Abstract
＂Shan-Shui＂ (landscape) poetry and ＂Xuan-Yen＂ (metaphysical) poetry are both derived from ＂Xuan-Xue＂ (Wei-Jin metaphysics). Landscape poetry celebrates the correspondences between and transformation of the subject and the landscape. This paper aims to examine the function of Chinese landscape poetry in practical philosophy with metaphysical terms like ＂Tuo-Qing,＂ ＂Zhen-Guan,＂ ＂Xing-Mei＂ and ＂Li-Gan.＂ Landscape poems written by Xie Ling-yun can be seen as the epitome and model of this genre, and will be used as examples in this paper. I will argue that landscape poetry involves an aesthetic self-cultivation. Since the writing of landscape poetry works as a part of the transformation of the subject, this adds an aesthetic sense to the originally religious term ＂self-cultivation.＂