Chinese Social Sciences Today Culture 8 THURSDAY MARCH 11 2021

namic natural elements that re- semble the natural environment. ‘’ technique Sounds, light and shade, and sea- sons are frequently “borrowed” to highlight the artistic atmosphere in classical Chinese gardens of the garden. In the Loquat Garden, a small By GAO JIANGHAN scenery technique is widely used in original natural landscape—forest- garden within the Humble Admin- classical Chinese gardens. It affects ed hills, plains, the Wulie river, and istrator’s Garden, a pond is fea- Yuanye, or The Craft of Gardens, the whole process of designing and the Lion Valley—and introduced tured along a wall. Several plantain Lion Forest, one of the four famous is a classic treatise of the art of building a garden. outside waterways into the com- by the pond were designed to gardens in Suzhou, originally built Chinese traditional gardening, plex, connecting lakes, ponds, and make romantic sounds as the rain during the Photo: VIS- written by garden designer Ji Following the original landscape streams within the resort with each patters on their . A ITSZ Cheng (c. 1582–?) in the 17th “Following” and “borrowing” is other, dotted with various islets. next to the pond is named Tingyu century. At the beginning of this primarily reflected from the overall Xuan, or Pavilion for Listening to book, Ji states: “Skill in landscape landscape design of classical Chi- Aesthetic conceptions the Rhythm of the Rain, indicat- Classical Chinese is shown in the ability to ‘follow’ nese gardens. The natural structure The atmosphere and aesthetic ing that visitors can appreciate the (yin) and ‘borrow from’ (jie) the of the original environment lays conceptions created by the scenes sound of rainfall on the leaves of gardens existing scenery and lie of the the groundwork for the classical in classical gardens are a unique the plantain trees and the pond on land, and artistry is shown in Chinese gardens, determining the part of the art of a rainy day. Classical Chinese gardens are one of the feeling of suitability created” subsequent arrangement of rocks design, which is rich in cultural The smart use of light and shade the greatest achievements in Chinese (trans. Alison Hardie). and ponds, paved paths, architec- connotations and hard to copy. can also turn a garden into a fan- traditional architectural culture. He further explained “follow” ture, , and other elements of With techniques such as “distant tasy world, such as in the Western The earliest form of the gardens ap- and “borrow” as: “‘Interdepen- a garden. borrowing, adjacent borrowing, Tower in the Lingering Garden in peared during the (c. dency’ (another translation of yin) Almost all classical Chinese gar- upward borrowing, downward Suzhou, featuring the view of sun- 1600–1046 BCE), when they served means following the rise and fall of dens, whether owned by imperial borrowing, and borrowing in light streaming into the courtyard as enclosed parks where kings and the site and investigating its proper families or common people, are response to the seasons,” garden through various window lattices. nobles hunted for pleasure. disposition, pruning the branches built according to the natural struc- designers often draw inspira- The season and the time of day The (618–907) was of obstructing trees, directing ture of the original environment, tion from poetic imagery such as are also important elements. Gar- considered the golden age of Chi- streams to flow over rocks so that and are inspired by the owners’ distant hills, nearby waters, the den designers considered garden nese culture, and the art of Chinese they are mutually complementary, ideal natural scenery. setting sun, the lustrous moon, scenes that would look best in gardens reached a zenith. Influenced erecting and kiosks where The Old , or Yu- gurgling streams, and flourishing the four seasons, and those best by thriving landscape painting and appropriate, not interfering with anming Yuan, located in , plants, to achieve an aesthetic vi- viewed at night, in the morning, or poetry, the aesthetic quality and out-of-the-way paths, and letting is a masterpiece of this principle. sion of the garden—“Attracted by afternoon. the idea of obtaining harmony with them wind and turn: this is what is It was initially rewarded by the the nature of things, as one’s eyes The in Hangzhou, nature was highlighted. The capital, called ‘excellent and appropriate.’ to his fourth son, perceive, one’s heart anticipates, Zhejiang Province, is known for its Chang’an, was a cosmopolitan city, ‘Borrowing’ means even though who later succeeded to the just as [in painting] the idea pre- “Ten Scenes,” a collection of ten filled with diplomats, merchants, every garden distinguishes between as the (r. cedes the brush, and only then can scenic views distributed around pilgrims, monks and students, who inside and outside, in obtaining 1722–1735). During the reign of one depict exhaustively” (trans. and within the lake, which serve carried the arts of the gardens all views there should be no restriction the Yongzheng Emperor, the Old Stanislaus Fung)—where viewers’ to show the charms of the West over Asia. The (960– on whether they are far or near. A Summer Palace greatly expanded feelings interact intensely with the Lake through the use of varying 1279), another golden age of Chinese clear mountain peak rising up with from its initial construction and the garden’s natural scenes. locations, seasons, and times of gardens, featured the prosperity of elegance, a purple-green abode introduction of ’s For example, the Qingyi Garden, day. Among these scenes, four imperial gardens and many smaller soaring into the sky—everything waterways. Garden designers drew later known as the Summer Palace, scenes epitomize the lake’s charm but equally picturesque private gar- within one’s limit of vision—block- inspiration from the water towns in located in Beijing, “borrows” the through all four seasons, including dens. The fall of the Northern Song ing out the commonplace, adopting south . Eventually, continu- distant Yuquan Hill and Yuquan the “Spring Dawn at Su Causeway” regime caused a shift of political and the admirable, not distinguishing ous construction and expansion Pagoda in the west, and integrates (a thin strip of land with six arched economic influence from north to between cultivated and unculti- under the reign of three emperors them into the design of the garden stone bridges built spanning the south, promoting the development vated land, making all into a misty turned the Old Summer Palace as the background landscape. Com- lake, covered with peach and of gardens in south China. scene: this is what is called being into a grand garden where various plete with the scenery of distant weeping willow trees in spring), Chinese gardens have developed ‘suitable and skillful’” (trans. Stan- micro-landscapes blended harmo- hills, the striking pagoda, nearby “Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked four archetypes in accordance with islaus Fung). niously into winding watercourses. trees and a lake, and rosy sunsets Courtyard” (known for its lotus their locations. Gardens in the Ji- In the last chapter of Yuanye, The in “borrowed” into the garden, a in summer), “Autumn angnan area, or south of the lower entitled “Borrowed Scenery,” Ji Province formerly existed as building on the eastern shore of the Moon over the Calm Lake” (a reaches of the Yangtze River, stan- posited what would become a core a large complex of imperial palaces Kunming Lake in the Summer Pal- stone tablet at the western end of dardized many of the key features of theory in : “Now the and gardens where Qing-Dynasty ace is named Xijia (literally, charm Bai Causeway, which is considered classical Chinese garden design with borrowing of views is the most im- emperors escaped the summer heat of nightfall), because it coincides a good place to appreciate the constructed landscapes mimicking portant factor in gardens” (trans. of the capital city of Beijing. The with scenery depicted in a poem by moon, particularly in autumn), the natural scenery of rocks, hills, Stanislaus Fung). The borrowing design of this resort followed the the Eastern-Jin poet Tao Yuanming and “Melting Snow on the Broken and rivers with strategically located (365–427): “The mountain views Bridge” (the stone-arched Broken pavilions and pagodas. The elegant are good by day or night [xijia],/ Bridge after snowfall). The views aesthetics and subtlety of these gar- The birds come flying homeward to of “Leifeng Pagoda in the Sunset” dens are often imitated by various their nests” (trans. Yang Xianyi & (the majestic Leifeng Pagoda sur- gardens in other parts of China. The Gladys Yang). rounded by the golden hues of gardens native to the Lingnan area in Another typical example is the the setting sun) and “Evening Bell south China are well known for their view of the Beisi Pagoda, seen in at Nanping Mountain” (the pro- harmony with the local subtropical the distance over the pond of the longed bell sound from the Jingci environment, featuring courtyard Humble Administrator’s Garden Temple reverberates across the layouts and brightly-colored architec- in Suzhou, Province. The lake, ringing its farewell to the last ture. The gardens developed in the Beisi Pagoda far to the west of the sunbeam of the day) reflect how Sichuan and Chongqing region are garden is incorporated into the different times of day could be characterized with idyllic landscape garden setting and has become part “borrowed” to create views. elements, and are often associated of the design. In the morning, mist Through “borrowing” the ever- with historical figures. Many of the shrouds the outline of the pagoda, changing moods and appearances gardens in north China used to be turning the garden into a dreamlike of nature, Chinese garden design- imperial gardens. These gardens are place. ers associate visitors’ imaginations usually characterized by a large size, with the scenes in the garden, thus solemn and magnificent decorations, “Borrowed sounds, light, and expanding the view and creating symmetrical arrangements, and seasons” the illusion that the garden is much massive buildings. In classical Chinese garden bigger than it was. Gardens provided a venue for design, “borrowed scenery” is not daily life, academic writings, artis- The design of Humble Administrator’s Garden emphasizes the presence limited to the natural landscape Gao Jianghan is a lecturer from tic creation, social gatherings, and of the Beisi Pagoda, making the most of this “borrowed scenery” in the and scenes outside or inside the the School of Architecture at the other cultural activities for ancient background. Photo: CFP garden; it could also include dy- Huaqiao University. Chinese literati.