A Jesuit Garden in Beijing and Early Modern Chinese Culture

This book explores the Jesuit-designed garden in Beijing, revealing its cultural significance and the blending of Western and Chinese aesthetics during the Qing dynasty.

In A Jesuit Garden in Beijing and Early Modern Chinese Culture, Hui Zou delves into the intricate historical, architectural, visual, literary, and philosophical dimensions of the Western-styled garden situated within the Yuanming Yuan complex in Beijing. This remarkable garden, designed and constructed during the Qing dynasty by Italian and French Jesuits in the late eighteenth century, was a marvel featuring multistoried buildings, fountains, labyrinths, and geometrical hills, alongside an open-air theater. Zou meticulously examines historical literature and various representations to uncover how these Jesuit designers navigated and integrated their artistic vision within the rich tapestry of Chinese culture.

The author highlights a significant aspect of the Jesuits' approach: the application of linear perspective to evoke the concept of jing, which refers to the bounded bright view in Chinese garden aesthetics. This exploration reveals how Jesuit metaphysics intertwined with Chinese cosmology, offering insights into the cultural and religious exchanges that characterized early modern Chinese society. By presenting a comprehensive analysis, A Jesuit Garden in Beijing and Early Modern Chinese Culture enriches our understanding of the complexities involved in these cross-cultural interactions.

Through a detailed examination of the historical context and artistic influences, Hui Zou’s work not only sheds light on the specific garden but also provides a broader perspective on the cultural dynamics at play during this transformative period in Chinese history. The book stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of these encounters and the innovative blending of different cultural paradigms.