La arquitectura del jardín privado de Ming en Jiāngnán, China. Traducción e interpretación holística del Yuányě

Abstract

There is a millenary tradition of garden design in China that represents one of its most significant cultural expressions. The concept of gardens first appeared during the Shāng dynasty (11th century BC) and reached its maximum splendor in the Míng Dynasty (14th-17th centuries). During this period, officials and aristocrats competed in the design of gardens because it was a symbol of social and cultural prestige. As a result, the number and quality of private gardens considerably increased, more specifically in the prosperous Jiāngnan 江南region, located in the southeast of the country. The majority of literati and scholars resided in this area, and consequently, it was the cultural center of China at that time. In this context, the first treatises governing gardens appeared, which provided valuable reflections and descriptions. The oldest and most complete is the Yuányě《园冶》, written in 1631 by Jì Chéng 计成, although we can also highlight the "Treaty of Superfluous Elements"《长物志》[Zhàngwù zhì] (1621) by Wén Zhènhēng ⽂震亨and the "Occasional notes for leisure and perception"《闲情偶寄》[Xiánqíng ǒujì] (1667) written by Lǐyú 李渔. The private gardens of this region had a great impact, since they were later used as models for the construction of private and imperial gardens in other areas of China. Consequently, the thesis focuses on the study of Míng private gardens in Jiāngnán. We considered it pertinent to study the way in which the social, cultural and political context of this prosperous region contributed to the development of gardens and their evolution throughout this period. Our research has been based on the study of original sources such as treatises from the time, landscape paintings, poetic compositions or in situ analysis of gardens that have lasted to this day. Additionally, the original sources have been complemented by the analysis of contemporary research. We have focused the analysis on the study of Yuányě, since it is the oldest and most complete treatise on gardens in China, as well as being a key text to understand the classical garden within the framework of Míng culture and society. Furthermore, this important treatise reflects relevant values of Chinese culture and thought, and has great importance in classical literature, due to the numerous historical and literary references used, as well as the use of the literary style known as Piántǐ wén 骈体⽂. Given the importance of Yuányě, we have included an annotated translation directly from Chinese. Subsequently, future researchers will have access to the original text, with appropriate clarifications or specifications, to be able to carry out their interpretation according to their objectives or research interests. Yuányě includes concepts and creative principles that should inspire different garden scenes, and provides practical advice for the construction and location of architectural elements. In this sense, it contributes 235 illustrations that include designs for pavilions, types of windows and balustrades, pavements and decorative designs of galleries or passages. These design principles reflect the search for an intimate relationship between man and nature and allow us to shed new light on how architecture must relate to and harmonize with the natural environment. Moreover, we have analyzed the relationship of the Yuányě with additional artistic manifestations, such as painting, literature or poetry, as well as different currents of thought. In particular, its relationship with Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and ideas of geomancy or fēngshuǐ. In this way, we want to produce a relevant advance in the understanding of the conceptual bases of the art of gardens in China.