Abstract: As the fundamental task of colleges and universities, cultivating people by virtue provides the basic guidance for the construction of the aesthetic education concept in colleges and universities in the new era. This paper tries to explore the path of the construction of university aesthetic education concept in the new era under the fundamental principle of cultivating people by virtue. On the one hand, we should respect the traditional Chinese aesthetic education resources, under the guidance of "moral" to achieve moral virtue, beauty, highlight the dimension of moral education of aesthetic education; On the other hand, we should combine the needs of The Times, under the requirements of "cultivate people", cultivate the sound personality of college students, highlight the cultivation of the aesthetic ability, innovation ability and life vitality of college students, and stress the unique role of aesthetic education in talent cultivation.