Abstract

Semantic Comparative Study of Formative idea and Landscape Composition of Korean and Chinese Private Garden
-Focusing on Damyang ''Soswaewon'' and Suzhou ''Canglang Pavilion''-

Tiantian Wei
Major in Landscape Architecture
The Graduate School of Chonbuk National University
Academic Advisor : Pofessor Jai-Sik, Kim

Korean and Chinese Private Garden is a special carrier in the cultural field of Korea and China. Both within the Chinese culture circle, China, as the origin of Chinese culture, has profound impact on many aspects of traditional Korean culture. Thoughts of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are the basic ideology to eastern countries, and the main stream of eastern philosophy provides solid support for the traditional garden culture of the East. The influence of thoughts of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism on the classic garden becomes the important feature “Nature and Man in One”, “Abandon Oneself to Nature” and “Advocate Hermit”.
Though the basic ideology is common, classical garden as a tangible art form is distinct in different countries by combined with the specific environment and culture due to the constant development and change of ideology. Along with the development of rapid rhythm society and the interaction of culture of different countries, this comparative study on the culture of neighboring countries of “different group but with one source” means too much for the development and succession of traditional culture of different countries.
The integration and development of thoughts of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism finally form the new Confucianism - Neo-Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism embodies the spiritual culture of literati and officialdom, which deeply affects the nations in neighbor. In 15th century, under the rule of Chosun Dynasty, Neo-Confucianism became the mainstream ideology of society. Soswaewon as the typical private garden of literati and officialdom in 16th century in Korea took Neo-Confucianism as the core spirit of construction. In Song Dynasty of ancient China, during the formation and ultimate development of Neo-Confucianism, the construction of Pavilion of Surging Waves also shew the spirit of literati and officialdom contemporary.
This thesis studies the background of garden-making of owner, ideology, experiences to carry out the fundamental exploration from the historical background of comparative objects. The owner of Soswaewon ? Yangsanbo lost the interest on the politics after he saw the death of his teacher Chokwangjo in the Kimyosahwa(己卯士禍), and built the Soswaewon among the beautiful mountain forest to improve the self-cultivation and to express the wish towards flourishing age. The place named as “Soswaewon” represents the owner’s pursuit to the pure personality and his consciousness towards continuously chasing after nature. Su Shunqing, the owner of Pavilion of Canglang , was dismissed in the case of JinZouYuan. He established the Pavilion of Canglang in Suzhou to escape from the trouble place and named the pavilion “Canglang” to reflect the helpless of life and attitude that following the trend to work.
In the garden, its owner could invite the guest and meet friends by means of literature, to find the way to achieve self-success. Pavilion of Surging Waves was built some 500 years earlier than Soswaewon, and both of them went through the long change process. Under the stable rule of Chosun Dynasty, Yang Family had inherited, rebuilt and protected the Soswaewon, so the changes of Soswaewon are not far away from the prime goal of construction. However, the constant changes of dynasties in China brought great change to the Pavilion of Canglang which had survived thousands of years on earth, either in the perspective of form or content. Importantly, the spirit of Canglang delivered by Su Shunqin has been continued in the changes and development.
The structure of garden particularly reflects the knowledge of inner spirit of garden, and this paper does the comparative analysis from the points as follows: the constitution of location and space of garden; the garden component; buildings, pavilion, roads and wall, stone landscape, water landscape, plant and some other elements.
Through above comparative analysis on the specific elements, it concluded the similarities and differences of gardens between two countries.
Located on the mountain, Soswaewon fully takes advantage of existing natural conditions of rivers and mountains, to build out the incomparable Utopia. Korean villa landscape famous by elegance and simplicity completely blends with the Nature in accordance with the advantage of physical relief, and perfectly combines with the physical relief in accordance with the space division. Pavilion of Surging Waves, during the establishment by Su Shunqin, though it is the city site, the natural wilderness created by the water, bamboo and interleaved old trees makes it shape the natural scenery. As time elapsed, Pavilion of Surging Waves what we see today was built in late Qing Dynasty, surrounded by the Feng Stream outside, with hill-stones as its main body inside. The relatively closed building space is connected with the corridor, which finally shapes the visiting route related to the whole garden.
Among the garden components, for an example of pavilion, it is the open standing space in the garden. The title of pavilion can be perceived as the thought and feeling of the owner and is attached with ideals and aspirations of him. Daebongdae is a pavilion made up of grass. Bamboo and sycamore trees were planted in the surrounding area, with a hope that phoenix would have a rest there. It expresses that the owner’s social idea that longing for the flourishing age and enlightened monarch. The type of pavilion and building materials respectively match the style of different gardens, which are also attached with feeling and embody the huge difference in the form.
For bamboo, the same significantly representative plant in the garden, it possesses the symbolic meaning of noble and unsullied character and brings a quiet and clear sense for people. Building named as “CuiLingLong” with theme of bamboo is otherwise elegant.
By detailed comparatively studying in the paper, it can be known that the thought of eastern traditional culture as the root affects the development of traditional garden culture of Korea and China. Nevertheless, the common ground in these spirits also reflects their respective characteristics, which is exactly significant to study the similar culture, to understand the culture of neighboring countries and to found the similarities and differences of culture. Besides, it is important to the inheritance and development of traditional culture of countries, and that is also the starting point of this thesis.