Conference abstract: “A response to Alison's quest after a Chinese grove”

 

Qufu, Kong's Forest, 2012. Credit: J.Richard, all rights reserved.

 

New approaches in Chinese garden history, conference abstract

19th June 2015, at the University of Sheffield

Lei Gao, NMBU, Norway

“A response to Alison's quest after a Chinese grove”

In the last two decades, the subject of Chinese garden studies has expanded enormously. It has gone from a situation where one person could be familiar with virtually everything that had been written on the topic in both Chinese and English to one where it would be impossible for an individual scholar to keep up with absolutely everything. One reason for this is the great expansion in Chinese-authored academic research (published in Chinese and English and also some other languages) consequent on the expansion of Chinese academia, and of the number of Chinese scholars working overseas, since the start of the reform era. Another important reason is the ‘turn’, in garden studies more generally, from a primarily aesthetic and art-historical to a more social-history focus, exemplified in Europe by scholars such as Denis Cosgrove and Tom Williamson. In Chinese garden studies a key text here was Craig Clunas’ Fruitful Sites (1996). As Chinese garden history has become a more accessible way to understand aspects of Chinese social and cultural history, it has been integrated into undergraduate courses on Chinese culture; moreover, as Chinese economic and ‘soft’ power has grown, more Chinese gardens have been created in the West, and thus general as well as academic understanding of the Chinese garden tradition has greatly increased.

See Lei Gao's profile on ResearchGate here. 

Follow this link to her paper on Garden heritage in Hongcun and Xidi.

Conference abstract: “Changes in Chinese garden studies over the course of my career”

 

Image: Hangzhou West Lake, 2011, Credit J.Richard, All rights reserved.

New approaches in Chinese garden history, conference abstract

19th June 2015, at the University of Sheffield

 The conference is organised in honour of Alison's retirement this summer.

Alison Hardie, University of Leeds,

 “Changes in Chinese garden studies over the course of my career”

In the last two decades, the subject of Chinese garden studies has expanded enormously. It has gone from a situation where one person could be familiar with virtually everything that had been written on the topic in both Chinese and English to one where it would be impossible for an individual scholar to keep up with absolutely everything. One reason for this is the great expansion in Chinese-authored academic research (published in Chinese and English and also some other languages) consequent on the expansion of Chinese academia, and of the number of Chinese scholars working overseas, since the start of the reform era. Another important reason is the ‘turn’, in garden studies more generally, from a primarily aesthetic and art-historical to a more social-history focus, exemplified in Europe by scholars such as Denis Cosgrove and Tom Williamson. In Chinese garden studies a key text here was Craig Clunas’ Fruitful Sites (1996). As Chinese garden history has become a more accessible way to understand aspects of Chinese social and cultural history, it has been integrated into undergraduate courses on Chinese culture; moreover, as Chinese economic and ‘soft’ power has grown, more Chinese gardens have been created in the West, and thus general as well as academic understanding of the Chinese garden tradition has greatly increased.

See Alison's profile here. 

See Alison's translation of the Chinese treaty on Chinese gardens by Ji Cheng, the Yuanye, here.

Conference abstract: “Two scholars-gardeners and their plants, Gao Lian and Zhao Han, end of Ming and beginning of Qing dynasties.”

 Image: Hangzhou West Lake, 2011, Josepha Richard, All right reserved

New approaches in Chinese garden history, conference abstract

19th June 2015, at the University of Sheffield

Georges Métailié, CNRS/MNHN, Paris

“Two scholars-gardeners and their plants, Gao Lian and Zhao Han, end of Ming and beginning of Qing dynasties.”

By using two scholars-gardeners Gao Lian and Zhao Han as an example, it is possible to show how their gardens were considered from the point of view of their owners. These authors were gardening amateurs who frequently qualified themselves as ‘flower addicts’, huapi 花癖, and celebrated their gardens as places that provided a wealth of experiences.  First of all, they selected plants for particular qualities; and as gardeners they were well aware of horticultural methods required to tend them. Their remarks on individual plants give an interesting account of the ornamentals suitable for gardens of two different regions of China: Shaanxi for Chao Han and Zhejiang for Gao Lian. The climatic differences induce different strategies and, eventually, determine final selection of plants. An analysis reveals how ultimately personal aesthetics define the general appearance of the gardens.

Find the bibliography of Georges' books here.

Among his contributions in English:

 "Biology and Biological Technology, Part 4, Traditional Botany: An Ethnobotanical Approach" in Science and Civilisation in China: Volume 6.

 "Graphics and Text in the Production of Technical Knowledge in China (Sinica Leidensia)"

Conference abstract: “The Boat-trip to a Yangzhou garden on the 7th of 7th, 1771”

Image: Heyuan in Yangzhou, 2011, Josepha Richard, All rights reserved

 

New approaches in Chinese garden history, conference abstract

19th June 2015, at the University of Sheffield

Lucie Olivová,  M.A., Ph.D., DSc.

Masaryk University, Czech Republic

“The Boat-trip to a Yangzhou garden on the 7th of 7th, 1771”

Chinese scholar gardens were not only exquisite architectural creations, but were also intended for receiving guests and for socializing.  Modelling themselves after the particular  ‘elegant gatherings’ which had taken place centuries earlier, the best renowned garden parties during the late imperial times also dwelt on literati pursuits and had composing of poems as their core activity.  One would presume, however, that not all gatherings were quite as formal.  This paper recollects one such happening on the Slender West Lake, recorded by Li Dou in his book The Pleasure Boats of Yangzhou.  His unpretentious rendering of the event may help us further define the actual nature of the upper society lifestyle. 

See the book Lucie edited about the history of Yangzhou here. 

See her Czech profile here.