Private Gardens
Chinese classical private gardens began to thrive in the Wei Dynasty (220-265) and the Jin Dynasty (265-420).
During this period, men of letters were tired of war and sought pleasure in nature. Considering themselves to be elegant, they pioneered management of gardens.
The elegant style of the Wei and Jin dynasties, the abstruseness of the philosophical thoughts of Laozi and Zhuangzi, the profoundness of Buddhist doctrines, the freshness of poetry, literature and painting and the experience accumulated in the artistic practice of garden building made Chinese gardens begin to form their own feature, and "poetic charm" became the golden standard for Chinese gardens.
Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) once described a Chinese garden as a painting natural and rich in poetic charm, unlike the other major garden art system in the world - the French garden art emphasizing the ancient Roman principle of pursuing strict geometrical composition and grandeur.
From the mid Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the region south of the Yangtze River became a gathering place of private gardens.
The trend of garden building lasted over 300 years because the region south of the Yangtze River had sufficient water resources, a temperate climate, diversified plants and abundant stone minerals.
Additionally, the south region of the Yangtze River was rich and had a developed economy, and more importantly, more and more men of letters and painters participated in garden design.
Experts in garden building emerged endlessly as the art form continued to develop.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
Chinese classical private gardens began to thrive in the Wei Dynasty (220-265) and the Jin Dynasty (265-420).
During this period, men of letters were tired of war and sought pleasure in nature. Considering themselves to be elegant, they pioneered management of gardens.
The elegant style of the Wei and Jin dynasties, the abstruseness of the philosophical thoughts of Laozi and Zhuangzi, the profoundness of Buddhist doctrines, the freshness of poetry, literature and painting and the experience accumulated in the artistic practice of garden building made Chinese gardens begin to form their own feature, and "poetic charm" became the golden standard for Chinese gardens.
Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) once described a Chinese garden as a painting natural and rich in poetic charm, unlike the other major garden art system in the world - the French garden art emphasizing the ancient Roman principle of pursuing strict geometrical composition and grandeur.
From the mid Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the region south of the Yangtze River became a gathering place of private gardens.
The trend of garden building lasted over 300 years because the region south of the Yangtze River had sufficient water resources, a temperate climate, diversified plants and abundant stone minerals.
Additionally, the south region of the Yangtze River was rich and had a developed economy, and more importantly, more and more men of letters and painters participated in garden design.
Experts in garden building emerged endlessly as the art form continued to develop.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
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