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Reconstruction of the Masterplan of Jinmingchi Garden Shevchenko

conducted a comprehensive analysis of the including the proportion relationship between
methods of drawing lines on the site. After each single structure and the use of 5-Zhang-
studying the layout of the architectural gird, the painter could adjust the sizes of halls
complex, he found that grids were drawn in and the proportions between adjacent
moduli of 10, 5, 3, and 2 zhang (丈) based on structures in order to draw the architectural
the scales of the architectural complex [17] . complex in the south bank. In addition, the
The painter accurately depicted the moduli number of “100” is frequently mentioned in
used in the masterplan of the Garden. There the book, Dongjing MengHuaLu, such as 100
can be two explanations for this phenomenon: steps ( 步 ) and 100 zhang ( 丈 ), when
Firstly, the scales of the buildings were close describing the sizes of halls and the distances
to the reality when the painter drew them, and between adjacent structures. On the one hand,
the painter naturally reflected the original the number could have symbolic meanings of
modular sizes of the buildings. Secondly, the grandness to make the structures outstanding.
painter knew the modular grids used by the On the other hand, at the time of writing,
craftsmen, therefore, he intentionally used the Meng Yuanlao knew that craftsmen could use
modular sizes in his own painting. modular grids when building the Garden, so
Jinmingchi is one of the largest imperial in the book Dongjing MengHuaLu, he made
gardens in the capital city of the Northern description based on his own understandings.
Song dynasty, thus it can be speculated that So far, it is not yet sure whether Meng used
the grid used is in modulus of 5 zhang (丈). In the modulus. Figure 8 shows the plan of the
this case, based on the analysis made above, southern part of the Garden after adjustment
using a modular square grid.

Figure 8. The reconstructed drawing of the building complex in the South Bank of Jinmingchi in 5-chi grid.
Source: Drawn by author

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