3: Garden Design as Art in China

Traditional Chinese gardens are a striking form of art that include aesthetics, philosophy, literature, and even metaphysics. Gentleman scholars and their families in Imperial China used gardens for a variety of purposes. Please work though the Chinese Garden segments below that are a part of A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization prepared by Patricia Buckley Ebrey from the University of Washington.

When you have finished reading each of the segments below (all bulleted items), please answer the assignment question. (There is no need to click on the "Source" links in any of these segments.)

• Introduction to Garden Design in China
• The Origins of Garden Design in China
• Garden Design Overview
• Feng Shui
• Using Rocks in Garden Design
• Using Water in Garden Design
• Using Buildings in Garden Design
• Using Plants in Garden Design
• The garden as a Site of Social Activity
• Aesthetics of the Garden
• Garden of the Master of Nets

Assignment

In a 150- to 200-word essay, compare and contrast how Westerners and Chinese have conceptualized gardens. Which characteristics of Chinese gardens do you think are the most interesting? Why?