Jichang Garden: Its Creation, Evolution Stages and Key Issues

This paper discusses key issues in the study of Jichang Garden from the aspects of construction period, evolution stages and key issues. First, it adopts the methods of source of history, chronology textual study and micro-history to infer that Jichang Garden was completed in 1527. Second, it separates the history of this garden into nine stages, discussing key historical facts and gardening characteristics of each stage. Third, it explores important topics of Jichang Garden from five aspects: family history and national history, gardening and modification, southern tour and imitative design, painting, calligraphy, opera and tea, protection and utilization. In the end, this paper looks forward to the future development of “Study of Jichang Garden”