Chinese gardens and Egyptian gardens difference

Difference between Chinese gardens and Western gardens

July 19, 2014 (Click: 30286)

Garden art is a material means and spiritual creation that expresses the most direct and closely connected relationship between man and nature. Traditional Chinese and Western gardens in their respective thinking, culture, based on the formation of different forms, in the East and West cultural differences and traditional garden similarities and differences in comparison, we can find the following differences:

One of the differences in the origin:

Chinese culture as the main body of the Han Dynasty in the course of thousands of years of long-term development, giving birth to "Chinese gardening "such a long history and long history of the garden system. Eleventh century B.C. Zhou Wenwang built Lingtai, Lingnuma, Lingpu can be said to be the earliest royal gardens. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period to the Western Han Dynasty, the rapidly developing gardens had already taken shape. The function of the garden from the earlier hunting, the gods, immortal, production-oriented, gradually transformed into the later recreation, ornamental-oriented. Due to the primitive nature worship, the emperor's Zen activities, people have not yet constructed a fully conscious aesthetic consciousness. However, the basic idea of "learning from nature" inherited as a lineage of Chinese gardens has taken root, and it takes nature as an aesthetic object rather than an object of struggle. The formation process of this idea is based on the powerful force of people to follow nature and return to nature, this simple behavioral environmental awareness is determined by the inherent ideas of a stable culture.

The origin of Western gardens can be traced back to ancient Egypt and ancient Greece. The eastern Mediterranean coastal area is the cradle of Western civilization. More than three thousand years ago BC, the Nile River fertile alluvial soil, suitable for agricultural farming, but because of its annual flooding, the receding water after the need to measure the cultivated land and the development of geometry. Ancient Egyptians according to their own needs and flexibility in garden design, is the world's earliest rule-based gardens. Five hundred years B.C., represented by Athens, the liberal democratic politics brought the prosperity of the garden, the ancient Greek gardening, such as the ancient Greek architecture has a strong rational color, is through the organization of nature, the formation of orderly harmony. Ancient Greece was conquered by ancient Rome, the art of gardening was also inherited by ancient Rome, and added the West Asian gardening factors, developed into a large-scale courtyard. By this time, the western garden prototype basically formed. The budding period of the Western garden embodies the spirit of human beings to better live with the harsh environment of nature to fight, it comes from the agricultural producers to develop, the spirit of enterprise. The concept of "heaven and man are superior" and the pursuit of rationality have been embodied in Western gardens.

Based on their different geographic environments, different attitudes and concepts of nature, the development of traditional Chinese and Western gardens has produced very different results. Western gardens have been inextricably linked to order from the very beginning, and from the very beginning they have fought against nature and tried to subjugate it in order to produce what they perceive as harmony and beauty. And Chinese gardens from the beginning on the basis of respect for nature to imitate nature, reproduce nature, they use the sustainability of nature in the self-service at the same time "create" a natural garden, become man and nature in harmony, harmony and integration of natural beauty of the garden style. Man and nature in the origin of the unity, with the development of space and time changes, people passively from with nature to transform the evolution of nature. In this process, the Chinese and Westerners from different perspectives to recognize nature, and different ways and attitudes to transform and conquer nature, therefore, the Chinese and Western gardens each have different characteristics, it is the cultural differences caused by.

Two, the differences in cultural background:

Garden is a way of dialog between man and nature. To explore the development of the garden, it is necessary to address the cultural spirit and ideological basis behind the garden.

1, the difference in worldview

Chinese people attach importance to the harmony of the whole, Westerners attach importance to analyzing the differences. Chinese philosophy is concerned with the unity of opposites of things, emphasizing the harmonious relationship between man and nature, man and man. And Western philosophy advocates the independence of the objective world, the separation of subject and object, the opposite but not the same. Dialectical thinking in ancient China is much more developed than in the West, and this way of thinking focuses on the overall concept and the unity of opposites. Both Confucianism and Taoism focus on observing things from the whole and on the connection between things. Laozi and Confucius focused on observing the opposites of things and their mutual transformation. Ancient Chinese people infiltrated this concept of cosmic pattern into gardening activities, thus forming a unique group space art.

Compared with the clear and objective eloquence of the West, most of the ancient Chinese philosophers had a Taoist-Buddhist flavor, attending Zen to understand the Way, but never had a clear answer. Chinese gardens have this flavor, as Chinese painting more than brush strokes, the Chinese people pay attention to harmony, "music, heaven and earth and also", so in the garden also pay attention to the implicit, deep, illusory, especially the real and imaginary, become a major feature of Chinese gardens. Western gardens are square and rigorous, straight axis, at a glance. And China's gardens pay attention to "step by step", in the cover even if it is a small garden can be pulled out of the great depth of the scene, which is in the mystery of the hidden but not revealed, outside the meaning of the words, outside the sound of the strings.

2, the difference between the view of nature:

The mainstream of Chinese philosophical tradition is harmony between man and nature, "Yi Chuan" proposed the coordination of man and nature, its "Elephant in the sky" said: "cut into the world's way, auxiliary phase of heaven and earth's appropriate", and "the Department of the Rhetoric": "range of heaven and earth's chemistry but, curved into the The "Systematic Dictionary" says, "The world's chemistry is not excessive, and the world's objects are not left out." To control nature shall be in accordance with its own law, to assist nature shall be moderate, to follow the natural function of creation and not excessive, and to use it to accomplish all things without lack, are all human beings both aggressive and maintenance of nature, moderately and harmoniously, and differently and must interact and change. The idea of reverence for nature in Chinese architecture is first expressed in the special aesthetic taste of the Chinese people. The aesthetic principle of peace and nature, although on the one hand it is based on the scale of human nature, but it is also inseparable from the idea of revering nature. For example, the main purpose of gardening is "borrowing scenery". "The garden outside the scene is wonderful in the 'borrowing', the scene outside the scene lies in the 'time', flower shadow, tree shadow, cloud shadow, wind sound, bird song, flower scent, intangible scene, tangible scene, intertwined into a song." Visible, traditional Chinese gardens are exactly skillful in this, wonderful in this. Obviously artificial mountain, water, garden, but also to borrow flowers, birds, insects and fish, strange mountains and thin water, to create a "like the heavens open, as if heavenly" situation. Especially in the south of the Yangtze River garden, the more is a small garden, the more attention to the beauty of nature. Bai Juyi in Mount Lu to build a grassy hall, a poem said "how to wash my ears, the head of the house flying down the spring; how to purify my eyes, masonry under the white lotus; left hand with a pot, the right hand Prime five strings ...... weary bird to get the lush forest, dry fish also clear spring, shed this want to go, the earth is more difficult and dangerous." This ideal of the Chinese literati, into the fireworks of the world, made into a private garden. Even if the royal garden, but also than the western royal garden has more leisure and fun.

Aristotle put forward the competition, F. Bacon said: "to order nature, we must obey nature," the purpose of conquest, he also said: "must be added to the nature of the clamping stick, forcing her to draw a confession," in order to better conquest of her. Kant declares that man is the master, that "the supreme legislation of nature must be in our hearts," and that "the (innate) laws of reason are not derived from nature, but are laid down to nature by reason." And Hegel simply declared that the "Absolute Idea" is the master of nature, that nature is the "externalization" of the human spirit, and that reason creates nature! Bacon and Kant were the forerunners of modern science. In the mainstream of the Western philosophical tradition, almost one-sided is man and nature are never harmonious and compatible, but you and I only live and die of mutual incompatibility. In the development of western gardens, we can see from the development of agricultural planting and irrigation to the development of ancient Greece to organize the nature, so that the order of nature, are people for the mandatory constraints of nature. Western gardens after ancient Rome, the Renaissance to the second half of the seventeenth century the formation of the French classical garden art style, has always emphasized the struggle between man and nature. This is because from the thought of Democritus as the representative of the atomistic worldview of the Western ethical views and values have a certain degree of influence. "Man is also composed of atoms, and man is a microcosm of the universe." This idea was later gradually developed and shaped into a value system that focused on individuality, promoted human dignity, and emphasized the human being, so that Western humanism was guided by people's interest in exploring, exploiting, and controlling nature. They affirmed the individual, affirmed the reality of life, the competition for survival, and promoted the development of the garden. It can be seen that the development of Western cultural thought, from man and nature separate from the understanding of nature, explore the laws of nature.

3, the difference between practical rationality:

China and the West have rationalism. The so-called rationality is a kind of introspection of the totality, a kind of self-consciousness to re-grasp. Rationality occurs naturally, but in different degrees and directions. The Chinese nation is characterized by the spirit of practical rationality. Based on a kind of overall ontological thinking, Chinese people tend to be more concrete in their rationality. Westerners, on the other hand, tend to be abstract. That is why I call Chinese rationalism concrete rationalism and Western rationalism abstract rationalism. It is better to talk to Chinese people by giving more examples and discussing facts, while talking to Westerners, we can talk more about concepts, methods, and laws, and their theoretical rationality is well developed. They have developed theoretical reasoning. Therefore, we tend to talk about writing articles, while Westerners talk about composing essays. From the point of view of the whole historical trend, Chinese rationality emphasizes more on concreteness. This has advantages and disadvantages, just as any method has its own limits. Chinese rationalism is practical, a pragmatism of character cultivation. The Chinese emphasize social consciousness, but they focus on how to cultivate character in a collective society so as to fit in with social consciousness and not be criticized. This creates an individualism that is different from the Western pragmatism, which is aimed at protecting oneself. Western pragmatism is utilitarian, they pursue the individual's utilitarianism, and also believe that the individual's pursuit of utilitarianism is ultimately consistent with the utilitarianism of the whole (society). This is the most basic assumption of Western liberal economics: you pursue individual goals and end up out to reach the goals of the whole. As Keynes said: there is an invisible hand, so that the pursuit of the self, and finally reached the goal of the whole. This kind of pragmatism is concerned with efficiency and effectiveness, and after the Civil War it was an important reason for the rapid development of the U.S. economy. This is very different from the pragmatism advocated by Taoism, which emphasizes the process, realm, and spiritual state of cultivation.

Chinese natural wind led to the art of gardening in the second half of the seventeenth century similarly reached a climax, ancient China, Taoist thought has a special character. Under the model of "unity of heaven and man", human values were given to nature, leading to changes in nature. This is the value orientation of Chinese culture. From the garden or natural landscape style before the Han Dynasty to the Tang and Song Dynasty, the development of poetry and painting had a significant impact on gardens, making them not display the physical order of the universe as in the West, but rather a kind of love and reason between man and nature. By the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it showed the charm of classical Chinese gardens. This humanistic value emphasizes the whole and focuses on unity. At the same time, it maintains the continuity and durability of Chinese thought and culture, and has become a system of Chinese gardens, solid in today's cause.

Western culture attaches importance to the exploration of natural "truth" and continuous innovation, is a scientific value orientation. This rational thinking prompted the western gardens in different times have different performance. Western gardens at a higher level of development began in Italy during the "Renaissance" period. The fifteenth century was a period of rising commercial capitalism in Europe. Political stability and economic prosperity inevitably brought cultural development. People's minds were liberated from the religious shackles of the Middle Ages and became fully aware of their own abilities and creativity. The "liberation of human nature" combined with a renewed understanding of the splendid culture of ancient Greece and Rome, thus creating the Italian "Renaissance" climax, garden art is also part of this cultural climax. In the middle of the sixteenth century, the concept of aesthetics changed, and the layout of gardens became more symmetrical and purely ornamental. In the second half of the seventeenth century, French classical gardens appeared, a manifestation of rationalism, reflecting the capitalist yearning for a more "rational" social order, thinking that rational things have value, and advocating the analysis of the garden, precision and logic, advocating the "noble" and "elegant". "and" elegant and clean "and emphasize the artificial beauty over the natural beauty. This is a typical classical aesthetic value, which fully embodies the innovative value of Westerners to transform nature.

The exchange and fusion of Chinese and Western cultures, and the search for cultural harmony is unstoppable. The reconstruction and development of Chinese and Western garden culture should be the reconstruction of the cultural consciousness and concept behind the garden. First of all should be based on their own reasonable kernel of the side, and then for the inadequacy of each other to draw each other's valuable side. Specifically, as far as Chinese culture is concerned, it emphasizes the rationality of society and morality, and abandons the weakness of individuals; it draws on the reasonable kernel of Western culture that emphasizes the originality and scientificity of individuals, and abandons the closeness and isolation of individuals. Only in this way, Chinese garden creation may go deeper, may present a new style in the new period.

10, the difference between the north and south of Chinese gardens

South and north of the same gardens in the different, different in the same, each with its own characteristics, complement each other. From time to time, the Central Plains, northern gardens than the development of southern gardens early. But the south later on, of course, the southern garden is in the northern culture after the development of the southern gradient. Subsequently, the northern gardens were taken from the southern gardens.

1. Southern gardens Jiangnan has a mild climate, abundant water, abundant produce, beautiful scenery, relaxed human environment, the garden construction is bound to present its own characteristics. Encyclopedia of China - Jiangnan Garden" is summarized in three points: First, stacked stone water, water and stone. Taihu Lake stone peculiar and colorful, in the court modeling is particularly good. The most outstanding is Suzhou Rui Yun Feng, Hangzhou Botanical Garden crepe cloud peak, Shanghai Yuyuan Yu Linglong. Secondly, there are many kinds of flowers and trees. Third, the architectural style is elegant and simple. Layout is free, the structure is unconventional, fresh and unrestrained, small and delicate, elegant and beautiful. The small pavilion is near the stream, with many cold colors, like a landscape painting. Green tiles and plain walls, brown doors and windows, bureaucratic and political awareness is weak, deep and strong sense of bookishness. Southern gardens represented by the Jiangnan Gardens. Jiangnan gardens mainly refers to private gardens mainly in Suzhou, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Changshu and other cities. Jiangnan garden belongs to the literati school landscape garden, literati painters involved in gardening, mainly artificial landscape, clever planning, exquisite design, humanistic atmosphere. Gardeners in the limited space to reproduce the real natural landscape, with a small see the big, the meaning is infinite. Mr. Chen from the week wrote a "garden in the north and south, the scenery of each autumn," said the northern gardens gorgeous, Jiangnan gardens elegant. Northern high-pitched, southern elegance. Less water in the north, the lack of natural conditions, the Royal Garden has a rich and noble gas, and vulgarity in the inevitable. Southern gardens are elegant and bland, more bookish, but not without shabby simplicity. Northern gardens such as Beijing opera, southern gardens such as kunqu, Beijing opera by the influence of kunqu, famous Peking Opera actors in kunqu up and down.

2. Northern gardens China's long history, the Yellow River Basin thousands of years ago, the ecological environment is very different from now, when there is a large area of thick vegetation, in a nutshell, the northern gardens have the following characteristics: First, the northern gardens to the court gardens as a representative. Since it is a garden built by the court, then, in terms of manpower, material resources, financial resources, and intellectual aspects are devoted to the country. And, the palace garden must pay attention to the imperial style, majestic and tall, brilliant, the main body is prominent, emphasizing the center. All the palace gardens cover a wide area, the plane layout is rigorous, broad and rugged, heavy and stable. Secondly, the northern garden by the southern influence. Kangxi Emperor in the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong south tour, prefer southern gardens, the southern craftsmen recruited to the capital garden. The northerners also consciously learn from the southern gardens. The capital's gardens is actually a collection of national gardens, set the national garden of the great success. For example:? Yuanmingyuan was modeled after Hangzhou's "Broken Bridge and Broken Snow", "Willow Waves and Wandering Ducks", "Autumn Moon on the Pinghu Lake", "Leifeng Sunset", "Three Pools and Seal", and "The Three Pools and Seal". "," Three Pools and the Moon "," Qu Yuan Wind Lotus "; Yuanmingyuan also modeled on the" Lion Grove" in Suzhou. Wenyuan Pavilion modeled on the Ningbo Tianyi Pavilion, four study room modeled on the Haining An Ranch Garden. Xiho Garden modeled after the West Lake in Hangzhou, the two dykes, bridges, islands have the same flavor. Chengde summer resort of the smoke and rain building modeled on the South Lake in Jiaxing, small Jinshan modeled on the Jinshan of Zhenjiang, Chi Jing Yun Causeway modeled on the Hangzhou Su Causeway. Third, the northern garden has a courtyard tone. Courtyard is a common form of residence in the north, the aristocrats of the courtyard are with the garden. The imperial garden of the Forbidden City in Beijing is actually an enlargement of the quadrangle garden. The garden of the Prince Gong's House on West Street in Qianhai is a living textbook for the study of private gardens in the north.