Spatial Reintegration of Chinese Classical Gardens
1 Introduction
Peng Yigang, in his book Analysis of Chinese Classical Gardens, believes that it is necessary to incorporate design creations in the study of classical gardens. (Peng, 1986) He critically analyzes the rules governing aesthetics and modern spatial theory, and discusses the methods of using time and space to create traditional Chinese gardens. His approach has influenced numerous scholars, including the authors, whose work entitled The Spatial Structure Creation Process in Liu Garden in Suzhou, analyzes the synchronous elements of the spatial structure creation process, as it is understood within the context of the diachronic nature of spatial organization1, as exemplified in Liu Garden (Figure 1). (Lu & Jiao, 2001)
According to Prof. Chen, the placement of the main hall is the starting point for Chinese garden design: “In ancient times, garden construction usually started with buildings. In constructing a private garden, a sophisticatedly decorated hall was built, as a rule, before trees and rocks were laid out. Very often, attempts would have been made to tear down or break up what had just been put up, and much effort would be spent to rebuild the dismantled parts for further improvement. The whole process would be repeated several times until the desired effect was achieved. Shen Yuanlu once wrote about Yi Garden: ‘Of grandeur, nothing in the garden outshines the hall; and of appearance, without the hills, there is no garden.’” (Chen, 2007) The foregoing views indicate the relative importance of the relationship between the main hall and the man-made hill, an ornament typical in Chinese gardens. This relationship is also known as the starting point of garden construction, or the beginning of Chinese garden design. Prof. Chen’s descriptions have turned Chinese classical gardens into a design process, which could be and was in fact applied in the rehabilitation of Wan Residence’s garden.
2 CURRENT STATUS AND PROJECT BACKGROUND
Wan
Peng Yigang, in his book Analysis of Chinese Classical Gardens, believes that it is necessary to incorporate design creations in the study of classical gardens. (Peng, 1986) He critically analyzes the rules governing aesthetics and modern spatial theory, and discusses the methods of using time and space to create traditional Chinese gardens. His approach has influenced numerous scholars, including the authors, whose work entitled The Spatial Structure Creation Process in Liu Garden in Suzhou, analyzes the synchronous elements of the spatial structure creation process, as it is understood within the context of the diachronic nature of spatial organization1, as exemplified in Liu Garden (Figure 1). (Lu & Jiao, 2001)
According to Prof. Chen, the placement of the main hall is the starting point for Chinese garden design: “In ancient times, garden construction usually started with buildings. In constructing a private garden, a sophisticatedly decorated hall was built, as a rule, before trees and rocks were laid out. Very often, attempts would have been made to tear down or break up what had just been put up, and much effort would be spent to rebuild the dismantled parts for further improvement. The whole process would be repeated several times until the desired effect was achieved. Shen Yuanlu once wrote about Yi Garden: ‘Of grandeur, nothing in the garden outshines the hall; and of appearance, without the hills, there is no garden.’” (Chen, 2007) The foregoing views indicate the relative importance of the relationship between the main hall and the man-made hill, an ornament typical in Chinese gardens. This relationship is also known as the starting point of garden construction, or the beginning of Chinese garden design. Prof. Chen’s descriptions have turned Chinese classical gardens into a design process, which could be and was in fact applied in the rehabilitation of Wan Residence’s garden.
2 CURRENT STATUS AND PROJECT BACKGROUND
Wan