Spatiotemporal narrative structure of the lingering garden based on traditional Chinese conception of time and space

Abstract

Classical Chinese gardens have a distinct layout structure. By studying the traditional Chinese conception of space–time and its characteristics, this article explores the spatiotemporal narrative structure and typological patterns of the Lingering Garden, which is highly representative of Souzhou gardens in China. While existing literature addresses the sagittal and cyclical concepts of space–time, this paper advances a separate and interactive view of space–time using Yin-Yang transformation logic. Field research revealed that three space–time natures emerge as three spatiotemporal narratives in the Lingering Garden (sagittal, cyclical, and separate-and-interactive) with different characteristics. These modes intertwine in different ways in the garden’s five areas to form the Lingering Garden’s holistic spatiotemporal narrative structure, which nurtures dynamic experiences and infinite imagination. This result helps us better understand other Chinese gardens and supplements the theory of gardening art; however, more case studies should be done to determine its generalisability.