Abstract: The history of Chinese thought and literature in the 20^th century witnessed the introduction, formation and construction of aesthetics, which was not only an important catalyst to China's social and cultural changes, but also an important symbol of the transformation of Chinese literary theories and criticism. It not only aroused continually theoretical storms related to Chinese culture in the intellectual circle, but also stimulated and pushed forward Chinese thought and spirit of art to rejuvenate and restore. In this process, CAI Yuan-pei's idea of "aesthetic education as religious" had a great influence, for it not only involved Chinese and western cultural integration and collision with a cross-cultural perspective, but inherited the poetry teaching tradition of Chinese culture, which hasn't been deeply examined. This is why CAI's idea was of great influence on the transformation and innovation of Chinese aesthetics in the 20^th century.

Key words: aesthetic education as religion, Confucianism, political education, ritual education, poetic education, CAI Yuan-pei, classical German philosophy