Rich in authentic period flavor; this exceptional sourcebook; with its appealing vignettes of old-fashioned youngsters; will add a nostalgic touch to any number of graphic projects.
#2027013 in eBooks 2013-03-21 2013-02-21File Name: B00A735H2Q
Review
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Eye-opening scholarshipBy John C. NausiedaIve been designing gardens in Portland Oregon for the past twenty years and have spent over a year in China studying gardens there. Chinese gardens are extremely complex and full of symbolism in almost every element . This book documents a shift in the purpose and meaning of gardens in Suzhou during the Ming . Without it you really cannot understand the economic basis for the creation of these gardens and the shift from rustic food producing sites to completely aesthetic gardens displaying wealth and taste. This is a work of scholarship ; and casual garden readers will probably not like the style ; especially since it pricks the bubble of the timeless Oriental Garden pretty much once and for all. If you really want to understand Chinese gardens read it . But prepare to learn. As James C.Rose once said in a similar situation ... if you really want a Japanese garden youd have to be Japanese ; but you wouldnt like that ...in his book Gardens Make Me Laugh.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. On Chinese scholar gardens: why scholars matterBy Gregory MissinghamA very good account of the economic utility and the social uses of the gardens and how these changed over the last 100 or so years of the Ming period [1368-1644]. He discusses Zhou Zheng Yuan (The Humble Administrators Garden) explicitly pp 22-64 and as the principal example thereafter. Importantly; he stresses that the idea of the gardens as principally aesthetic creations comes late in the Ming period.2 of 22 people found the following review helpful. The Social Evolution of the Garden in ChinaBy Sir Randolf MordleyThis book is a useful tool to track the evolution of gardens in China. It goes through the various stages of the Ming dynasty and illustrates how garden evolved from being a necessity of life; to being purely aesthetic. While this opens the door to a rarely covered aspect of Chinese history it a lacks certain scientific level; which leaves out several question that should have been answered. Such as...1. What is the correct pronunciation og "herbs"? Is there really an "h" at the beginning or no?2. It does not cover the history of non-biological herbs such as dill and rosemary.3.Can rocks be considered plants? If so; what is the nutritional value of rocks?4. Once the gardens evolved to an asethic level (such as in Rock gardens) did Chinese gardeners actually plant the rocks and expect them to grow?5. What was the role of the invisible species of plantes; which have not been discovered yet?Despite these faults the book remain a great work on the subject; the likes of which have never been seen before.