The Art and Aesthetics of Flora: Traditional Gardens in Shanghai and Periphery

A talk by Dr.Yang Ye as part of the Chinese Garden Lecture Series presented by The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

Professor Yang Ye, University of California, Riverside

Shanghai is known for its high-rise buildings, congested traffic, and large population. Does it have anything to offer traditional gardening? What kind of traditional gardens lie in the city and its periphery? What are some of the most popular plants found in these gardens, and how do they work in their general aesthetics? This lecture starts by taking the audience to the 450-year-old Yu Yuan (Garden to Please) at the very center of Shanghai, and then moves to other traditional gardens in the outskirts. It discusses the aesthetic and artistic functions of plants in traditional Chinese gardens, especially in the context of the special climate and topography of the Jiangnan (South of the Yangtze) region.