The Development And Inheritance Of The Waterscape Designing Method In Chinese Traditional Gardens——with The Example Of Changsha Oriental Courtyard

Nowadays, as one of the key elements in landscape design, waterscape design is becoming more and more important. While under the impact of western thought, western-styled waterscapes now flood everywhere. After carefully study these designs, however, we can find most of them are just dull copies of the western patterns. With the goal of designing wonderful and picturesque waterscape, it’s crucial that we base our design on the traditional Chinese gardens. We should learn the experience and theories from traditional Chinese art, and then combine them with modern thoughts. Only in this way can we design waterscape with both Chinese characteristics and features of modern times.This thesis starts with an introduction of traditional Chinese garden, which specifically states the significance of water system layout. It then analyzes the developing history of water layout in China, from as early as Qin Dynasty to recent Qing Dynasty. In that part, we can see that water layout came down in one continuous line, which is featured by unique techniques and thoughts. The most common forms of traditional water layout included ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, fountains and waterfalls, and each of them has a different role to play in the whole scene. By summarizing the traditional Chinese water layout, we can learn several valuable principles, such as adapting to local conditions, showing wide views in confined space, and also reflecting the poetic and moral philosophy of life. Therefore, in the design of modern waterscape, not only artistic techniques should be inherited, but artistic connotation should also be clearly understood. Only when we first inherit the artistic content of traditional waterscape, and then combine different techniques, modern thoughts, and also modern technology, can we design waterscape that meets the needs of modern people.The last instance listed in this thesis-Changsha Oriental Courtyard, is a practical example of wonderful waterscape that blended techniques borrowed from traditional water layout, and technology and materials in modern terms. It provides a living instance that connects traditional water layout with modern reality.