Floral Production and Garden Construction:The Productive Landscape and Its Public Transformation in Canton Fa-ti in the Late Qing Dynasty
Fa-ti played a pivotal role in the cultural exchange,trade,and botany between the East and the West during the late Qing Dynasty in Canton.As a center for cultivating and producing ornamental plants in Guangzhou throughout the thirteen-hong trade period,Fa-ti was one of the select locations the Qing government allowed Westerners to visit.It also served as a principal source of Chinese plant specimens for Western botanists.This study thoroughly examines historical texts and maps to analyze and corroborate the historical spatial configuration of Fa-ti's river channels.It aims to reconstruct the garden layouts of the late Qing Dynasty and elucidate the development of productive landscapes in Fa-ti,such as the cultivation and marketing of flowers and trees,alongside the trends toward garden privatization and publicization.The research reveals that the thriving Sino-Western trade and horticultural activities fostered a distinctive and productive landscape in Fa-ti,with the river serving as the geographical foundation and flower polders acting as exhibition and sales venues.Numerous nursery gardens emerged in Fa-ti during this period,creating a dynamic space where Chinese and Westerners'frequent interactions advanced the privatization and publicization of gardens.Consequently,these gardens transformed into significant venues for public events,cultural engagement,and intellectual endeavours.
Chinese garden historyLingnan GardenThirteen Hongs of CantonFa-tiProductive landscape
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
维普
