Exploring Chinese Scholar Gardens as Paradigm of Lifestyle Landscape Architecture

This research is based on two clues: one is the chronological development of the concept of space in Western architectural theory, which leads to nowadays global-wide universal spatial design; the other is retroactive research of the Chinese scholar gardens, which put Chinese scholar gardens in the perspective of a particular spatial notion that is rooted in Chinese original culture and philosophy. Taking inspiration from phenomenological narrative analysis, Chinese scholar gardens are investigated from the Western academic point of view as well as in their own cultural context. Such research methods, putting the research object in contrasting (however relevant) perspective, respond to the expectation that this matter originating from ancient China could really contribute to the academic discourse in today’s international and interdisciplinary community. This research points out ways to synergize Western and Eastern historical culture and have an impact on the pres-ent architectural spatial design.