Research Of Traditional Garden History Of Wei–Jin–Southern & Northern Dynasties

The period of the Wei–Jin–Southern & Northern Dynasties (A.D. 220 –589) was of much significance as an important turn in Chinese classical garden history. During this period, new garden types emerged beyond the imperial ones, such as the intellectual's and the Buddha temple gardens. More essentially, instead of placing their emphasis on satisfying material necessities during the Qin and Han Dynasties, the garden designers tended to regard the gardens as a spirit inhabitation. Therefore, this change in character features largely in the gardens of the Wei–Jin–Southern & Northern Dynasties. From then on, the theme of Shanshui (literally mountain and water) aesthetics and the characteristic of being spiritual sustenance were gradually accentuated and finally established as a unique mood and feature of Chinese classical gardens. Owing to the lack of relevant visual images, there still remained many blanks in the field of the Wei-Jin-Southern & Northen's garden history for a long period of time. Actually, the garden's appearance, a material expression of the owner's spirit, depends on the artistic conception. Therefore, the general appearance of gardens could be found out by deducing the design ideas and their cultural connotations. In this way, starting with an analysis of the effects the socio-cultural psychology had on aesthetic values and design ideas, this thesis illustrates the considerable influences on different socio-cultural fields, such as theories, ideologies and styles exerted by the flourishing rational spirits, abstract speculations and, the complement of the former two, the vivid philosophy of lives, living ways and aesthetic values of the Wei–Jin–Southern & Northern Dynasties. In view of the features of Shanshui aesthetics in this period, this thesis specially explores the philosophical and social basis of its great development, analyzes its concrete expressions in the forms of Shanshui appreciation, as well as creation of Shanshui poems, Shanshui paintings, and Shanshui gardens. Furthermore, with literature reviews, the thesis studied the innovative achievements of Wei-Jin Gardens on cultural connotations, artistic conceptions, and art design. To be concrete, it illustrates the newly natural, nonfigurative gardening aesthetics; the unique Chinese artistic activities like "Qu shui liu shang"(an entertainment of floating wine cups in a winding canal), "Xuting na jing"(void space within a pavilion for viewing), naming scenic spots, appreciation of rockeries and examines their origins and evolutions. Based on the above, and with a consultation of physical conditions at that time and associated documents remained today, the author concludes the image features of Wei-Jin Gardens and thus carries out a systematic research on different types of gardens. The thesis mainly consists of these parts. Firstly, as for the imperial gardens, it places emphasis on filing records of concrete examples, compares them with that of the previous dynasties, revealing the increasing atmosphere of humanism, the realm of a "sage-king", and construction features related with city planning. Secondly, as for the rising literati gardens, placing emphasis on the particular social background, the thesis analyzes the close relations between the Shanshui aesthetics and the ideals and practices of intellectuals. Thus, the origin of the intellectual's garden is explored, and moreover, by filing and analyzing associated information, the article displays the considerable effect on the development of garden types exerted by artistic conceptions and design styles. In the end, as for the Buddha temple garden, it specifically examines the cause of its formation from the aspects of its religion doctrine sources, chances of development, etc., and states the remarkable effects it had on the development and maturity of the Chinese ancient garden system.