Humble Administrator's Garden Graphic Book

拙政园 图解

HUMBLE ADMINISTRATOR'S GARDEN GRAPHIC BOOK Taiming Chen

FOREWORD

Zhuo zheng yuan, or Humble Administrator's Garden, is a representative of Chinese scholar garden that has been known for its delicate crafts and techniques, as well as rich composition. As a public land for today's tourists, the garden, however, functions more as a wonderland, while its history and original theme of reclusion were less emphasized. Besides the story of the first garden owner, Wang Xianchen, the design of the garden, which is mostly conducted by Wen Zhengming, is another treasure to be explored again nowadays.

Wen's original design was documented in his Album of Thirty-one Views of Humble Administrator's Garden, which simultaneously inspired him to continue constructing the garden based on the sentiments and metaphors he expressed and painted.

Contemporary Chinese architects such as Wang Shu, Ma Yansong, and educators such as Wang Xin, have been actively looking for design languages from Chinese gardens and concept of shanshui (mountain and water) that could be further applied to architectural design in contemporary China as an essential part of China's identity.

In order to grasp this identity, Humble Administrator's Garden became a primary example to be studied, as Wen's original design of the central part of the garden has been mostly preserved.

This graphic book, therefore, is a starting point to analyze the garden from five mostly preserved scenes from an architect's perspective, with reference to Wen's Album. The perspective drawings from specific viewpoints are based on the narrations and photos of my close friend, Di Xu, who toured the garden following her spontaneous choice of route. The diagrams associated with the drawings are intended to analyze the scenes based on important concepts of Chinese gardens, including moving and changing, framing, layered depth, etc.

Together with Wen's poems translated in English, I believe the graphic illustrations would also provide us who tours gardens as a daily leisure with a fresh reading.

To understand the garden, we first read the garden.

HALL LIKE A VILLA

Hall Like a Villa is in Humble Administrator's Garden, the former house for Tang Dynasty poet Lu Luwang. Though located in the town, it has lots of silent mountains and forests.

Once Pi Qiumei said of this house "Without going outside of the town, It is vast as if it were a villa in the suburb." So it is named, "Hall Like a Villa".

Why does it need to be in the suburbs to grasp the nature?

You clearly have it in the garden.

Streams, bridge, and the color of spring grass, Wood fence, thatched cottage, with afternoon crowing of the cock.

It is enviable that the secular world has no horse or people, It is unbelievable that the town has mountains and forests.

Don't disappoint the place where sages seclude.

Bring the scrolls and teach children to read.

"Hall Like a Villa seems far at first... It is surrounded by water and trees until you find the right path to it."

MOVING AND CHANGING

FRAMING

HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DEPTHS

LEANING JADE STUDIO

Leaning jade studio is behind the Hall Like a Villa, Embraced by bamboos Faced by a stone.

Beside the studio grows a verdant grove of slender bamboos, Even with a strong, primitive stone from Kunlun Mountain.

So please go and visit Wang's garden, In the spring breath everywhere you see is filled with bamboos.

"I saw Leaning Jade Studio twice: when I was approaching to it, and when walking on the bank across the river. It is always behind the trees, like a treasure box."

MOVING AND CHANGING

VERTICAL ELEMENT

LITTLE FLYING RAINBOW

Little Flying Rainbow Bridge is in front of the Tower for Dreaming of Reclusion, To the north of the Hall Like a Villa, Crossing the Surging Wave Pond.

The Bridge bows as if to drink the water, Its shadow is projected under the sunset as if to turn the wave.

Despite the gloomy water and mountain, the rainy season is not arrived, Why is the Azure Dragon suddenly flying?

I know you are trying to assist in governing the country, To lead the way across the cold stream.

The shiny and gorgeous baluster reflects the sky, The magnificent towers are hidden behind the mist.

I come like riding a Golden Turtle, Wish I escaped from secular life and follow Qin Gao to be an immortal.

The bright moon illuminates the endless land, The lotus in my hand shines upon the autumn water.

"It is interesting to seek particular spots to view Little Flying Rainbow as a beautiful arch.

You could find variety of places, either near or far."

MOVING AND CHANGING

BORROWING

FRAMING

LITTLE SURGING WAVES There is water in the garden, covering several hectares, similar to Su Zimei's Surging Wave Pond, so I built a pavilion at middle, called "Little Surging Waves"...

Likewise, the little pavilion sits alongside the water, Still, the blue water circles around the middle column.

Aren't there fresh wind and bright moon with you when you go to fishing?

There are also children singing that water washing cloth.

Everywhere has river and lake to put your mood, After hundred of years bird and fish will already forget that feeling.

Shunqin and Dulin have already gone away, Who can live in reclusion as they did?

"Walking along the veranda around the Little Surging Waves is an interesting experience.

Its oblique position in the middle of the pond enlivened the view."

MOVING AND CHANGING

LAYERED DEPTH

TOWER FOR DREAMING OF RECLUSION

Tower for Dreaming of Reclusion is above the Surging Wave Pond, Its south side facing the Hall Like a Villa, At its top, you see various mountains outside of Suzhou town.

I once begged for a dream in Jiuli Lake, and received the character "Reclusion" in the dream...

That mountain and water in the dream has already faded away, So I built the high tower to escape and hide myself.

Luwang formerly has house in Wu Lake, Yuanming's house of reclusion is not desolated yet.

In the dream I come to realized positions and riches are only an illusion, In the life of reclusion who knows how far the life has been gone?

Recalling the past, where on earth is the capital for the emperor?

Leaning on the baluster, I only see the dim mountains in the dusk.

"I would say it was the most beautiful building in the garden. The Tower for Dreaming of Reclusion was hidden behind a variety kinds of trees, bushes, and rocks."

MOVING AND CHANGING

HIDING

LAYERED DEPTH

Wen Zhengming Album of Thirty-one Views of Humble Administrator’s Garden