimate origin of beauty in everything. Dao is natural, unassertive, simple and unadorned. Thus Daoists consider being natural, unadorned and pure as the highest form of beauty. Ancient thinkers believe that “pure and unadorned” is an authentic state of being, which retains its holistic true status free from external objects. Even if it mixes with the latter, it keeps itself natural and its core essence unimpaired. This idea extensively influenced the writing style and aesthetic pursuit of ancient Chinese literature and art. Plain and quiet poetry and plain and natural painting were upheld in ancient China, which reflect the aesthetic pursuit of the pure and unadorned.
引例 Citation：
◎纯素之道，惟神是守。守而勿失，与神为一。一之精通，合于天伦。……故素也者，谓其无所与杂也；纯也者，谓其不亏其神也。能体纯素，谓之真人。（《庄子·刻意》）
（纯粹素朴的道，就是守持精神。守持而不失，与精神融合为一。“一”的精妙通达，合乎自然天道。……所以“素”，是说没有什么与之混杂；“纯”，是说不亏损本真精神。能够体察“纯”和“素”的，称为真人。）
Within spiritual being lies the value of pure simplicity. If you retain your spirit without fail, you become one with it. In achieving that oneness, you establish contact with the Order of Heaven… “Simplicity” means “not mixing”; “pure” means “an unimpaired spirit.” Only if you embrace pure simplicity can you be called a true man. (Zhuangzi)
