Chinese Garden

Garden architecture, an important part of ancient Chinese architecture is a combination of structures and manmade landscape with natural scenery.
It does not only provide lodging but also landscaping with architecture, environment and human in full harmony.
Garden design is an art in China. It is worth noting that the Chinese garden is somewhat different from its counterparts in the rest of the world. Unlike gardens overseas where the physical beauty is the foremost target.
The ancient Chinese garden originated in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, when monarchs began to build parks for their own leisure and pleasure. During the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, it was a fashion to build gardens. Until the Han dynasty private gardens appeared. After the Jin, and Northern and Southern dynasties, private gardens came into vogue as the rich and powerful sought to express their sentiment in landscaping. During the Tang and Song dynasties, a poetic touch was added to the layout and scenes of a garden, and became a general feature. In the Qing dynasty, garden architecture reached its peak.
Chinese gardens are seen as an intellectual, spiritual, and moral pursuit. Deeply rooted in traditional culture, Chinese garden design has been greatly influenced by Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
The garden, like the home, was ideally ringed by hills but left open to the front, with tall mountains serving a protective purpose at the back of the compound, always the north side. Water was a critical element, and was often forced to take a circuitous path around the buildings, pooling in front of the main hall. In the highly populated urban centres, garden builders liked to use what they called "borrowed views," or glimpses of plants, trees, or architecture that could be seen beyond the garden walls because they had little freedom to choose the larger setting of their retreat.
Confucianism, the major system of thought in China, developed from the teachings of Confucius and his disciples, and concerns with the principles of good conduct, practical wisdom, and proper social relationships. The keynote of Confucian ethics is ZEN, variously translated as "benevolence," "humanity," and "human-heartedness."
Confucianism tends to compare men's virtues with natural scenery. Plants such as bamboo, pine, plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and lotus, as well as spectacular mountains and rocks, were always considered to symbolize certain virtues. Therefore, one of the most common ways to make a Chinese garden more elegant is to incorporate plants, rocks, and garden buildings together. Take bamboo for instance. As bamboo does not die in the winter but remains upright and evergreen even in very cold days, it has come to be known as a sign meaning perseverance and long friendship.
Taoism, along with Buddhism and Confucianism, is one of the three great philosophies in ancient China. Tao (pronounced "Dow") can be roughly translated into English as path, or the way. It is basically indefinable. It has to be experienced. Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life. It "refers to a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe. It embodies the harmony of opposites (i.e. there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female.)"
On one hand, garden design in China has been to a large extent influenced by the Daoist principles of wanting to be alone, of humbleness, and the eradication of desire. On the other hand, Taoism worships nature. It holds that supernatural beings do exist. Accordingly, gardens with a fairyland as the design theme emerged. It was recorded that Shanglin Garden, built for the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty(221-206BC), had already employed the layout of "one lake, three hills" -- a lake surrounded by hills. Since then the layout of "one lake, three hills" was widely used in designing gardens for the royal family, and later for ordinary people.
According to the Chan Sect, everything in the world can reflect the power of Buddha. Therefore, no matter how small a garden may be, it is a mirror of the natural beauty. Unlike its counterparts for the royal family, literati gardens full of Buddhist taste tend to be smaller in size and scale.
The development of classic Chinese gardens clearly shows that cultural philosophies have played an indispensable part in garden design. Not confining itself to visual satisfaction through inviting shapes or colors, Chinese garden tends to convey the meaning of life and the idea that human beings should co-exist with, rather than conquer, the nature.
Imperial gardens Private gardens Monastic gardens Garden architecture in scenic resorts
These gardens, usually spacious, exquisite and grandiose, were built for royal families by thousands people. Images of these gardens will linger in one's mind forever. Now most former imperial gardens are in Beijing.
These gardens are usually built in urban areas, neighboured with residences. Since land is expensive in cities private gardens are generally small and simple but delicate and look tasteful and play multiple functions. Most famous private gardens are situated in Suzhou, Jiangsu.
Previously a private garden in the Ming Dynasty, Yuyuan Garden was built during the reigning years of Jiajing and Wanli of the Ming Dynasty, some 400 years ago. As the word yu means peace and health in Chinese, the name Yuyuan Garden indicates peoples wishes for peace.
These gardens are commonly found in monasteries against quite and verdant mountains. With natural beauty, these gardens are solemn within the sacred atmosphere.
These gardens usually occupy large public areas since they are based on the combination of natural scenes and manmade landscape and structures in suburb area or mountains.
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Chinese Garden

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Chinese Garden

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Garden architecture, an important part of ancient Chinese architecture is a combination of structures and manmade landscape with natural scenery.

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