修辭作為語言的藝術，由於講究辭章之美，而有忽略言理解真理的認知功效之嫌。當代中國修辭藝術受西方近代主體性的美學之影響，且以西方古典修辭學作為論述方法的基礎，亦有類似傾向。然而，西方當代修辭學在尼采重構古代修辭學的影響下，致力於重新界定現代主義之修辭性(Rhetoricality)的意義，主張修辭行動穿透人類經驗的各層面。修辭不只是一種寫作美文的技巧，而更是語言本身展現存在的一種方式。西方當代修辭學儼然觸及古典修辭美學的界域問題。 對照之下，中國古典文學理論中所含蘊之辭章美學的修辭意義，更見廣闊。本論文首先將藉由「修辭立其誠」、「慎辭」、「善說」等思想的分析，闡述中國古典文論所謂之修辭涵蓋能言、能知、能行等向度。修辭的行動主要不是為了美感經驗的獲取，而是為了理解存在的意義。其次，本論文並將解析賦、比、興在中國修辭學中的美感與理解的功能，以說明文學修辭的藝術價值在於不斷投向未來可能性的理解與表述的辯證歷程，就像任何創作的活動一樣，永遠沒有既成典範可為楷模，卻是不斷跨越界域的探索。

The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the problem of aesthetics boundaries, by contrasting the aesthetic value with the cognitive function in the rhetoric of Chinese prose writing. Contemporary vernacular Chinese rhetoric, under the impact of Western thought since 1920s, aiming at skillful writing and pleasure of taste, is susceptible of neglecting its cognitive function. By contrast, the idea of the beauty of writing pursed by classically Chinese literati is quite similar to Western modernist concept or rhetorically that penetrates various aspect of human experience and reaches the boundaries of rhetoric art. By way of analyzing some basic ideas about xiuci, such as “sincerity”, “prudence”, “goodness”, in speech and writing, this paper will deal with problems related to the art of wording, knowing and action, of which the main purpose is not to grasp the aesthetic experience, but to comprehend the dao of existence. Moreover, this paper will clarify the difference between art of wording and the artist function of fu, bi and xing in Mao’s “The Great Preface to the Classic of Odes” of Late Western Han. The art of wording is kind of play for fun, rather than a true art of rhetoric. However, through the aesthetic dimension of fu, bi xing, literary writings, without pre-established conceptual framework, open themselves to a dialectic process of expression and understanding. The art of rhetoric, as an art of language, is an unceasing process that goes always beyond any border, which is by nature invisible.