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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Landscape esthetic characteristics

2013), and environmental features (Li, 2014; Yuan et al.,
2022). There have been some research achievements from
the viewpoint of one specific factor. However, it is essential
to further explore and study the combination of different
landscape elements influenced by various types of esthetic
cultures from a holistic perspective. This approach will
help reveal the logical relationship between the esthetic
characteristics of Mount Jingfu’s “Grotto-Heavens and
Blissful Lands” landscape. For this purpose, the article
delves into three research questions regarding the esthetic
features of Mount Jingfu’s landscape:
i. How to develop a research framework based on the
Cultural and Regional Disposition Theory?
ii. What types of esthetic cultures have had the greatest
influence on shaping the landscape’s esthetic
characteristics?
Figure 1. Research area (red line). Source: Map adapted from Google iii. What is the primary mechanism behind the creation
Map of different esthetic features of the landscape?

a divine immortal in Chinese Daoism). The locals built a Taoist 2. Data and methods
temple named Qingxu Temple, “Qingxu guan (清虚观)” to This article adopts the Cultural and Regional Disposition
worship him. Simple and crude as the temple was, it laid the Theory to build the foundational framework for the study.
foundation for the formation of Mount Jingfu’s “Grotto- It employs various research methods, including literature
Heavens and Blissful Lands” landscape. The Tang dynasty review, on-site investigation, expert interviews, and
witnessed the peak of the expansion of Mount Jingfu’s graphic analysis, to examine esthetic cultures embodied
landscape. The local people and officials greatly admired in the landscape. The Cultural and Regional Disposition
Daoism, and therefore, Qingxu Temple was restored and Theory holds significant value in the realm of landscape
expanded, significantly contributing to the spread of esthetics. It has found extensive application in the
Daoist culture in southwest China. However, Mount Jingfu exploration of settlement landscape esthetic culture and
suffered repeated damages due to the outbreak of wars in has been embraced by scholars in the fields of landscape
modern China. Although, in the 1970s, the Chinese esthetics and landscape studies (Wang, 2017; Peng & Tang,
government tried to restore its “Grotto-Heavens and 2017; Chen, 2018. Lu et al., 2020).
Blissful Lands” landscape by protecting the natural ecology
This theory has been summarized and refined by one
and repairing palace buildings, the renovated landscape of the authors of the present study, Tang Xiaoxiang, who
looked different from the original one. The root of the is also a professor from the Department of Architecture
problem lies in the fact that although the landscape is at South China University of Technology. Through his
shaped by the natural geography of the mountain, it long-term and extensive research on the cultural and
possesses unique esthetic traits influenced by Daoist and esthetic aspects of Lingnan regional settlement landscapes
regional esthetic cultures. Furthermore, the restoration (Tang, 2010), he concluded that “the essence of Lingnan
efforts using modern technologies under contemporary settlement landscape can be attributed to the “cultural
esthetic cultures risk compromising the effective inheritance and regional disposition” that defines Lingnan esthetic
of traditional esthetic features. Therefore, this paper culture.” He further elaborated, “The spiritual aspect of
explores the impact of different esthetic cultures on Mount Lingnan esthetic culture is nurtured by the natural, social,
Jingfu’s “Grotto-Heavens and Blissful Lands” landscape, and humanistic environment of the Lingnan region. This
which is a vital guarantee to maintain the inherent esthetic environment also impacts the formation and development
essence of the landscape as a living cultural heritage.
of the Lingnan settlement landscape, shaping its cultural
To date, the research on the esthetic characteristics and regional disposition, and ultimately determining the
of Mount Jingfu’s landscape has mainly been focused on unique technical features and humanistic qualities of the
religious thoughts (Park, 2016; Maxime, 1967), artistic area.” Professor Tang believes that “the ultimate measure
features (Gesterkamp, 2019), cultural dissemination of landscape beauty is the harmonious blend of regional
(Tsuchiya, 2019; Suzuki, 2019), spatial layouts (Li, 2014; and cultural characteristics from different eras.” The
Wan, 2012), landscape elements (Zheng et al., 2020; Wang, significance of the “Cultural and Regional Disposition

Volume 5 Issue 2 (2023) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.407