3 MOUNTAINS (+1 river)

The wise man loves the rivers and lakes;the benevolent man loves the mountains.

- Analects of Confucius

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CONTENT

! ! foreword! ! ! ! p 02

! ! introduction: why landscape?! p 04

! ! I - three typologies! ! ! p 10

! ! II - three mountains! ! ! p 12

! ! ! Hua Shan! ! ! p 12

! ! ! Jiuhua Shan! ! ! p 18

! ! ! Huang Shan !! ! p 25

! ! III - experiencing landscape! p 33

! !

! ! epilogue! ! ! ! p 35

! ! footnotes + bibliography ! ! p 38

! ! ! ! ! !

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INTRODUCTION:! WHY LANDSCAPE?

China is developing at unprecedented speed. The country has to cope with

rapid social cultural change, huge economic expectations and a political system

that has to adept accordingly. Architecture is a major discipline that is actively

involved in the shaping of these changes.

It defines the environment we inhibit around us through the design of buildings,

cities, infrastructure and landscape. Although often overlooked, these intangible

changes in the development of China as a country thus also relate to a change in

the physical reality that is the Chinese Landscape. I propose the asses the values,

concept and experiences of traditional Chinese perception of Landscape, to

critically reflect on contemporary environmental changes.

“ Harmony pervades traditional Chinese Landscape paintings. Water

and mountains come together in visual unity, creating balance and

poetry.” (1)

Are we still able to perceive harmony, or do contemporary rhythm alterations

lead to dissonance? (What) Can we learn from the experience of the environment in

traditional Chinese culture? Is there a certain balance possible between human

additions and the natural environment? Can a thorough appreciation of the existing

context lead to a harmonious treatment of contemporary environments? Is the

experiencing of the sublime, mountain solitude and flowing waters, an inspiring

catalyst for architectural mediation in the ugly landscape of reality?

Or is this all too naive and optimistic?

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Chinese perception of Landscape

First of all we should establish what is Nature, what is Landscape and what is

the cultural position we as humans take within these two worlds. Because the

perception of nature, and the perception of landscape is very cultural specific. The

ancient Chinese see the natural elements of the landscape around them as the

physical embodiment of the(ir) world. This environment may be understood as

‘shanshui’, literally ‘mountains and waters’. The importance of agricultural land

owner ship in ancient Chinese times and the omnipresence of these overwhelming

natural elements established a close bond between the Chinese people and the

physical environment they inhabited. The people depend upon and are embraced

by it. Which is quite different from the Netherlands, where I grew up; the Dutch are

always fighting against the water; conquering it, trying to tame it, exploiting it, or

getting struck by its force and unpredictability.

“ The bond between the Chinese and their natural environment,

distilled both out of a sense of emotional engagement, as well as an

aesthetic contemplation. (...) Nature was regarded as possessing great

power, and viewed as benign rather than malevolent and capricious.

Entities in Nature are interdependent and rely on one another,

dominated by cosmic and natural forces beyond oneʼs understanding.

Thus a sense of underlying harmony was understood to prevail.” (2)

This respect for nature also influenced the Chinese religious beliefs (and) forming

the ground on which Chinese philosophical thought is founded. In Chinese religion

this lead to a worshipping of Nature and its magnificent mountains in particular. This

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is profoundly different from Western conceptions, where the mountain would be seen

as a holy place from which to worship the divine entities, but not to be worshipped in

itself or neither to be worshipped as the embodiment of something divine. And even

more different from the Netherlands, where the highest point is a building, not a

landscaping element..

Shanshui

So, as we try to describe the perception of landscape, the concept of Shan shui is

best to use as a clear reference. As it is not only an abstract concept that describes

the environment as a balance of flows and objects (water and mountains), it also

shows the importance of an intellectual interpretation of Nature. And as the basis for

artistic/ intellectual expression, it also shows a distillation of elements that make up

the key parts of the experiencing of the harmonious interpretation of the natural

landscape. The Shanshui paintings for instance, involve a complicated and rigorous

set of almost mystical requirements for balance, composition, and form; based upon

the reading of harmony in nature. All these paintings should have 3 basic

components that together form an attractive image, but thus also relate to the

translation of the experience of the landscape into a physical representation;

1 Paths - Pathways should never be straight. They should meander like a

stream. This shows the depth of the landscape, various layers that create a

sequence of experiences, rather then a straight cut path to go somewhere. The path

doesnʼt need to be a human creation, it can be the river, or a path along it, or the

tracing of the sun through the sky over the shoulder of the mountain. The concept is

to never create inorganic patterns, but instead to resonate the patterns that nature

creates..

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2 The Threshold - The path should lead to a threshold. A threshold to welcome

you, to embrace your approach, to consciously experience the end of a sequence

and a step into ʻthe heartʼ. The threshold can be the mountain, or its shadow upon

the ground, or its cut into the sky. The concept is always that a mountain or its

boundary must be defined clearly.

3 The Heart - The heart is the focal point of the painting and all elements should

lead to it. The heart defines the meaning of the painting. The concept should imply

that each painting has a single focal point, and that all the natural lines of the

painting direct inwards to this point. (3)

The integration of these three typological elements leads to an overall pleasing

image, that embodies an integration of perception, experience and the qualities

found in the natural landscape. This physical representation becomes a tool to

express a desired harmony; and creates a medium to share ideals.

Mountain significance

Although the concept of Shanshui is rather abstract and/or intellectual and

although understood by the common people, the creators of these paintings where

all well-respected scholars and artists. The other intangible aspect that marks the

significance of natural landscaping elements, which was open to be practiced by

everybody in the empire, is through the link with religion. And this especially

accounts for the mountains.

ʻIn Chinese poetry, the trope of the ascent to high places with the

intention of obtaining a panoramic view of a boundless spatial expanse

is a common one; one climbs as high as possible in order to capture

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the ʻidealʼ panorama, and, simultaneously, a transcendent

experience.ʼ (4)

The origin of the Chinese worship of mountains is unclear, although it is clear that

from early on in there has been a strong affection towards mountains and they were

often treated with a ʻmixture of reverence and dreadʼ. (5)

“Mountains represent the worldly counterparts of the mythical five

emperors of heaven who presided over the five cardinal points of earth

known as the five Sacred Mountains: Taishan, in Shandong signifying

the East, Hengshan, in Shanxi signifying the North; Huashan, in

Shaanxi signifying the west; and Hengshan in Hunan signifying the

Sourth; The central or fifth mountain, Songhsan, in Henan, was added

only much later, during the Han dynasty. In addition, there were the

waters, represented by the four Sacred Rivers; Huanghe or the Yellow

River, Yangzi-jiang or Changjiang Huaihe, Jishui; and the four Seas

which were positioned in the four cardinal directions. This, as a notional

system comprising the Five Sacred Mountains and Waters, was

articulated as part of the concept of cosmic structure during the Han

period and became institutionalized around the time of the Tang

dynasty. Collectively, such notional systems became the grids used to

define the cultural boundaries of the Chinese empire. Such

ʻboundariesʼ were created our of the need for order through which

Nature and culture could be unified as a unitary whole. Nature was

seen as offering a model for human behavior. “ (6)

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Architecture meets landscape

Besides the interpretation of nature through arts and religion, the Chinese Culture

also has strong ideas on how to to appreciate the natural landscape in its totality. It

was found to be fundamental for individuals to experience its natural qualities

consciously by traveling through it. As a way to experience the harmonious quality of

nature, and also as a way to experience a route of transcendence, towards

enlightenment. To enhance this conscious experience, there is a crafted route of

carefully placed (architectural) interventions to create a sequence of pure and

distinct landscape experiences. To enhance the intended progress to enlightenment

and to establish an experience of sublime, beyond beauty, there is a path, a core plot

of architectural additions that organize spaces experientially. These elements add

significance to particular places along the path to frame, structure and layer oneʼs

journey through the valley. To create a threshold and to express a state of harmony;

man-made elements that strengthen natural religious characteristics. We can

identify;

Emotive landscape; a route that is able to arouse intense feelings of natural

compassion.

Surprising landscape; Thresholds of experiences to consciously experience the

end of a sequence; Landscape can make things hides but it can also reveal.

Respected landscape; Passing through the landscape you are struck by its

beauty, enforcing your respect.

The sequence of spaces defines a conscious perception of the landscape. Each

architectural intervention is thus highly contextual, defining a unique experience as

one ascends the route.

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I! THREE TYPOLOGIES

Within China there are three distinct mountain types. To understand how the

relation between landscape, architecture, harmony and experience is perceived

amongst a variety of mountain sites I chose three distinctly different mountains to

describe and explore. Although these three mountains share a set of common

grounds (stone, water, forests for instance); in line with the topic of my paper I

would like to introduce them as different ‘mountain typologies’.

The type of a mountain is normally defined by its geological characteristics. But,

because mountains play such an important role within the Chinese culture, we can

define the main type of mountains according to their social-cultural appropriation:

1 Buddhist - Four Sacred Mountains

2 Taoist - Five Great Mountains

3 Non-religious - Top Scenic Spots/ Huang Shan

We can see that the Sacred Mountains of China can actually be split into two

typologies, one associated with Taoism and the other with Buddhism. The group

associated with Taoism is known as the Five Great Mountains whereas the group

associated with Buddhism is referred to as the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism.

The third group, or ʻnon-religiousʼ, can still be considered part of a transient

experience, as also in Confucianism the going into Nature was regarded as a

reference to the transient nature of man as Confucius wrote in the Analects;

“the wise man loves the rivers and lakes, the benevolent man loves the

mountains.” (7)

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Buddhist

While many of Chinaʼs mountains have become revered over history, four in

particular are believed to be especially sacred. Mountains are where heaven and

earth touch and in this vein, Chinese believe that bodhisatvas (the Buddhist disciples

who have reached nirvana but come back to earth to help mortals on their own paths

to enlightenment) dwell in the four sacred mountains. Over time, Buddhist

monasteries have built large complexes in the mountains and pilgrims from all over

China visit these sacred peaks. While most were ravaged during the cultural

revolution, a revival in Buddhist traditions and tourist dollars have helped to begin

restorations and renovations in many of the sacred sites.

Taoist

According to Chinese mythology, the Five Great Mountains originated from the

body of Pangu, the first being and the creator of the world. Because of its eastern

location, Taishan is associated with the rising sun which signifies birth and renewal.

Due to this interpretation, it is often regarded as the most sacred of the Five Great

Mountains. In accordance with its special position, Taishan is believed to have been

formed out of Pangu's head. Hengshan in Hunan is believed to be a remainder of

Pangu's right arm, Hengshan in Shanxi of his left arm, Songshan of his belly, and

Huashan of his feet. (8)

Non-religious/ Huang shan

"When someone returns from the Five Sacred Mountains, one does not

want to see any other mountains; but if one returns from the

Huangshan, one does not even want to see the Five Sacred

Mountains." (9)

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II! THREE MOUNTAINS

Case Study 1 - Hua Shan ! ! (Taoist)

Huashan is located in Shaanxi Province, about 120 kilometres east of the city of

Xi'an in West-Central China. Also known as Xiyuè, Western Great Mountain, it is one

of China's Five Sacred Taoist Mountains, and has a long history of religious

significance. Originally classified as having three peaks, in modern times the

mountain is classified as five main peaks, of which the highest is the South Peak at

2154,9m. (10)

Spread over the mountain range there is a variety of temples and other religious

structures (such as small nunneries and pavilions) on its slopes and peaks. At the

foot of the mountain, at the start of the walking trail is the Cloister of the Jade Spring.

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Huashan - West peak as seen from the walking trail

History

As early as the 2nd century BCE, there was a Taoist temple known as the Shrine

of the Western Peak located at its base as Taoists believed that the mountain is the

realm of a god from the underworld and the temple at the foot of the mountain was

often used for spirits mediums to contact the god and his underlings.

Because of its inaccessibility to the summit Huashan only received Imperial and local

pilgrim; and was not well visited by pilgrims from the rest of China. Unlike Taishan for

instance, which became a popular place of pilgrimage. Although more and more

tourists visit Huashan these days, it is still quite hard to reach and the visiting

numbers are not comparable to either Taishan, or Huangshan.

In history Huashan also was an important place for immortality seekers, as many

herbal Chinese medicines are grown and powerful drugs were reputed to be found

there. In addition notable Chinese historical figures received revelations on Huashan,

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Huashan - worshipping and lodging facilities in the summit area

such as Kou Qianzhi (365-448), the founder of the Northern Celestial Masters, as did

Chen Tuan (920-989), who spent the last part of his life in hermitage on the west

peak. In the 1230s, all the temples on the mountain came under control of the Taoist

Quanzhen School. In 1998, the management committee of Huashan agreed to turn

over most of the mountain's temples to the China Taoist Association. This was done

to help protect the environment, as the presence of taoists and nuns deters poachers

and loggers. (11)

Landscape elements

ʻthe granite domes of Hua Shan were once one of those mythical

places where 500-year-old hermits became one with the universe while

surviving on an invigorating diet of pine needles an wild herbs. (...)

Knife-blade ridges, twisted pine trees clinging to ledges, and vast,

transcendent panoramas of green mountains and countryside

stretching away to the horizonʼ. (12)

Ascent and routing

Ascending Hua Shan the carefully constructed route is guided alongside

waterways, through gates, underneath rocks, climbing cliff edges and passing

temples, to prepare you to witness the beauty on the top as profoundly as possible.

In total there are three ways up the mountain. They all lead to the North Peak, the

first of five summit peaks. The other four peaks are representing the remaining for

directions (East, West, South and Center) and are connected by a sort of circular

pathway around the cliff face.

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Two of these options start at the eastern base of the mountain, at the cable-car

terminus. You can either choose to take a scenic 10-minute cable car ride from there,

or walk your way up under the cable car route. The third option is to start the walk at

Hua Shan village, at the Jade Fountain Temple. This is the most challenging route

as it is the most physically demanding; steep stairs, narrow and almost vertical

sections.

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Huashan - Landscape elements

Huashan - entrance gate of the walking trail

But, the scenery is spectacular and this route will thus offer the best reward as

the intensity of the journey is coupled by a feeling of pride and awe towards an

experience of the sublime. The ascent starts at a temple complex and then goes

along a gentle water stream into the valley, after you pass the official gate. You then

start to go up as you approach the north peak from its western side. The road is

marked by natural points of significance, such as steep cliffs, large pieces of stone

spanning the route above your head or large panoramic vistas of the surroundings;

and of course the occasional food-supply store that offers noodles and other

refreshments. The summit route to Hua Shan is often described as being the most

dangerous of all the famous mountains in China, because its strenuous, steep and

sometimes not fully safeguarded, with nothing but a steel chain to hold onto.

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Huashan - steep cliff-cut steps Huashan - temples/ pavilions build on the cliff face

To complete a true experience of Huashan mountain, preferably preceded by an

overnight stay in one of the small courtyard guesthouses in the summit area, one

should include the experience of seeing the sun rise from the East peak to end your

journey of transcendence.

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Huashan - sun rise from east peak

Case Study 2 - JIUHUA SHAN ! ! (Buddhist)

Jiuhuashan is one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhism. It is

located in Anhui province, a few hours driving southwest from Nanjing, and is famous

for two reasons, it rich landscape and ancient temples. Interesting to note at

Jiuhuashan is that not only the mountain range itself, or the peaks behold a sacred

character. There is also a large concentration of historic and religious sites at the

Jiuhuajie-pilgrimage-village, about halfway up the mountain.

Many of the mountain's shrines and temples are dedicated to ʻKsitigarbhaʼ,

because the mountainʼs 99 peaks form the domain of this Lord of the Underworld,

who is known as Boddhisattva ʻDizangʼ in Chinese pinyin. Buddhists often visit

Jiuhuashan to climb to Greater Tiantai peak, which is regarded as Jiuhuashan's most

important peak, although it is not the tallest.

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Jiuhuashan - First pilgrimage temple-stop on the way to Jiuhuajie village.

History

Jiuhuashan was identified in the 8th century as a worshipping place for Dizang by

the Korean Buddhist disciple Kim Kiao Kak (Jin Qiaojue). He came to Jiuhuashan in

719 AD and retreated himself for 5 years. He died at 99 years of age, with his mortal

body staing intact. Because he was very similar in appearance to Dizang

Buddhisattva, the monks there believed Dizang Boddhisattva was reincarnated in

him, as a result, Jiuhua Mountain became the dedicated place for Dizang

Boddhisatva. During the golden periods of the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were

as many as 360 temples and between 4,000 to 5,000 monks and nuns. At present 78

temples remain that house a large amount of statues, stone steles, Buddhist sutras

and other relics. These temples are not all ancient structures, as the current

assembly of buildings is a mixture of recent, newly build (or still under construction)

temples and facilities, existing ancient structures and renovated objects. This due to

recent increase in visiting numbers that have demanded a larger (religious)

infrastructure to deal with the influx of people.

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Jiuhuashan - newly build temple hall in Jiuhuajie village

Landscape elements

Jiuhuashan covers an area of 120 square kilometers with 99 peaks and a total of

18 scenic spots. The ‘Heavenly Terraced’ or Tiantai-peak is the most important peak

with an elevation of about 1,300 meter. It is a good place to view the sunrise, sea of

clouds and the surrounding mountain peaks, although on my visit everything was

shrouded in clouds, rain and mist and I could sometimes not even see where the

steps would continue. The highest peak of Jiuhuashan is Shiwang Peak, about

1,342 metres above sea level. Because of its astonishing landscape and pleasant

climate during the warm summer monts, Mt. Jiuhua is considered one of the

foremost summer resorts in China.

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Jiuhuashan - Landscape elements

So, besides the mountain being an important religious destination, the landscape

around Jiuhuashan is also widely honored for its enticing beauty. It is full of streams,

impressive rock formations, waterfalls, caves, old pines and bamboo forests. Most of

the original temples are carefully embedded away within this landscape scenery or

placed in the secluded, quite landscape of water, pines and bamboos around the

mountain. Huacheng Temple for instance, the oldest and most important temple, lies

in mid Jiuhuashan, enclosed by the mountains, with Furong Peak to the south,

Shenguang Ridge to the west, White Clouds Mountain to the north, and cliffs to the

east. (13)

Ascent and routing

The routing towards the summit of Jiuhuashan is an assembly of pilgrimage

destinations that has two main sections. The first section takes you from the tourist

information center/ bus-station, by either bus or taxi, half way up the mountain range

to Jiuhuajie. “or, as locals say, at roughly navel height in a giant Buddhaʼs

potbelly” (14) During this short trip you pass (and can stop at) the first temples (see

on page 18) and the buddhist academy. The routing is not so much based upon the

interpretation of key-landscaping elements but starts as a purely religious sequence

of spiritual rituals and places to accommodate this. Worshippers hold sticks of

incense to their foreheads and face the four directions to show their devotion at

every major temple. They also kneel and pay honor to the various boddisatvas and

deities by citing prayers or teachings and offering fruits and candles.

After entering the town of Jiuhuajie most people continue their journey at the

Zhiyuan Temple, a highly esoteric place that is filled with worshippers, candle lights

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and the smell of incense. A series of small buildings and courtyards lead to the

Grand Hall of Zhiyuan Temple that stands 43m high. A horizontal board inscribed

with gilded "Grand Hall" by Yu Youren, a famous calligrapher, hangs over the

entrance. In the center of the hall, surrounded by pilgrims take take part in buddhist

teachings, is a lotus throne, on which three large Buddha sculptures are located,

each about 6-7m high and all gilded, Tathagata in the middle, Amitabha on the left,

and "Medicine Master" on the right. They are the biggest of all the Buddhaʼs in the

Jiuhua temples. On either side of the central throne stand nine 3m-high images of

Arhat.

From Zhiyuan temple you can continue on to Huacheng Temple, the oldest and

most prominent temple in Mount Jiuhua that marks the place with a history of more

than 1,500 years. The temple was said to be started as a small Buddhist temple in

the Jin-Dynasty (around 401 AD) by an Indian monk. During Tang Dynasty it was

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Jiuhuashan - Zhiyuan temple

renamed ʻHuachengʼ. Then in 794 AD the Korean monk Jin Qiaojue, mentioned

earlier, died at 99. Fellow monks regarded him as the incarnation of Ksitigarbha or

Dizang the temple and ever since Huacheng Temple was dedicated to Dizang. This

temple and this event thus became the start of developing Jiuhuashan into one of

Chinaʼs most sacred Buddhist sites.

From the Jiuhuajie village then are two ways to get to the mountain summit; you

either start to hike up the ridge behind the Zhiyuan temple or you can take the cable

car from the station close by. From the top you can then walk south to the Huixiang

pavilion, with a recently constructed seven-story pagoda. From there you can find

your way (walking or cable car again) to Tiantai Zheng peak and Tiantai Temple, as

ʻthe heartʼ of the journey, where a statue of the Dizang Buddha is located in the

Dizang hall.

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Jiuhuashan - Buddhist ceremony

The temple actually sits across a dent on the peak formed by two hills; the dent

being leveled with a large stone base that is about 8 meters in height to achieve a

flat building podium. The building faces south, of course, and has a stepped podium

in front on which the incense burners are placed.

The last part of the ascent is quite steep and there is an experience of tranquility

when one reaches the flattened podium that defines the temple’s ground on the

mountain.

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Jiuhuashan - Tiantai peak

Case Study 3 - HUANG SHAN ! ! (Non religious)

Huangshan is a mountain range in southern Anhui Province, in Eastern China;

not far from Hangzhou. When literally translated from Chinese ʻHuangshanʼ means

ʻYellow Mountainʼ. Though the meaning of ʻyellowʼ does not necessarily indicates a

yellow color, as yellow is often used as a representation for one of the five sacred

elements or cardinal directions. It was acclaimed through art and literature during a

good part of Chinese history (e.g. the Shanshui 'mountain and water' style of the

mid-16th century). Today it holds the same fascination for visitors, poets, painters

and photographers who come on pilgrimage to the site, which is renowned for its

magnificent scenery made up of many granite peaks and rocks emerging out of a

sea of clouds.

The Huangshan area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, stunning granite

peaks, the famous Huangshan Pine tree, and views of the clouds from above.

Especially these clouds are noteworthy, as they form shape seas of rolling clouds

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Huangshan - The clouds shroud mountains like islands.

that hide the mountain valleys and leave the peaks floating as islands. This

phenomena is called ʻyunhaiʼ.

Huangshan is one of Chinaʼs earliest massive tourist destinations, as it ranks

among the first national key scenic spots proclaimed by the State Council in 1990

and it now attracts over 15 million people annually. It was listed as a Unesco World

Cultural and Natural Heritage Site in that same year. Besides being a tourist

destination it is also a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature,

as well as a favorite amongst modern photography and a subject for contemporary

research in the fields of habitat/ ecology/ local flora and fauna.

History

Huangshan was considered a significant source for intellectual and artistic

inspiration throughout Chinese history, which paved the way for the establishment of

a Huangshan culture, resulting in a rich legacy of art and literature. The mountain

range is considered to be a prime example of classic Chinese scenery, as typified in

traditional Shanshui landscape paintings. But, it was only after an imperial order

during the Tang dynasty that made the area more accessible and had it given the

name Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). From this point on, poets, literary scholars and

numerous other celebrities were among the many visitors, and by the Yuan dynasty,

64 temples had been constructed on the mountain. Although Huangshan was not

officially listed as a sacred mountain in the same way as Huashan or Jiuhuashan

were conceived, the creation of temples were an expression of admiration for the

sublime experience of the mountain range.

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During the Ming dynasty, in 1606, Monk Pumen came to Huangshan and built

Fahai Meditation Temple and Wonshu Temple, connecting them by steps cut into the

mountain. Paintings and drawings of the mountain appeared as early as the

mid-16th century. (15) Currently there is little religious activity left on the mountain,

there is the Ciguang Temple at the bottom of the western steps (see picture below),

which is one of the few surviving temples, but it halls have been converted to the

Huangshan Visitor Center, showcasing a large landscape model of the site, adjacent

buildings function as office space, toilets, etc.

Huangshan - Ciguang ‘Temple’

All in all the contemporary experience of Huangshan is drastically different from

the time of the great poets and painters, as the mountain progressively became a

massive tourist destination. It has been made easily accessible through cable-cars

and the facilities on top of the mountain have been radically uplifted (you can find a

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ʻBank of Chinaʼ, several 4/5 star hotels, a China Mobile store, supermarket, etc). But

as the lonely planet puts it

ʻyesterdayʼs artists seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of the

temporal world may have been replaced by crowds of tourists, who

bring the hustle and bustle with them, but Huang Shan still rewards

visitors with moments of tranquillity, and the unearthly views can be

simply breathtakingʼ. (16)

And these days young lovers bring up padlocks engraved with their names,

attach them to the railings in the hope of an eternal bond.

Landscape elements

When talking about the landscape elements in the Huangshan scenic area, one

cannot overstate its beauty and the overall inspiring environment; it is not only an

impressive natural area, but is also known as 'the loveliest mountain of China', a kind

hearted place. It also has an interesting but complex geological history. The range is

composed of sediment material that was uplifted from an ancient sea about

100 million years ago; the mountains themselves were carved much more recently

by glaciers during the Quaterny period, starting about 2,6 million years ago.

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Because of the quite recent erosion, the area features jagged edges and

numerous imposing peaks, of which there are three most familiar ones (Lotus Peak,

Heavenly Capital Peak and Bright Summit Peak). Aesthetically, the site presents an

almost unique spectacle, with its combined attraction of high mountains, forests,

lakes, stepped lakes and waterfalls; representing all the elements that should be

present in a mountain scenery, according to Chinese traditions (sea of clouds, water,

jagged edges, waterfalls, etc).

Huangshan also has a very vivid character. It changes its moods throughout the

day, heavy rains, fog and sunshine can happen simultaneously in different areas;

throughout the seasons; and throughout ones ascent to the top. The rich variety of

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Huangshan - Landscape elements

colors for instance, many of the lakes having clear blue, turquoise or green waters,

while in autumn many of the leaves turn a range of rich colors and the best

impression is said to be in winter, when the mountain is covered in snow-white.

And for those who are not convinced that such a place can actually exist, there is

the ʻBeginning to Believe-Peakʼ, coined after someone arrived at this peak and wrote

a short poem in which he stated that he never had thought such a place could exist

on earth;

"Inexplicable, unbelievable; admirable, no idea until arrival" (17)

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Huangshan - Huangshan pine trees

Forests of stone pillars are plentiful; there is a hot spring area found at the South-

western base of the mountain and forests of trees cover more than half of the site.

Predominantly evergreen moist forest occurs between 600 m and 1,100 m; there is

deciduous forest from 1,100 m to 1,800 m, and alpine grassland above the tree line.

(18) The Huangshan Pine Tree is unique to this area, but there is also a number of

other ʻspecial treesʼ celebrated on account of their age, grotesque shape, peculiar

position or because they mark a special event, including 1,000-year-old specimens

of Huangshan pine, the welcoming pine that greats visitors after climbing the western

steps, a special Ginkgo biloba or the ʻumbrella-treeʼ, identified by mr. Kofi Annan,

chairman of the United Nations when he visited the area with his wife.

Ascent and routing

Huangshan has three main access points that lead to the summit area. One in

the North, from Taiping and two in the South, on the East- (Cloud Valley Cable Car/

Eastern Steps) and the West-side (Jade Screen Cable Car/ Western steps). Different

from Huashan, as it is not a religious mountain, the ascent is not a carefully arranged

framing of temples, worship sites or a path to spiritual enlightenment. But, the

landscape is there to guide and astound you and it is part of a truthful experience of

Huangshan to physically experience the ascent. The cable cars ruin the effect of the

impression of beauty, surprise, excitement and discovery. Though most tourists use

the cable cars to efficiently go up the mountain, take a picture of the most spots and

leave again; my intention was to feel the experience, to get a grasp of understanding

of the respect this mountain has achieved over centuries. The Eastern steps provide

a 7,5km medium-fast climb and is supposed to be a pleasant walk, but going up the

Western steps is much more rewarding. And more truthful to the experience of

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former painters and poets; because it is a very strenuous, long and dangerous climb,

especially when it was raining like it was, there is nobody going up this way and you

can really feel the magnificence of the mountain; as

ʻone can only experience the landscape consciously by traveling

through itʼ.

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Huangshan - Western steps

III! EXPERIENCING LANDSCAPE

All in all I spent time within the three different mountain typologies. In this paper I

choose a common theoretical framework, as a basis to understand the cultural

perception of landscape. I understand now that celebrating Nature became a major

preoccupation of the Chinese. To be able to appreciate Nature in its totality it was

fundamental for individuals to experience nature consciously by traveling through it.

Particularly climbing as high as possible was seen as an ultimate achievement of

individual consciousness and aesthetic appreciation.

“Nature observed from above is immanent; it has an extraordinary

allure because it bequeaths the ʻconsciousnessʼ on an immanence in

Nature - the sense that man is part of the landscape.” (19)

To enhance the intended progress to (religious) enlightenment and to establish

an experience of sublime, beyond beauty, there is a core plot of architectural

additions that organize spaces experientially. These elements add significance to

particular places along the journey to frame, structure and layer oneʼs movement to

the top. In this way there is a state of harmony; man-made elements that strengthen

natural religious characteristics. These characteristic are not only found amongst the

most sacred sites, and I found them to be remarkably similar over the three sites I

visited. I consider this approach part of the cultural identity in which the Chines

incorporate the perception of landscape as a fundamental value.

ʻThe landscape is not perceived or described per se but always

permeated with emotion. The emotion is projected onto the landscape,

transforming the landscape; or; in other words, in their encounter,

landscape and emotion merge into each other.ʼ (20)

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From the outset I asked myself whether the proclaimed balance between man

and nature, its perception of the environment as a harmonious co-existence, could

be a source of inspiration, perhaps a precedent for contemporary interventions within

this landscape.

During my traveling to, and through, the three mountains I described above I

found there is already a strong change in the perception of recorded historic figures

and the contemporary visitor. And naturally this also changes the effects on the

perception of landscape. I found this to be strongest at Huangshan, were the

experience of transcendence upon reaching the top was replaced by an experience

of grounding instead. A reality check; this is contemporary China. People; ugly

buildings, litter, noise, picture moments. Although; once you get away from the

crowds; once you try the more challenging experiences; up the Western steps; or

climbing the Purple Peak; one can still feel as the greatest poets, intellectuals,

emperors and monks must have felt when they were before me.

So there is a certain state of schism. Between a challenging reality that defies

traditional constituents;a reality that ignores values that have shaped a cultural

identity on the one hand and the last remnants of experiences that created these

perception throughout history. And this is not only the case of key-landscaping

elements such as the great mountains of China. As a contemporary example of

changing environments and to describe the current state of harmony ʻcloser to

realityʼ I would like to add the Yongding river, the largest river to flow trough the

Beijing municipality as an Epilogue to conclude this paper.

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EPILOGUE: Yongding river change

This river borders the birth place of civilization on the Asian continent, with the

Peking Man site in its vicinity, and it is the river that Marco Polo crossed before

entering ancient Beijing; by then known for its vigorous current and seasonal floods.

However, over the past thirty or so years, human interventions have led the river

to dry out completely. The sprawl of Beijing urbanization, the development of heavy,

water-intensive industry and the intensification of agriculture along the river water

shed lead to droughts and plummeting ground water levels. Not only are these

indirect effects now becoming visible, also the explicit additions of high-voltage

power lines, steel factories, power plants and large infrastructural elements destroy

any possible experience of the sublime of Natural integrity. This disrespectful

approach to one of Natureʼs main entities makes you wonder about the harmony I

was referring to; as witnessed by a long forgotten ancient pagoda on top of the hill.

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Yongding river - out of balance

“If electricity pylons were to replace the green trees, if buildings were to

replace the pagodas, and cars, the horses and donkeys on mountain

trails, with similar aesthetics, would we still see the poetry in them?

” (21)

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Yongding river - out of balance

I sincerely believe it is time to critically asses these developments, seen from a

cultural-historic perspective, with the meta-physical characteristics in mind, but also

in terms of providing an environment for future generations to inhabit.

“Perhaps in the future landscapes will exist only in the imagination of

city dwellersʼ hearts. Buddhist meditation teaches us how to see that a

mountain is not a mountain, that water is not water. But what would

happen if that actually became true? Once weʼve destroyed the natural

landscape and replaced it by a seemingly real one, once the

environment has been so drastically changed, will a traditional spirit

continue to exist? Will there still be any refuge?” (22)

As architects I think we are capable of shaping the environment we inhabit. We

should take responsibility for the way we influence the future of of our habitat around

us. As we consider our actions part of an integral network of events; a world in which

we are part of a system that is larger then the immediate short-term consequences

we can perceive in our short lives; then we can perhaps go back to a state that

provides an experience of harmony.

Towards a landscape that inspires; to which one can pledge respect; that brings

order; in which you can experience beauty. In which humans are part of a balanced

environment.

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Image credits

All pictures taken by the author, Martijn de Geus, except for the image of Tiantai Temple on page 24, which is taken from Wikipedia.org. The diagrams on pages 15, 20 and 29 are also taken from creative common licenses found on the internet.

Sources/ quotes

1! Yang, Yongliang, Heavenly City, p382! Li, Xiaodong and Yeo, Kang Shua, Chinese Conception of Space, p 14-153! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanshui4! Li, Xiaodong and Yeo, Kang Shua, Chinese Conception of Space, p 235! Ibid. p 196! Ibid. p 217! Confucius - The Analects8! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Sacred_Mountains9! http://www.maps-of-china.net/tourism_map/h_huangshan.htm10! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hua11! http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/485-Religion-and-the-environment-in-China

12! Lonely Planet, 2007, p 43413! see http://www.chinadiscover.net/china-tour/anhuiguide/mount-jiuhua.htm for more info14 ! Lonely Planet, 2007, p 44615! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huangshan16! Lonely Planet, 2007, p 44817! http://www.shanghaifocus.com/beginning-to-believe-peak18! http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/54719! Li, Xiaodong and Yeo, Kang Shua, Chinese Conception of Space, p 1720! Ibid. p 1421! Yang, Yongliang, Heavenly City, p3822! Yang, Yongliang, Heavenly City, p26

Bibliography

Li, Xiaodong and Yeo, Kang Shua, Chinese Conception of Space, 2007, ! ISBN 978-7-112-09192-8, published by Tsinghua University press

Yang, Yongliang, Heavenly City, 2010, published by Galerie Paris-Beijing

Harper, D et al, China , 2007, published by Lonely Planet

Waley, A, Confucius - The Analects, 2000, published by Everymanʼs Library

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