Chinese Gardens中国园林

    Garden is one of the most important types of architectural art in China. Aiming at creating an environment rich in temperament and interest, Chinese garden is full of artistic conception through the so-called four gardening elements, namely mountains, rivers, structures and plants. In comparison to ordinary structures, spiritual characters, which require greater and higher ingenuity and imagination for artists and designers, are more outstanding than physical ones.    

    Depending on their geographical locations, Chinese gardens can vary. Generally speaking, they can be divided into two groups, the Imperial Garden Architecture in north China and the Private Garden Architecture in south China. The extant（现存的） royal gardens are in the vicinity of Beijing, while private gardens of a higher artistic level are mostly concentrated in areas south of the Yangtze River. 

    With material resources and generous financial support combined with supreme power, emperors were able to construct Imperial Gardens with almost unlimited extravagance(奢华). Designers placed emphasis on the harmonious unity of architecture with nature which contributed to the decision to construct many gardens in scenic mountain areas. In north China, Beijing is one of the better-known areas for these beautiful gardens. Summer Palace① and Old Summer Palace② (Ruins of Yuanmingyuan) are typical examples of this period. Gentle babbling brooks meander （蜿蜒）through delicate palaces, pavilions, platforms, and bridges. Large lakes shimmering in the early morning or late afternoon sun, where fish swim delightfully in and out of duckweeds(浮萍)，add to the incredible beauty of the pleasant surroundings. When one is confronted with all of this fine architecture, it is easy to appreciate the high-level craftsmanship that went into the construction of these magnificent gardens.

    Compared with royal gardens, Suzhou gardens are pure, lofty, elegant and free from conventions. The area in South China, although rich in water resources, is somewhat limited in the land area that could be used for private gardens. As a result of these phenomena, the owners were put in the position where they skillfully and cleverly constructed their private gardens according to their own personal tastes. Southern gardens are simpler and more elegant, like a shy girl waiting for you to take away her veiling. Designers were also good at selecting colors such as dark grey tiles to cover the house roofs, while walls were painted white. Wooden pillars were colored dark brown or greenish-black that blended with the bridges, pavilions and corridors that were made of natural stone. The whole scenery presents a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere. Famous gardens belonging to this type are popular in Jiangsu Province. Some of the more noteworthy would be Garden of the Master of Nets③, Blue Wave Pavilion④, Liu Garden⑤, Lion Grove Garden⑥ etc.

    Other kinds of garden architecture contain monastic（修道院的） gardens which are located in temples, symbolizing a sort of spiritual peace and harmony. An example of this would be the Mountain Resort of Chengde (Bishu Shanzhuang) which is built on a large scale and blends in well with the mountain scenery.

Abridged and revised from

http://www1.chinaculture.org/library/2008-01/16/content_38934.htm

Notes:

① Summer Palace:颐和园,位于中国北京市海淀区西北，占地290公顷（合4400亩），是清朝的行宫和大型皇家园林。修建于清朝乾隆年间、重建于光绪年间，曾属于清朝北京西郊三山五园之一。颐和园素以人工建筑与自然山水巧妙结合的造园手法著称于世，是中国园林艺术顶峰时期的代表。1998年被评为世界文化遗产。

② Old Summer Palace:圆明园,位于中国北京市海淀区，是一组清代的大型皇家园林，占地350公顷，约合5,200亩。圆明园规模宏伟，融会了各式园林风格，运用了各种造园技巧，再现诗画意境,被当作是中国古典园林平地造园、堆山理水集大成的典范。清朝时一些在中国的外国传教士参观圆明园之后将其称作“万园之园”。1860年，圆明园在英法联军之役中被焚毁，历经战乱劫掠，现时仅存遗址。

③ Garden of the Master of Nets:网师园,建于南宋时期（1127年到1279年），至今仍保有私人花园的趣味与特色，是整个苏州园林中最小巧精致的，面积约为0.54公顷。位于苏州东南方的十全街阔头巷中。1997年被列为世界文化遗产。

④Blue Wave Pavilion:沧浪亭,位于苏州城南三元坊，是现存历史最为悠久的江南园林。与狮子林、拙政园、留园并称为苏州宋、元、明、清四大园林，代表着宋朝的艺术风格。2000年被列为世界文化遗产。2006年被列为全国重点文物保护单位。

留园是中国著名古典园林，位于江南古城苏州，以园内建筑布置精巧、奇石众多而知名。⑤⑤Liu Garden: 留园,1961年被中华人民共和国国务院公布为第一批全国重点文物保护单位之一。1997年，包括留园在内的苏州古典园林被列为世界文化遗产。

⑥Lion Grove Garden:狮子林,位于中国江苏省苏州市姑苏区园林路，毗邻太平天国忠王府和拙政园，占地1.1公顷，开放面积0.88公顷，是苏州四大名园之一。已被列为全国重点文物保护单位和世界文化遗产。