方東美是最早展開生命美學系統論述的中國哲學家。其生命美學，雖啟發於西方現代生命哲學，但其根基卻建立在中國哲學尤其是儒家哲學的生命本體論述之上。他的生命美學，既是其生命哲學體系的一個維度，也是其最內在的有機組成部分。其從《易經》「生生之德」出發奠立生命哲學的本體論基礎，進而從宇宙論角度闡明「生生之美」的價值論意涵，再從「化育成性」中去探討生命的審美鑒賞和藝術創造意義，體系完備周詳。他從形而上學高度緊扣「生生之謂易」這一生命創造動因，以及中國哲學不二一元論的圓融智慧，為其心物相通、天人合一的生命美學意境論述提供了思想基礎。

Thomé H. Fang was the first philosopher who systematically developed aesthetics of life in China. Motivated by modern philosophy of life in the west, his aesthetics of life was mainly built on the basis of Chinese ontology of life, especially Confucian’s. Thomé H. Fang’s aesthetics of life was not only one dimension of his philosophy of life, but also an inseparable part which was immanent in the philosophy. Based on the ontology of life in Book of Changes, Thomé H. Fang interpreted the value of beauty of life, and explored the meanings of aesthetic appreciation and art creation. Focused on the changes of life, the drive force for creativity, and wisdom of non-different monism, he laid a foundation for constructing the theory of artistic conception which was of unity of man and heaven, of unity of mind of things. All the works helped him to develop a comprehensive system of aesthetics of life.