Landscape Legacies（“大美中國”世界遺產(chǎn)系列報道）
代表作1.
原文：
Editor's note: China is home to 56 UNESCO World Heritage sites. To find out how these natural and cultural gems still shine and continue to inspire the nation in this new era of development, China Daily is running a series of reports covering 10 groups of selected sites from across the country. In this installment, we welcome readers to the tranquil classical gardens of Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Where heritage takes root
Suzhou gardens provide a glimpse into the past and a narrative for the future, Wang Kaihao reports. Wang Kaihao
Shortly after dawn, the 680-year-old Lion Grove Garden wakes up to the sound of chirping birds and its moist air is suffused with a floral scent. Mist has not evaporated. With a view of pavilions and rockeries and a sip of green tea, early visitors to this garden in downtown Suzhou, Jiangsu province, can feel a sense of Zenlike inner peace.
When a group of monks during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) first constructed this garden, they may have just wanted to enjoy a quiet retreat, tucked away from urban noise. Nonetheless, in the following centuries, this enchanting garden－most notable for its waterside rockeries resembling the shape of lions－h(huán)as attracted a constant stream of celebrity guests, who have left a long list of poems, paintings and historical anecdotes.
The temple has disappeared in the mists of time, but the Lion Grove Garden is still a must-visit attraction for travelers to Suzhou.
While they will be admiring the same view as their ancient predecessors, against the louder backdrop of the modern world, they may need to work harder to attain a sense of tranquility.
"In recent years, we've tried to restore the historical landscapes of Suzhou's classical gardens, but an exquisite garden cannot be an empty shell," says Bai Lingzhi, deputy director of the planning department of Suzhou Administrative Bureau of Garden and Landscaping.
"We need more creative ideas to usher people into the lifestyle espoused by the gardens and thus promote their aesthetic value in the modern era," she explains.
Consequently, last year, a new project was launched allowing tourists in small groups to reserve places to enter the garden in the early morning before the regular opening time. Their visit ends with them completing the last step in making a traditional folding fan, adding a poem about the garden on its surface.
It is a poetic way to reminisce about the golden age of Suzhou's classical gardens.
"The experience can help us understand the wisdom, refined taste and philosophical worldview of the ancient Chinese literati," Bai explains.
Reflect:A blossoming?culture?embracing nature
Not every architectural landmark is grand in scale, with splendid decorations, or dazzling colors. Suzhou gardens may just be the opposite.
In 1997 and 2000, nine of the best-known classical gardens of Suzhou, including Lion Grove Garden, Humble Administrator's Garden and Great Wave Pavilion, were inscribed onto the World Heritage List. As UNESCO remarks: "Classical Chinese garden design, which seeks to re-create natural landscapes in miniature, is nowhere better illustrated than in the nine gardens.… The gardens reflect the profound metaphysical importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture."
Great Wave Pavilion, the oldest extant garden in Suzhou, was first built in the 11th century, though the earliest private garden in the city appeared in historical documentation in the fourth century, according to Cao Guangshu, director of Suzhou Administrative Bureau of Garden and Landscaping.
The 16th to 18th centuries witnessed the peak time of Suzhou classical gardens, following the rise of the city as an economic hub, playing host to around 250 gardens.
Some were inevitably lost to time, but some of the more recent ones kept blossoming. A comprehensive survey from 2015 to 2018 showed that the city is home to 108 classical gardens, 57 of which are in the historical neighborhood of Gusu district.
"Suzhou gardens reveal people's adoration of nature by mixing elements of different natural landscapes into their designs," says He Fengchun, director of the Suzhou Institute of Landscape Architecture Design and a veteran in the conservation of the gardens. "They inspire us to pursue harmony with the world around us.
"Visiting a garden is like unrolling a traditional Chinese landscape painting," she further explains. "So, like paintings, ancient Chinese philosophy and morals are hidden in the details of the gardens."
For example, when choosing plant varieties, people preferred plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums, which are hailed as the "four nobles" by the Chinese literati, representing the noble spirits of traditional culture.
The Craft of Gardens, or Yuanye, the first Chinese treatise on the art of gardening, was published in 1634, and has been a lasting guideline for the development of gardens not only in China, but also in Japan and other countries.
Perhaps, Suzhou gardens epitomize a famous line in the book. It wrote: "Though being artificial, they seemed like natural wonders."
"Unlike their Japanese counterparts, which often follow rigid design formats and unveil the pathos of things, people want to maintain an emotional affinity with nature in Suzhou gardens," He explains. "That affection for life thus brings more diverse scenery and a cozier living environment."
In centuries past, Suzhou also largely directed the development of ancient Chinese landscape gardens as a whole.
For instance, Suzhou gardens were among the favorite destinations of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperors when touring southward from Beijing. Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) visited Lion Grove Garden six times.
"If it were not for the emperors' love for Suzhou gardens and their desire to 'transplant' them northward, would there be those grand royal gardens like Chengde Mountain Resort?" He asks.
Regardless of whether those classical gardens in Suzhou were once owned by high officials or nobles, literati or artists, as well as business tycoons, their days as residences have long gone. Nonetheless, these "pearls scattered on a piece of jadeite", as the city's gardens are described by He, have lasting legacies, guiding people how to live.
"With the basic colors of white and black, they set an elegant tone for the following development of Suzhou," she says. "So we rarely see tawdry design in the modern urban construction of this city. The aesthetics of the gardens also inspire us to think about how to create a poetic living environment at home."
For Bai, from the garden administration, the 108 gardens form a cultural network and create a continuous path through time and space that paves the ethos of this city. She says further display of their values can contribute to transforming the whole city into a "park", delivering benefits far beyond tourism.
"Managing a city is more than governing land. People now dig deeper into history and can, as such, delicately cultivate a city's growth in a way that suits them," she says. "Ecological protection and many other urban infrastructure projects can learn from the design ideals of the classical gardens."
Zhu Haijun, director of Suzhou Conservation and Monitoring Center for the Classical Gardens of World Cultural Heritage, considers education programs for the young generation as key to passing down the intangible legacy for the future.
"The future destiny of the classical gardens is in their hands," he says. "We'd like to plant a seed in their hearts so that the gardens can continue to thrive through the ages."
As night falls in the Humble Administrator's Garden, the largest among the 108 sites, soft light and a melody imbued with a sense of antiquity combine to evoke a memory of ancient literati, under a silvery moon.
By a pond, artists deliver Kunqu performances, an ancient local opera famed for its elegant movements and lyrics, which was listed as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001. Digitized versions of traditional Suzhou paintings are projected onto the walls giving the impression of slightly waving in the breeze. It is another immersive visiting program that began last year.
The subtle grace of the gardens still flows via the languid canals that snake across Suzhou. Hardly felt, their strength in shaping the city's character seems to linger forever.
譯文：
編者按：中國擁有56項聯(lián)合國教科文組織登記在冊的世界遺產(chǎn)。這些自然和文化的瑰寶何以閃耀依舊？又如何在新時代對國家的發(fā)展有所啟迪？《中國日報》的“大美中國”系列報道將在全國范圍內(nèi)選取十組遺產(chǎn)地。在本期當(dāng)中，我們歡迎讀者來到江蘇蘇州，步入靜謐的古典園林。
蘇州園林：文化遺產(chǎn)，根植于斯
蘇州園林給予世人對于過往的驚鴻一瞥，而它所娓娓道來的也關(guān)乎我們的未來，請看來自王愷昊的報道。
晨光熹微，伴隨著鳥兒的囀鳴和彌漫于氤氳空氣里的花香，680歲的獅子林醒來了。此時的晨霧尚未散去。望一眼亭臺與假山，抿一口綠茶，早早到來的游客在江蘇省蘇州市中心的這座園林里感到了幾分禪意與內(nèi)心的安寧。
獅子林始建于元代（1271-1368）。當(dāng)幾位禪師最初興建這座園子的時候，他們可能只是想要遠(yuǎn)離塵囂而求得一片安靜的歸隱之所。然而，在往后的數(shù)百年間，這座園子卻因其迷人的魅力，特別是那水畔形若獅子的怪石假山，使得登門的名人貴客絡(luò)繹不絕——他們留下了不勝枚舉的詩篇畫作與歷史典故。
歲月消逝，當(dāng)年的寺廟已不復(fù)存在。但對于來到蘇州的游人來說，獅子林依然是他們必須一看的勝地。
與古時的前輩們相比，讓人們所傾心的仍是同一片景致。然而，在如今的世俗紛擾之中，人們?nèi)粝塍w驗須臾的寧靜恐怕得花更多的功夫。
為此，蘇州市園林和綠化管理局規(guī)劃管理處副處長柏靈芝表示：“近年來，我們一直在努力恢復(fù)蘇州古典園林的歷史風(fēng)貌，而雅致的園林不能徒有空殼。
“我們需要用更多創(chuàng)新的方案把游人引入園林所營造的生活方式當(dāng)中，而當(dāng)代人的審美也會因此得以升華。”
去年，一個新的項目由此開啟。在正常的運營時間之前，通過預(yù)約的游客可以在清晨組成小團走進獅子林參觀。在參觀行程的最后，他們將完成制作傳統(tǒng)折扇的最后一步——往扇面上題寫一首歌詠獅子林的詩詞。
通過這種詩意的方式，蘇州古典園林的流金歲月會浮現(xiàn)于人們的腦海。
白靈芝表示：“這樣的體驗?zāi)茏屛覀兝斫夤糯袊娜说闹腔?、高雅的品味以及富含哲理的世界觀?！?/p>
?。ㄏ罗D(zhuǎn)16版：“情感折射”）
副標(biāo)題：園林的情感折射：擁自然入懷，興文化之源
規(guī)模宏大、裝飾華麗或是色彩奪目，這些并非所有地標(biāo)建筑的標(biāo)配。蘇州園林恰恰相反。
包括獅子林、拙政園和滄浪亭在內(nèi)，最負(fù)有盛名的九座蘇州古典園林分別于1997年和2000年被列入了《世界遺產(chǎn)名錄》。聯(lián)合國教科文組織對蘇州園林有過這樣的評價：“沒有任何地方比歷史名城蘇州的九大園林更能體現(xiàn)中國古典園林設(shè)計‘咫尺之內(nèi)再造乾坤’的理想……這些園林折射出中國文化取法自然又超越自然的深邃意境?！?/p>
滄浪亭始建于11世紀(jì)，也是現(xiàn)存蘇州園林中歷史最為悠久的一座。盡管如此，據(jù)蘇州市園林和綠化管理局局長曹光樹介紹，史料記載蘇州最早的私家園林則要追溯到公元4世紀(jì)。
到了16至18世紀(jì)，蘇州成為了經(jīng)濟重鎮(zhèn)，而這段時間也見證了蘇州古典園林的鼎盛時期。那時，全城上下差不多有250座園林。
有些園林無可避免地消失于時間長河中，但有些更晚近的園林則一直欣欣向榮。于2015至2018年進行的一項園林普查結(jié)果顯示：全蘇州現(xiàn)存108座古典園林，其中的57座都位于姑蘇區(qū)歷史悠久的街巷之中。
蘇州園林設(shè)計院院長賀風(fēng)春表示：“蘇州園林將自然界不同的地貌融入到設(shè)計當(dāng)中，也由此體現(xiàn)了人們對于自然的尊崇。這些園林啟迪著我們?nèi)プ穼づc周圍世界的和諧共生?！?/p>
她還進一步解釋道：“走進一座園子就像打開一幅傳統(tǒng)中國畫。所以，古代中國的哲學(xué)和道德觀也隨著這樣的畫卷藏于園林的細(xì)微之處。”
比如，在選擇造園植物時，人們會更傾心于梅、蘭、竹、菊，而它們被古代中國文人奉為“四君子”，也代表著傳統(tǒng)文化中的高尚情操。
1634年，中國歷史上第一部園林藝術(shù)專著《園冶》刊行。自此以后，它便一直指引著中國、日本乃至其他國家造園藝術(shù)的發(fā)展。
或許，蘇州園林就是書中一行字的縮影。它是這么說的：“雖由人作，宛自天開?！?/p>
賀風(fēng)春表示：“日本園林往往遵循非常嚴(yán)格的規(guī)制，還會透露出‘物哀’的情緒。蘇州園林則與之不同，人們會通過造園尋求一種與自然的親近關(guān)系。這樣一種對生活的熱愛會帶來更加豐富的景致和更宜居的環(huán)境?！?/p>
在之后的幾百年間，蘇州在很大程度上主導(dǎo)著古代中國風(fēng)景園林的總體發(fā)展方向。
比如，蘇州是清朝（1644-1911）皇帝出京城下江南時最心儀的目的地之一。乾隆皇帝（1711-1799）曾六游獅子林。
賀風(fēng)春不禁問道：“如果不是皇帝們對于蘇州園林偏愛有加乃至在北方加以‘復(fù)制’，還會出現(xiàn)像承德避暑山莊這樣恢弘的皇家園林嗎？”
而對于那些蘇州古典園林來說，無論曾經(jīng)的主人是達(dá)官顯貴還是文藝名流，亦或是富豪巨賈，它們作為寓所的日子已經(jīng)一去不返。盡管如此，誠如賀風(fēng)春所言，蘇州城的園子就像“散落于一塊翡翠上的珍珠”，它們留下的遺產(chǎn)世代傳承，也在引導(dǎo)人們?nèi)绾稳ド睢?/p>
賀風(fēng)春解釋道：“古典園林用黑白兩種基本色為之后蘇州城市的發(fā)展定下了素雅的格調(diào)。所以，在這座城市里，我們很少在現(xiàn)代都市建筑中看見俗氣的設(shè)計。園林的審美也在啟發(fā)我們思考：如何在自己的家中創(chuàng)造詩意的棲居環(huán)境。”
在園林綠化局的柏靈芝看來，蘇州城的108座園林構(gòu)成了一張文化之網(wǎng)。它們所建構(gòu)出的文化路徑穿越了時間與空間，不曾中斷，并由此塑造了蘇州城的氣質(zhì)。她進一步認(rèn)為對蘇州園林價值的闡釋將有助于將整個蘇州城打造成為一座“公園”，而這所能惠及的將不僅僅只是旅游業(yè)。
“城市管理不僅僅只是管理一塊土地。人們現(xiàn)在可以對本地的歷史進行更深層次的挖掘，并在此基礎(chǔ)上精心打造出適合自身的發(fā)展路徑。生態(tài)保護乃至城市基礎(chǔ)建設(shè)的方方面面都能從古典園林的設(shè)計理念中有所收獲?！?/p>
蘇州市世界文化遺產(chǎn)古典園林保護監(jiān)管中心主任朱?？≌J(rèn)為，想要將園林的無形遺產(chǎn)代代相傳以惠及未來，面向青少年的教育項目是關(guān)鍵。
朱?？”硎荆骸肮诺鋱@林未來的命運就把握在他們的手中。我們想在他們心中播下一顆種子。歲月經(jīng)年，園林將會一直生生不息?！?/p>
蘇州的108座園林中，規(guī)模最大的是拙政園。夜幕降臨，月色皎潔。合著柔和的燈光與飽含古意的樂曲，此情此景不免讓人憶起古代的文人墨客。
池畔，藝術(shù)家們獻上源于蘇州本地的昆曲表演。昆曲以其典雅的身段走位與唱詞聞名于世，于2001年被列為“人類口頭和非物質(zhì)遺產(chǎn)代表作”。傳統(tǒng)蘇州畫作的電子影像投射于墻面，又仿佛在微風(fēng)中輕輕搖曳。這一沉浸式參觀項目同樣始于去年。
運河水網(wǎng)蜿蜒著穿過蘇州城。那份細(xì)微處的園林之雅依然隨著水道徐徐流淌。它輕柔地幾乎難以感觸，但又似乎力道十足地塑造著這座城市的性格，歷久綿長。
