Lithic Lacks & Chromatic Apologia (2023) Ario Elami July 11, 2023 Today, the word “aesthetic” is often used superficially to distinguish between items as one might with brands. Architect and historian Xing Ruan makes a careful correction regarding this in his recent book, Confucius’ Courtyard: “…we ought to be reminded of the root of aesthetics: ‘aesthesia’ is not just about beauty but connected with sensing — feeling and coming to life. The opposite of being alive is ‘anaesthesia’ — the dulling of the senses.”