From Axiology To Methodology

Starting from the beginning of the 21 st century, the landscape industry of China has come into a period of transformation. It has developed with an unprecedentedly high speed, as a result of the country's fast economic growth and improved environmental awareness. The research on modern landscape theories has, therefore, entered into a new era. However, the study into landscape criticism, a fundamental theory of landscape science, is still a blank in China. Needless to say, no systematic theory and method have come into being in this field.Based on the integral framework of a science, this thesis, with the reference to the achievements in artistic criticism, literary criticism and architectural criticism research, discusses the basic framework of landscape criticism. It points out that landscape criticism is a combined activity of evaluation and appreciation, based on certain values. The targets of landscape criticism include: the social environment that landscape and landscape productions live with, the creative ideas and practices of landscape designers, and systems which relates to fostering and training landscape designers. Meanwhile, the thesis conducts detailed analysis and discussion on the axiology and methodology—two cornerstones of the landscape criticism theory. Finally, it presents the author's exploratory thinking on the new development approaches of landscape criticism in the modern society, from the perspective of modern landscape development.