Prof.Dr.-Ing.WANG Xiangrong Chief Editor

Chinese Landscape Architecture Entering the New Era

The development of society,the advancement of science and technology and the changes of human living environment have promoted the continuous expansion of the connotation and extension of the discipline of landscape architecture.

In the past 40 years,the development of Chinese landscape architecture has been extremely rapid,the research fields,directions and types of practices have become more and more abundant,and the definition of landscape architecture has been constantly discussed.Accurate disciplinary definition is the prerequisite for understanding the discipline,planning the discipline,and grasping the development of the discipline.With reference to the history of the development of international landscape architecture in the past century,and the history,reality and future development trends of Chinese landscape architecture,the study of landscape architecture can be defined as: a comprehensive discipline about the management and utilization of surface space.The discipline aims at coordinating the relationship between human and nature.Through analysis,protection,restoration,planning,design,construction,and management,it protects natural areas on the surface and builds a complete ecological support system in the built environment so that people can keep harmony and balance between enjoying the land and maintaining the ecological environment.

We can further interpret this definition: the research and practice object of landscape architecture is the entire surface space,and its purpose is to achieve continuous harmony and balance between artificial construction and nature.The approach is to scientifically manage and utilize surface space through a series of professional methods,and make the natural areas that have not or seldomly been affected by humans be effectively protected and succeed in accordance with the laws of nature itself; in the built environment,to establish the cultural and natural ecosystem,support reasonable human production,life and construction activities,and create a human living environment that is suitable for human use,ecologically balanced and healthy,and of aesthetic value.

Contemporary Chinese landscape architecture has inherited the rich experience accumulated by the Chinese in transforming the natural environment and building homes for thousands of years.In response to a series of unprecedented urban problems and environmental challenges after industrialization and urbanization,it has learned from the development of landscape architecture in the world.The experience and practice,combined with modern science and technology,have developed a wide range of theories and methods.It has become a first-level discipline with a broad vision about human survival and environmental protection and construction.

The core content of landscape architecture is to deal with the relationship between human living space and nature,so its theoretical basis is mainly derived from the research on the creation of natural and artificial environments,including three aspects: the evolution of natural systems,the experience of traditional land use and construction before industrialization,and the construction ideas of relying on nature after industrialization.The first aspect is the scientific research on the objectively existing natural system,while the second and third aspects are the experience and thoughts accumulated by human beings in dealing with the relationship between living space and nature in different historical periods.From both sides,today's landscape architecture in China is facing the best development opportunity in history.

First,China has a unique land use wisdom accumulated over 5,000 years.In the long farming civilization,the Chinese have summarized a complete set of land consolidation and utilization experience in water and soil improvement,agricultural production,city management practice,landscape organization,and garden construction,based on the natural and climatic conditions of the country.The comprehensive and multifunctional land use mode has formed the environmental support system of the country and the integrated natural system inside and outside the city,and to a certain extent shaped a unique living environment integrating mountains,water,fields,cities and gardens.These construction ideas and practices have provided the real and rich heritage for the theoretical research of Chinese landscape architecture,as well as the construction wisdom that can be inherited and developed.

Secondly,part of the problems that China needs to face now and in the future are the problems that are common in the development process of all countries in the world.Due to the time difference between the development processes of China and the developed countries,the problems that the developed countries have already experienced,studied and dealt with are most probably the ones that we have just begun to face or are about to face.Therefore,it is easier for us to learn from many successful ideas and experiences related to landscape architecture of the world after industrialization,such as national park,park and park system,idyllic city,greenway and scenic roads,urban renewal,cultural landscape,ecology and brownfield regeneration,green and ecological infrastructure,low-impact development,resilience design,wilderness protection and rewilding in city.However,China has its own unique geography,nature,history,culture,and socioeconomic system.Same problems will behave differently in China,and for many problems that China faces at present and in the future no ready answer can be found in the world.Compared with other countries,the problems in China are more concentrated and more comprehensive.We should put forward our own ideas and solutions based on the characteristics of China's nature,culture,and society based on the experience of other countries.It will bring more opportunities for the development of Chinese landscape architecture research and practice.

In the 21stcentury when China is building an ecological civilization,the status and role of landscape architecture in the construction of human habitat are becoming increasingly important.As a big developing country,China has a natural advantage in learning from the development experience of others,and learning and following were once the mainstream of the development of Chinese landscape architecture.Today,China's urbanization level and certain aspects of its economy and society have gradually approached some of the more developed countries,and the economic volume of China,the scale of landscape architecture industry,the development of information technology and artificial intelligence have all come to the forefront of the world.Chinese landscape architecture has reached a critical historical moment.We need to further think,condense and learn from the unique experience and lessons of environmental maintenance and construction in Chinese history,put forward a systematic landscape architecture theory and complete more demonstrations in response to the practical problems of today's China,and enable Chinese landscape architecture to make greater contributions to the development of landscape architecture of the world.