ABSTRACT
The literati gardens of the southern or Jiangnan region, considered as the representative of all gardens of China, has long been subject to studies, yet study has been limited to examination of existing gardens. This chapter seeks to expand this and contribute to a broader historical perspective. It examines persistent characteristics of the gardens, including a focus on nature, a flexible method, architecture of views and journeys, and the use of texts and cultural imagination. It then studies historical evolutions in aesthetic formulation and design technique. It ends with a reading of key gardens – Wuxi’s Jichang Yuan and Suzhou’s Zhuozheng Yuan and Wangshi Yuan.
