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AnonymousI really appreciated how our host at the Huntington Dick, pointed out the changes made to the Japanese Garden in a move towards authenticity. For example how the curators adjusted the garden to fit the growth of the plants like they would in Japan. Like how the added the branch for the Japanese Red Pine instead of just cutting the limb like we would in the West. Also how the banks of the pond were changed to look more natural.
AnonymousI was amazed at the level of detail in Chinese Gardens as explained by Duncan Cambell. Like the importance of the garden’s name and placard placement and the type of materials on display like the porous rock. It was also interesting how the size and design of the garden was related to your status in the community.
clay dubeTwo documents from Duncan Campbell. The first are his notes for his talk and the second is a list of recommended readings.
If you'd like to send Duncan a note of thanks:
[email protected]
or
Duncan Campbell
June and Simon K.C. Li Director of the Center for East Asian
Garden Studies and Curator of the Chinese Garden
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino CA 91108
clay dubeI've attached an article Prof. Campbell published. It's a translation of what Qi Biaojia had to say about his "allegory mountain."
clay dubeFantastic photo of the pond at the Garden of Flowing Fragrance. Thank you for sharing. I hope others will post photos here or on Facebook. Please be sure to "like" us on Facebook and to take a look at the photo we posted there of our group shot in front of the garden gate.
clay dubeThanks, Mayra, for a great photo. I hope that more folks will share their photos.
Last spring we had a presentation on Japanese gardens in the US by Kendall Brown. We may have a Saturday workshop devoted to discussing gardens. Would you be interested in attending such a workshop?
AnonymousIt was good to visit the Huntington Library again after so many years. The expansion of buildings and improvements were impressive. I still am in awe that one man owned all that we saw and much more if one considers that he sold much of the land back to the City of San Marino. The garden that I chose to view was the China garden. The tour was certainly enhanced by the obvious pride that our docent had in it. Therefore, when we attended Professor Duncan's lecture, I was able to truly visualize this mountain garden of which he spoke. Although most of our prior speakers alluded to the importance of the Confuscianist tests, his connecting the very owning of the garden was paramount to becoming an elected official. It reminded me how present day parents sacrifice so much to ensure that their children get into the "right" school so that their futures can be secured. Secondly, the idea of the garden being a "tax dodge" revealed to me how human nature has not really evolved that much. At the end of the day with all our advances in social sciences, technology, various political governaces, it still boils down to every man for himself.
AnonymousThe Chinese garden in Huntington Library is a very pretty and well-designed garden. As a Chinese, I have been seen a lot of those kind of garden in China. It is very impressive to see one here in California with the stones, bridges and pond, pavilions, and especially the willow trees. I never saw a willow tree in US before. You can't have a garden without willow tree! However, I also have several questions about the garden. It is called Garden of Flowing Fragrance, but I don't recall a lot of fragrance. Was that because of the season we are? Also, in the covered walkways, we saw different shapes "windows". In China, most of them are round or square, but I saw shape of flame or others. Do they means something different?
AnonymousOur tour was a field trip! I did not know how much more there is to the Japanese Gardens at the Huntington. What I really enjoyed was the description of the gardens and where everything fits; nothing is random! As I progress into my lesson plan, it would be wonderful to include something like a "design" for a Japanese garden for students. It is interesting to note that the newest garden will be next to the oldest. Hmmm...
The lecture was wonderful! It is interesting to note how gardens play a "status" role in Chinese culture and politics. I wonder if those CPC members have gardens? Am not quite sure how I can incorporate this into my China lessons, but I will give it a go in the "achievements/contributions" part of the lessons in my classroom.
AnonymousHi,
Perhaps this may help:
"The private gardens of China were where culture was both created and enjoyed. A garden’s features were considered incomplete without, in the words of the great eighteenth-century Chinese novel The Dream of the Red Chamber (Honglou meng 紅樓夢), “…that touch of poetry which only the written word can lend a scene.”
Throughout the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, the names of features and the couplets that grace these features, all labeled by contemporary calligraphers, conjure up the literary, philosophic, and artistic traditions of China, and encourage us to experience the world around us in new ways."
clay dubePlease use this space in the forum to discuss Dr. Duncan Campbell's presentation on Chinese gardens as well as our visit to the Huntington's Chinese garden.
Please take some time to visit the garden's website: http://www.huntington.org/chinesegarden/
AnonymousI learned so much during the lecture at the Huntington Library. I had no idea a garden could teach us what questions we need to ask of the past. We have diaries of the owner. They speak to almost every aspect of Chinese civilization. For all these reasons I am stunned about the lack of information available on Chinese gardens. I have books on Chinese Civilization that do not even touch on the topic of gardens! For all these reasons I really enjoyed the tour and the lecture. For example, I had no idea that gardens could also be used to make a profit! It was a great day. My only recommendation would be to increase the time so that we may tour the Japanese Garden and the Chinese Garden.