Research On The Culture Writing Of Zhangguying Settlement Landscape Space

Located in Yueyang County, Hunan Province and built in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, Zhangguying Village is an ancient historic village possessing the well-preserved and unique rural settlements which can rarely be seen in our country. With Dragon Mountain in the north and Weixi River in the south, the whole architectural complex is compactly arranged with clear spatial layout, and is consist of three core areas:DangDaMen, WangJiaDuan and ShangXinWu.The aim of studying on Chinese traditional settlements’ spatial culture writing is mainly that to inherit and promote the essences of landscape culture construction, landscape space culture generation and other aspects in our traditional rural settlements, thus to help form a new urban environment of unique features as well as modern characteristics. At the same time, this study involves the current state of rural settlement landscape culture writing, proper preservation and sustainable development of rural settlement landscape.This paper is set within the settlement space’s culture writing of Zhangguying Village, and focuses on the objects of Zhangguying Village culture writing. Using research methods of cultural anthropology and Levi-Strauss’ culture writing and other related theories, this essay divides the culture writing of Zhangguying Village settlements into five types according to different writing objects:(1) Culture writing describes the production and living style, with description objects mainly on village’s traditional living style combining farming and teaching ("gengdu"). Through continuous "Gengdu" living style, people in this village feel strong identity with traditional clan system, which greatly consolidates the clan system and tradition while consistently strengthening the continuity and progress of the entire Zhangguying Village.(2) Culture writing describes manners and customs, with description objects mainly on living together (’juzuerju"), celebrating elders’birthday ("zhushou"), and sacrificial ceremonies ("jisi"). Such customs form certain standards by defining people’s behaviors, so that to educate and guide descendants. Also the Confucian etiquette has been rooted in its customs and manners in all the process.(3) Culture writing describes spiritual beliefs, with description objects mainly on villagers’ beliefs on ancestors, Confucianism and Taoism, which make the people keep a strong sense of belonging and identity to their village, and help to maintain clan’s interests and thoughts accordingly.(4) Culture writing describes the clan politics, formulating a kind of spiritual structure integrating into the interior architects. In this way the clan politics in Zhangguying Village has been strengthened continuously.(5) Culture writing describes history, with description objects mainly on people and events during the historical progress of this village, as well as implications behind the historical records. Like the human history, the clan history also is connected by many historical events chronologically, which consists of six main elements—time, place, character, background, process and influence, among which people of the clan are the subject of history. Historical events are the basis of Zhangguying clan’s history.