Title Page
ABSTRACT
Contents
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 15
1.1. Background and goals 15
1.2. Research objects and methods 18
CHAPTER 2. TRADITIONAL CHINESE GARDENS IN SUZHOU AND THE URBAN STRUCTURE OF SUZHOU 20
2.1. Traditional Chinese gardens in Suzhou 21
2.2. Urban structure of the old city area of Suzhou 29
2.3. Conclusion: the distribution character of the gardens 41
CHAPTER 3. COURTYARDS AND COMPONENTS 45
3.1. Courtyards of traditional Suzhou dwellings 45
3.1.1. “Ting” (庭) 46
3.1.2. “Yuan” (院) 48
3.1.3. “Yuan” (園) 50
3.2. Main components of traditional Suzhou gardens 52
3.2.1. Water 52
3.2.2. Hills and rocks 54
3.2.3. Plants 56
3.2.4. Architecture 58
CHAPTER 4. CASE STUDIES 64
4.1. Cases of the Large type 67
4.1.1. The Humble Administrator's Garden, Zhuo Zheng Yuan (拙政園) 67
4.1.2. The Lingering Garden, Liu Yuan (留園) 75
4.1.3. Summary 82
4.2. Cases of the Middle type 84
4.2.1. Pavilion of Surging Waves, Cang Lang Ting (滄浪亭) 84
4.2.2. The Lion Forest Garden, Shi Zi Lin (獅子林) 90
4.2.3. The Master of Nets Garden, Wang Shi Yuan (網師園) 96
4.2.4. The Couple’s Garden Retreat, Ou Yuan (우園) 102
4.2.5. The Pleasure Garden, Yi Yuan (怡園) 107
4.2.6. Summary 112
4.3. Cases of the Small type 114
4.3.1. Garden of Cultivation, Yi Pu (藝圃) 114
4.3.2. Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty, Huan Xiu Shan Zhuang (環秀山莊) 120
4.3.3. The Crane Garden, He Yuan (鶴園) 125
4.3.4. The Pleasurable Garden, Chang Yuan (暢園) 130
4.3.5. Garden of Remnant Grain, Can Li Yuan (殘粒園) 135
4.3.6. Summary 139
4.4. Conclusion 141
4.4.1. The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout 141
4.4.2. Three types of pattern of land and water 144
4.4.3. The relations with residence and city 149
4.5. Further studies: the interactions of architecture with nature 157
(1) The circulation 160
(2) The innovations of architecture 161
(3) The adaptability nature 169
CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION 171
REFERENCES 175
(Tab. 1.1) The diagram of the study process (Produced by the author) 17
(Tab. 1.2) The diagram of the study content and program (Produced by the author) 19
(Tab. 2.1) The general information of the studied gardens (Produced by the author) 26
(Tab. 2.2) Records of the number and name of the city gates of Suzhou through history (The Chinese City in Space and Time, Xu, 2000: p. 116) 38
(Tab. 4.1) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Humble Administrator's Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 312, p. 313) 71
(Tab. 4.2) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Lingering Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 348, p. 349) 79
(Tab. 4.3) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Pavilion of Surging Waves (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 389) 87
(Tab. 4.4) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Lion Forest Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 376, p. 377) 93
(Tab. 4.5) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Master of Nets Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 401) 99
(Tab. 4.6) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Couple’s garden Retreat (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 428, p. 429) 105
(Tab. 4.7) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Pleasure Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 414, p. 415) 110
(Tab. 4.8) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Garden of Cultivation (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 437) 117
(Tab. 4.9) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 443) 123
(Tab. 4.10) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Crane Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 459) 127
(Tab. 4.11) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Pleasurable Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 465) 133
(Tab. 4.12) Coverage ratio of water and building in the Garden of Remnant Grain (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 475) 137
(Tab. 4.13) Three types of the relationship-pattern of the land and water of the studied gardens of Suzhou (Produced by the author) 147
(Tab. 4.14) The design principles of managing the relationships between land and water can be concluded by three main situations (Produced by the author) 148
(Tab. 4.15) Five residences of the old Suzhou city (Adapted by the author from Chen, 2003) 150
(Tab. 4.16) The various conditions of the bridges of studied cases in Suzhou (Produced by the author based on the plan-drawings of Liu, 1979) 166
(Fig. 1.1) Cities in the Yangzi River delta where the gardens flocked (Adapted by the author based on Tsu, 1988: p. viii) 16
(Fig. 2.1) The dense water network around the city of Suzhou (Adapted by the author based on Xu, 2000: p. 10) 21
(Fig. 2.2) Painting of the “Prosperous Suzhou” of Qing dynasty, AD 1759 (Liaoning Provincial Museum, Suzhou urban construction archives, 1999, 姑蘇繁榮圖, 原名: 盛世滋生圖) 23
(Fig. 2.3) The distribution of the most celebrated gardens in Suzhou (Adapted by the author based on the city plan from Chen, 2010: p. 6) 24
(Fig. 2.4) The distribution of the gardens in Suzhou (Produced by the author) 28
(Fig. 2.5) The location of the city of Suzhou (Adapted by the author based on Xu, 2000: p. 10, p. 11 and Dong, 2006: p. 88) 29
(Fig. 2.6) Conjectural diagrammatic plan of city of Helu based on literary descriptions (The Chinese City in Space and Time, Xu, 2000: p. 43)(이미지참조) 30
(Fig. 2.7) Rubbing of the picture map of the city of Suzhou carved on stone in 1229, the Pingjiang Plan (平江圖) (Adapted from Cao and Wu, 1986: p. 66) 31
(Fig. 2.8) The main urban structure at Pingjiang Plan of Suzhou in Song dynasty (Produced by the author according to the Pingjiang Plan in 1229) 32
(Fig. 2.9) The transformation of the canal system of Suzhou from Southern Song dynasty to Qing dynasty (Left: produced by the author according to the Pingjiang Plan, 1229; Middle: adapted from Xu, 2000: p. 106; Right: produced by the author according to Xu, 2000: p. 158) 33
(Fig. 2.10) The main area of the loss of the canals of Suzhou by 1784 in Qing dynasty (Produced by the author according to the Pingjiang Plan, 1229 and Xu, 2000: p. 106, p. 138, p. 158) 34
(Fig. 2.11) The transformation of the road and canal system of the old city area of Suzhou from the end of Ming to present time (Adapted by the author from Chen, 2010: p. 15) 35
(Fig. 2.12) The position of the important local government offices in the Southern Song (left), in the Ming and Qing (right) (The Chinese City in Space and Time, Xu, 2000: p. 149) 37
(Fig. 2.13) Diagrammatic plan of the partitioning of urban space of Suzhou (Adapted by the author according to Xu, 2000: p. 76) 39
(Fig. 2.14) The distribution character of the gardens in the old urban area of Suzhou (Produced by the author; Notes: We adopt the approximate value for the construction eras when the gardens’ exact construction years are unknown. Moreover, the size of the garden adopted here general refer to the actual and real garden area, and does not include the residential area. Yet,... 41
(Fig. 3.1) Chinese Portrait brick of Han dynasty excavated in Chengdu, Sichuan province 45
(Fig. 3.2) Ting (庭) in traditional Suzhou dwellings (Adapted by the author from Peng, 1986)(이미지참조) 46
(Fig. 3.3) The standard Siheyuan (四合院) residence in Beijing (Adapted by the author from Ma, 1999) 48
(Fig. 3.4) The Hu Yuan (壺園) garden in Suzhou (Adapted by the author from Liu, 1979: p. 472) 50
(Fig. 3.5) Water in traditional Chinese gardens of Suzhou 53
(Fig. 3.6) Hills and rocks in traditional Chinese gardens of Suzhou 55
(Fig. 3.7) Plants in traditional Chinese gardens of Suzhou 57
(Fig. 3.8) The Distant Fragrance Hall (遠香堂) in Zhuo Zheng Yuan (拙政園) 58
(Fig. 3.9) Pavilions in traditional Chinese gardens of Suzhou 59
(Fig. 3.10) Corridor in traditional Chinese gardens of Suzhou 60
(Fig. 3.11) Boat-like houses in traditional Chinese gardens 61
(Fig. 3.12) Bridges in traditional Chinese gardens 63
(Fig. 4.1) The twelve cases of garden in Suzhou under the same scale (Adapted by the author based on the plan-drawings from Liu, 1979) 65
(Fig. 4.2) Urban location of the Humble Administrator's Garden (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 67
(Fig. 4.3) Surrounding situation of the Humble Administrator's Garden (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 68
(Fig. 4.4) Configuration of the main components of the Humble Administrator's Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 312, p. 313) 70
(Fig. 4.5) Inner-circulation of the Humble Administrator's Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 312, p. 313 and Tsu, 1988: p. 195) 71
(Fig. 4.6) The balance and equilibrium of buildings’ layout in the Humble Administrator's Garden (Produced by the author based on the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 309) and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 73
(Fig. 4.7) Relationships of the buildings within the Humble Administrator's Garden (Produced by the author based on the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 309) and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 74
(Fig. 4.8) Location of the Lingering Garden (Produced by the author based on the city map from Liu, 1979: p. 84, and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 75
(Fig. 4.9) Surrounding situation of the Lingering Garden (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 76
(Fig. 4.10) Configuration of the main components of the Lingering Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 348, p. 349) 78
(Fig. 4.11) Circulations in the Lingering Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 348, p. 349) 79
(Fig. 4.12) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Lingering Garden (Produced by the author based on the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 348, p. 349 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 81
(Fig. 4.13) Location of the Pavilion of Surging Waves (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 84
(Fig. 4.14) Surrounding situation of the Pavilion of Surging Waves (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 85
(Fig. 4.15) Configuration of the main components of the Pavilion of Surging Waves (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 389) 87
(Fig. 4.16) Circulations in the Pavilion of Surging Waves (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 389) 88
(Fig. 4.17) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Pavilion of Surging Waves (Produced by the author based on the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 389 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 89
(Fig. 4.18) Location of the Lion Forest Garden (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 90
(Fig. 4.19) Surrounding situation of the Lion Forest Garden (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 91
(Fig. 4.20) Configuration of the main components of the Lion Forest Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 376, p. 377) 92
(Fig. 4.21) Circulations in the Lion Forest Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 376, p. 377) 93
(Fig. 4.22) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Lion Forest Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 376, p. 377 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 95
(Fig. 4.23) Location of the Master of Nets Garden (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 96
(Fig. 4.24) Surrounding situation of the Master of Nets Garden (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 97
(Fig. 4.25) Configuration of the main components of the Master of Nets Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 401) 99
(Fig. 4.26) Circulations in the Master of Nets Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 401) 100
(Fig. 4.27) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Master of Nets Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 401 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 101
(Fig. 4.28) Location of the Couple’s garden Retreat (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 102
(Fig. 4.29) Surrounding situation of the Couple’s garden Retreat (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 103
(Fig. 4.30) Configuration of the main components of the Couple’s garden Retreat (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 428, p. 429) 104
(Fig. 4.31) Circulations in the Couple’s garden Retreat (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 428, p. 429) 105
(Fig. 4.32) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Couple’s garden Retreat (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 428, p. 429 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 106
(Fig. 4.33) Location of the Pleasure Garden (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 107
(Fig. 4.34) Surrounding situation of the Pleasure Garden (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 108
(Fig. 4.35) Configuration of the main components of the Pleasure Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 414, p. 415) 109
(Fig. 4.36) Circulations in the Pleasure Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 414, p. 415) 110
(Fig. 4.37) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Pleasure Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 414, p. 415 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 111
(Fig. 4.38) Location of the Garden of Cultivation (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 114
(Fig. 4.39) Surrounding situation of the Garden of Cultivation (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 115
(Fig. 4.40) Configuration of the main components of the Garden of Cultivation (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 437) 117
(Fig. 4.41) Circulations in the Garden of Cultivation (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 437) 118
(Fig. 4.42) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Garden of Cultivation (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 437 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 119
(Fig. 4.43) Location of the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 120
(Fig. 4.44) Surrounding situation of the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 121
(Fig. 4.45) Configuration of the main components of the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 443) 122
(Fig. 4.46) Circulations in the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 443) 123
(Fig. 4.47) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 443 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 124
(Fig. 4.48) Location of the Crane Garden (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 125
(Fig. 4.49) Surrounding situation of the Crane Garden (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 126
(Fig. 4.50) Configuration of the main components of the Crane Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 459) 127
(Fig. 4.51) Circulations in the Crane Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 459) 128
(Fig. 4.52) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Crane Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 459 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 129
(Fig. 4.53) Location of the Pleasurable Garden (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 130
(Fig. 4.54) Surrounding situation of the Pleasurable Garden (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 131
(Fig. 4.55) Configuration of the main components of the Pleasurable Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 465) 132
(Fig. 4.56) Circulations in the Pleasurable Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 465) 133
(Fig. 4.57) The balance and equilibrium of the buildings’ layout in the Pleasurable Garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 465 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 134
(Fig. 4.58) Location of the Garden of Remnant Grain (Produced by the author based on the city map from Dong, 2006: p. 88 and the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 135
(Fig. 4.59) Surrounding situation of the Garden of Remnant Grain (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 136
(Fig. 4.60) Configuration of the main components of the Garden of Remnant Grain (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 475) 137
(Fig. 4.61) Circulations in the Garden of Remnant Grain (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of Liu, 1979: p. 475) 138
(Fig. 4.62) The characteristic of balance and equilibrium of the building’s layout in the studied gardens of Suzhou (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 143
(Fig. 4.63) Distributing the garden into Land and Water (Produced by the author) 144
(Fig. 4.64) The flat, hill, and water in the gardens (Produced by the author) 144
(Fig. 4.65) Site relationship of city, residence, and the garden (Produced by the author) 149
(Fig. 4.66) The relations with residence and city of the gardens (Produced by the author) 149
(Fig. 4.67) Plan of one part of the residence area in the old Suzhou city (Adapted by the author from Ha, 2009) 150
(Fig. 4.68) The outlines of the selected gardens under the same scale (Produced by the author based on the plan-drawings of Liu, 1979) 151
(Fig. 4.69) The surrounding situation of the studied gardens of Suzhou (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 153
(Fig. 4.70) The outer-circulation composed of road and canal (Produced by the author based on the aerial photograph from Google Earth) 156
(Fig. 4.71) The traditional Chinese gardens were built for pleasure as well as for habitation (Produced by the author) 157
(Fig. 4.72) The aspects of architecture and nature of the garden (Produced by the author according to the garden plan of the Humble Administrator’s Garden of Liu, 1979) 158
(Fig. 4.73) The interactions of architecture and nature to form a garden (Produced by the author) 159
(Fig. 4.74) The methods of interaction between architecture and nature (Produced by the author) 160
(Fig. 4.75) Circulation connects architecture and nature to be a sense of unity (Produced by the author) 161
(Fig. 4.76) (a). The western architectural tradition ― a stately building complex; (b). The Chinese architectural tradition ― smaller buildings in group composition (Adapted from Tsu, 1988, p. 74) 162
(Fig. 4.77) Layout of the traditional residence blocks in Beijing (Adapted from Liu, 1980) 162
(Fig. 4.78) Layout of the traditional residence blocks in Suzhou (Adapted from 陣內秀信, 1993) 163
(Fig. 4.79) Layout of buildings of the studied cases in Suzhou (Produced by the author based on the plan-drawings of Liu, 1979) 164
(Fig. 4.80) Positions of the double corridor in Cang Lang Ting, Shi Zi Lin and Yi Yuan (Produced by the author based on the plan-drawings of Liu, 1979) 165
(Fig. 4.81) Types of buildings in traditional Chinese gardens (Produced by the author) 167
(Fig. 4.82) The statuses and functions of the inner courtyards are diverse (Produced by the author based on the plan-drawings of Liu, 1979) 168
(Fig. 4.83) Shape of the water bodies in the studied gardens of Suzhou (Produced by the author based on the plan-drawings of Liu, 1979) 170