Sociology Study, November 2014, Vol. 4, No. 11, 925‐937 D doi: 10.17265/2159‐5526/2014.11.002 DAVID PUBLISHING Design With Nature: The Practice and Theory of Two Chinese Intellectual Architects of the Eighth Century1 Shimeng Suna Abstract An old tradition of designing with nature had existed for thousands of years in ancient China. In order to achieve ideal living environment, people believed that they should use, repair, and improve the nature in an active but abstemious way, and a complete system of design theories and techniques gradually developed. The intellectual architects, in particular, pioneered the practical and theoretical developments, especially those in Tang dynasty made extraordinary contributions. Among them, Yuan Jie (元结) and Liu Zongyuan (柳宗元) were particularly outstanding. They had different experiences but similar achievements in Yongzhou area, which was a remote, less‐developed region but with beautiful landscapes. In this paper, the planning and design practices of these two intellectual architects were examined and compared. Their principles and methods of Design With Nature were summarized. Also, the historical influence of their works and its contemporary value were briefly discussed at last. Keywords Design With Nature, intellectual architects, Liu Zongyuan, Yuan Jie, Yongzhou Searching for a better way to create a living With deep understanding and great respect to environment in nature has been one of the primary nature, the ancient Chinese believed that they should tasks for architects and urban planners over the last use, repair, and improve the natural environment in an few decades, especially as a result of rapid urban active but abstemious way, so as to create an ideal sprawl and the ruthless destruction to nature. In the living environment. Practices were widely guided by 1960s, McHarg’s Design With Nature brought an the above concept and a complete system of theory ecological view to the traditional field of planning and and methodology was gradually formed. This tradition design in the Western world. He declared that we of Design With Nature had already existed for should design with nature to express the potential thousands of years, however, it was severely harmony of man-nature, because nature is not overlooked due to the subversive impact of Western antagonistic to the city or to man but indispensable ingredients of a humane environment (McHarg 1969: a 5). He noticed that the empirical ecological values Tsinghua University, China embodied within the ancient history and culture of Correspondent Author: Japan. However, the tradition of “Design With Nature” Shimeng Sun, 200, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China was indeed formed much earlier in ancient China. E‐mail: [email protected] 926 Sociology Study 4(11) culture and technology in the last century. Only until affected Liu 40 years later, and they were both recent years, due to the growing man-made damage to important representatives of Tang dynasty intellectual nature and the increasing cultural confidence, the architects who believed in and practiced Design With Chinese finally “rediscovered” the treasures hidden in Nature. Most importantly, their practices and theories ancient tradition and wisdom. continued to influence other intellectuals through their Intellectual architects were, in actuality, pioneers literatures. in the practice and theoretical development of Design In this paper, the two architects’ practices in With Nature in ancient China. Understanding this Yongzhou region will be introduced first. Their allows us to reconsider the above tradition. In representative works of the same scale will be particular, the intellectuals of the Tang dynasty examined then in detail, in order to summarize their (618-907) played an important role in terms of both common design principles and theories. Their the amount of practice and profundity of theoretical influence on later intellectual architects will then be thinking that they carried out. These intellectuals briefly discussed. Finally, this age-old tradition and its inherited an aesthetic appreciation of nature from their contemporary value will be summarized in predecessors in the Wei-Jin period, and also their rich conclusion. experience accumulated during the development of Southern China. The increasing population of this group and the formation of their particular lifestyle YUAN JIE AND LIU ZONGYUAN’S and cultural aspiration all contributed to the practice PLANNING AND DESIGN IN YONGZHOU of Design With Nature in this period, both Yongzhou in the Eighth Century: An economically and culturally. “Experimental Field” for the Intellectual Instead of discussing this in a macro view, the Architects author would rather give some concrete examples of intellectual architects who were active between the Before discussing Yuan and Liu’s planning and design eighth and nineth centuries, focusing on “how” and practice, it is necessary to briefly introduce their “why” they planned and designed with nature. Liu “experimental field”—Yongzhou region. In this paper, Zongyuan (柳宗元 773-819) and Yuan Jie (元结 it refers to a region containing both Yongzhou and 719-772) are two of such notable figures. Despite his Daozhou in the Tang dynasty (see Figure 1). It lies in fame as the pioneer of Guwen Movement and a tragic today’s southern Hunan Province, touching upon politician relegated to a provincial position, Liu Guangdong and Guangxi provinces to the south. Zongyuan was also a prolific architect and theorist. He Being distant and inaccessible from Central China, widely participated in planning and design in his this region was sparsely populated and less developed 10-year exile in Yongzhou (永州), where the rich at that time. Also, it was a typical option where the landscape significantly contributed to and enhanced government appointed relegated officials. However, a his practice. Yuan Jie, 54 years older than Liu, was significant portion of these relegated officials were remembered much as a passionate litterateur and a still loyal and talent intellectuals. They brought loyal official who once participated in putting down advanced ideas and techniques from Central China to the An-Shi Rebellion. He was the governor of these remote regions, and greatly improved the living Daozhou (道州), and led the planning and design in environment there. this region with great creativity and intensive fondness Despite its disadvantaged location, Yongzhou was for the landscape. His work could have deeply endowed with excellent natural environment. Three Sun 927 Figure 1. Yongzhou and Daozhou in the Tang Dynasty. huge mountains, including Mengzhu and Dupang for their Design With Nature. Among these architects, Ridges, which are the west two of the Five Yuan Jie and Liu Zongyuan were particularly Ridges, divide Yongzhou into two basins. The Xiao outstanding. River (潇水) and Xiang River (湘水) run through Yuan Jie’s Practice as a Prefectural Cishi most of this region. Limestone cliffs, caves, spring and streams were particularly rich here. These diverse Yuan Jie was appointed Daozhou Cishi (刺史) when landscape, completely different from those of Central he was 45 years old in 763 AD. In his three-year term China, deeply fascinated the officials and visitors who of office as the governor, his planning and design came here. Some of them even determined to settle practice included two main parts: down forever. The landscape also inspired the First, he focused on the construction of public intellectual architects, and provided perfect resource infrastructure. When he initially arrived in Daozhou, 928 Sociology Study 4(11) the region had just experienced a horrible invasion by participated in Yongzhen Reform (永贞变革) as a key the Western barbarians. The city was destroyed, and member, but failed in the end. As a result, he was people lost their homes. Yuan presided over the relegated to Yongzhou Sima ( 司马), a position post-war reconstruction immediately, such as building without the real power. Days in Yongzhou seemed houses and dividing the farmlands (Ouyang 1975: endless and miserable at the beginning, but he was 4686). After that, he planned and built the Shun gradually falling in love with the wonderful landscape Temple (舜庙) as an important place and facility for there, and finally found inner peace. education and public moralization (Yuan 1960: 127). As a sinecure Sima, Liu was not responsible for The ancient emperor Shun, who is believed dead and city planning or infrastructure construction, but he buried at the Jiuyi Mountain in Daozhou, is was very interested in these public affairs. He wrote considered as a moral paragon in ancient China. many articles on projects designed by his friends, such Second, as a litterateur with strong interest in as the government office by Wei Cishi, the WanShi landscapes, he traveled across the region to discover Garden by Cui Cishi, the Three-Pavilion Park by Xue and build sceneries. He discovered Han Ting and in Yongzhou, and the public school and Confucius Yanghua Rock in Jianghua County, Wazun Rock, You Temple by Xue Cishi in Daozhou (see Figure 2). Stream, Seven Springs, Shiyu Lake, Wuru Rock Their planning and design ideas were emphatically around Daozhou city, Chaoyang Rock around discussed in his articles. Yongzhou city, and many other sceneries around Wu Liu also designed his own habitation. When he Stream ( 浯溪) in Qiyang County (Yuan 1960: initially arrived in Yongzhou, he lodged in the west 136-159). He loved the landscape so much that he wing of Longxing Temple (龙兴寺). That room could not bear seeing their existence in the wilderness lacked of daylight but had excellent view westwards. without a name. Some of his namings were full of Therefore, Liu opened up a window in the west wall, special moral meanings, which could be regarded as and built a pavilion (轩) outside. With the little an important approach for moral education. For change, he improved the lighting situation and example, he named five springs after five virtues, borrowed distant mountains and rivers as scenery (Liu including benefit (惠), loyalty (忠), filial piety (孝), 1979: 751).