Gardening summary

Author: Chen Congzhou
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-03-01
Features: This book selects and collects 322 works on garden art by 217 writers from the Western Jin Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty over a span of 1,600 years. The book is arranged in the order of the spatial distribution of gardens. The content primarily focuses on descriptions of garden landscapes, supplemented by chapters on the construction and decline of famous gardens throughout history. It also includes illustrations of several renowned gardens, broadly outlining the development of ancient Chinese gardens and filling the gaps in the study of classical Chinese garden culture. For the convenience of readers, each piece includes brief annotations on difficult terms, names, and allusions. At the end of the book, there are short biographies of the authors, which serve as a reference for understanding the context. The selected works not only reflect the characteristics of gardens but also feature elegant and literary styles, with vivid descriptions that paint landscapes as if they were paintings. They are both garden narratives and works of scenic beauty. By reading the book, readers can transcend the boundaries of time and space, immersing themselves in the breathtaking world of ancient gardens, while also being immersed in the artistic charm of classical garden literature. This book holds significant academic value and is suitable for architecture, garden, and literature enthusiasts to appreciate and read. It is also an ideal teaching reference for colleges and universities.
The book Gardens at a Glance was compiled by the renowned Chinese architectural historian and garden artist Chen Congzhou and Jiang Qiting. The compilation work began in 1979. "I have been engaged in garden architecture for over fifty years. Whenever I encountered records of famous gardens from the past, I would note them down for reference. In the late year (1979), when Yu Tian’s elder brother retired, we often discussed this matter, and I proposed expanding and enriching it to form a specialized work, compiling historical materials on famous gardens throughout the ages for the reference of garden experts." (See Preface to Gardens at a Glance).
The compilation of Gardens at a Glance was an exceptionally arduous task. The manuscript was over a foot tall, mostly handwritten by the two elderly gentlemen on manuscript paper. Some were notes they jotted down while reading ancient texts, while others were obtained by visiting libraries or even by visiting private collections for copying. Mr. Gu Tinglong, then the director of the Shanghai Library, also provided special assistance for this purpose. As a result, the original manuscript pages varied in size and type, with some even written on student exercise books or cigarette paper boxes. The content of the manuscript nearly covered all garden records that could be found today. In terms of time span, it ranged from the Western Jin Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, spanning over 1,600 years, collecting 322 works by 216 authors, broadly outlining the development of ancient Chinese gardens and filling the gaps in the study of classical Chinese garden culture.
As for the publication of Gardens at a Glance, it was a series of twists and turns. In 1995, the manuscript was submitted to a university press in Shanghai for publication, but due to various reasons, it was shelved. By 2000, when both elderly gentlemen passed away, the book was still not published, which was a great regret. Later, Chen’s daughter, Chen Shengwu, and Jiang’s son, Jiang Tong, took back the manuscript and contacted Tongji University Press to decide on its publication. Due to the manuscript being stored for many years, it was covered in dust and the paper was fragile and easily torn, making it impossible to edit normally. To preserve the original manuscript and facilitate the editing process, it was decided to make copies of the entire manuscript, with the original being kept by the authors’ families and the copies used for editing. Additionally, the manuscript was entirely in traditional Chinese characters with very few annotations. To facilitate reading, Dr. Zhao Houjun, a Ph.D. in ancient literature from Fudan University, was specially invited to provide brief annotations on the difficult parts of the classical Chinese text and its allusions. The renowned painter Shen Shigxia wrote the title for Gardens at a Glance at the age of ninety-five. Chen Shengwu carefully selected 14 ancient garden images from her father’s remaining materials as illustrations to enhance the visual appeal. Ms. Liu Yan designed an exquisite and elegant cover for the book, all of which added significantly to its charm.
It is said that from the selection and compilation to the official publication, over 20 years have passed, and the effort invested is difficult to put into words. What is comforting is that Gardens at a Glance has finally been published. Its appearance is not only a great contribution by the two elderly gentlemen to the study of classical Chinese gardens but also a significant step in promoting Chinese garden culture and flourishing the garden industry. By reading the book, readers can transcend the boundaries of time and space, immersing themselves in the breathtaking world of ancient gardens, while also being immersed in the artistic charm of classical garden literature. For enthusiasts of gardens, architecture, and literature, it is an invaluable book.