Basic Study On The Linpan Culture At Western Sichuan Plain

Now in the fast process of China’s urbanization, the rural communities andsettlements are undergoing a massive transformation. Yet in contrast with the urbansettlement, the researches on the grass-roots rural settlements seem to have drawninadequate attention and been lacking in profound analysis, particularly in terms of thebreadth of expanses, variety of forms, exquisiteness of scales, and magnitude ofnumbers, which exactly constitute a base for China’s native-soil environment, and areimportant parts of China’s eco-security patterns in the national territory as well as aspectacle of local culture, henceforth maintaining a comprehensive carrier for the folkculture. Therefore, it is of vital importance that exploration be conducted of the ruralsettlements in the building up of eco-nature, socio-economic growth, traditional culture,human habitation, and other valuable aspects, and meanwhile, with the focus mainly onspecific areas.This dissertation is intended to furnish an array of experience and strategies forthose who make academic study of China’s rural settlement, i.e. innovative modeling inthe construction of the new countryside. Meanwhile, oriented by the sustainabledevelopment of rural settlements, it also is an integrated research for useful reference,either theoretical or practical, as it is closely knit, hence presenting its ideas in a clear,logical way; in addition, it is performed in multiple perspectives, especially with theWestern Sichuan Plain as a setting, where it describes in full detail the regionaleco-nature, landscape, history, livelihood, production, socio-economic growth, and moreimportantly, the system and culture of the Linpan, a kind of bamboo-grove courtyarddwelling typically in the region’s rural areas.In all, the dissertation comprises ten chapters. The introduction of it elaborates onthe objective, significance and the background in the research. In the second chapter, ananalysis is also made, from a regional perspective, on settlements of the WesternSichuan Plain in terms of the natural environment as well as the historic, cultural andeconomic surroundings with the research focus on the system of the structure andfeatures and distribution of such settlements, and particularly on those of the Lipansystem. The third chapter is a conclusion of the formation mechanism together with ananalysis on how the Linpan settlement system came into being and the way it forms inthe process, especially in the Qing Dynasty. The fourth chapter makes a comparison and contrast between the Linpan in Western Sichuan and the “Lintuan” of the EasternSichuan, and also between the village neighborhoods against the fengshui woods ofgeomancy; and a study is also made on the Lipan in its types, space forms, salientfeatures and settlement model. In the fifth chapter, there is elaboration on the Linpanresidence and its native-soil hallmark, which is worked out from the architectural angleof the basic system, modeling, space surroundings with an aura, decorating andfixing-up, and building technologies at that. Meanwhile, the sixth chapter looks into theLinpan planting and its water system, its green eco-environment, its developed and richeconomy of the Linpan. What the seventh chapter deals with is the research that isconducted at the macro-, meso-and micro-levels as regards the art of Linpan gardeningand compound spectacle. The eighth chapter is a conclusion of the Linpan in terms of itsvalue, inherent feature. A current trend, concerning the Linpan settlement, is elaboratedin the ninth chapter, while a few measures, principles and guidelines are put forwardhere. In the last chapter, there are discussions on the Linpan culture, deemed as anorganic component in the construction of the new countryside in the Western Sichuan,with an analysis made on its system restructuring and building of the dwellingsurroundings, makes exploration into the road of the sustained development in theLinpan culture, and also from the viewpoint of the transformation in the modern age,further into the Linpan economy together with its industry and its settling modeloriginality alike.