刊首语

刊首语

我们为什么要研究园林史，历史学家恩里克·霍布斯鲍姆（Eric Hobsbawm）曾说，“历史学家记住了别人忘记的东西”（Historians remember what others forget）。园林史研究的一个重要目的当然是记录过去。人类世世代代建造的各种园林，反映了当时人们的哲学、思想、理想和生活方式，记载着那个时代人类的科学技术、艺术成就和建造工艺，而这些正在或已经离我们远去。园林史研究的目的就是把过去的史实如实地记录下来，并真实地传递下去。

园林史研究的另一个目的也是面向未来。任何一个学科的发展都不能脱离它的历史。任何人，如果不能清晰地看到自己的历史，也就很难把握自己的未来。春秋时期的哲学家管子曾说，“疑今者，察之古，不知来者，视往之。”在园林历史研究的基础上，可以总结出人类以往的经验和理论，针对今天的现实，面对可能的未来，寻求有效的对策和解决问题的途径。历史有借鉴的价值，一部园林史也就是一部传承史，研史能让我们看得更远，研史有助于我们创造新的历史。

历史研究是由人来完成的，一部园林史也是研究者根据自己所掌握的资料，在自己对过去事情了解和理解的基础上归纳出来的历史，所以针对特定时期园林史的研究，不同的人会有不同的观点。在我心中，一部好的园林史研究不是为了迎合现实或是预判未来去编写历史，也不是为了佐证自己的学术思想去阐释历史，而是如实地记录和说明过去。所以，研究园林历史，首先要正确地认识历史本身，弄清历史事实发生的真相，按照历史的本来面目写历史。

一个学科的历史学习最怕误读和片面，按照历史的本来面目写历史应该是历史研究的普遍原则。这里的本来面目涉及两个重要的方面，其一是一个学科历史发展的本源，其二是这个学科所涵盖的完整范围。风景园林的历史是什么呢？无可否认，它的主要脉络来自于古代造园的历史，然而造园却远远不能涵盖风景园林的范围。风景园林作为一个学科，其研究和实践领域早在几百年前就跨出了花园的围墙，现在更是覆盖了整个大地。作为广义上的风景园林，在历史上早已有之，这些工作是由我们的前辈所从事的，他们的劳作和创造在大地之上的遗存构筑了人类的景观，这些景观和它们背后隐含的思想就是风景园林历史涉及的范围。

这样看来，我们现在普遍学习的造园史远远不能包含风景园林历史的完整内容。花园并不是风景园林学科的全部，在大地之上花园仅仅分布在极其有限的范围之内。涉及风景园林全部内容的完整历史应该是一部大地景观史（The History of Landscape）。这是一部人类适应自然，改造自然，在文化上留下思想、在大地上留下印记的历史，这部历史反映了人类与自然长期依存的关系，如果不去研究，我们以及我们的后代对这些优秀的思想和遗存也势必茫然无知。一部大地景观史是风景园林学科最基本的理论基础，也是今天的景观保护、管理、规划和设计思想的重要源泉。只有研究了这部历史，我们才能更好地了解自己过去，才能在寻求传承的命题之下更多地发现祖先的智慧。

弗朗西斯·培根(Francis Bacon)曾说“读史使人聪明”（Histories make men wise），然而聪明取决于一个人如何阅读历史。作为园林史的研究者当然应该专注于历史之中，寻求历史的本来面目。作为风景园林的实践者，也必须要研习历史，但不应过于沉湎于历史之中而失去对现实的敏感，也不可由于历史的远去和今夕之别而充满对现实和未来恐惧，当然更不能陶醉于自己过去的历史成就之中而对未来充满盲目的自信。

PREFACE

The historian Eric Hobsbawm noted that “Historians remember what others forget”, which also helps to answer why the landscape architects should study on the landscape history. The main objective for such a research is to review what happened in the past. Through the long time developing from generation to generation, the landscape works created from different periods record the human artistic achievement of science and technology, art design and building techniques, which would reflect the philosophy, idea and local life style in different ages as well. Landscape history is the study of the way in which humanity has changed the physical appearance of the environment - both present and past.

With more challenges in the future, landscape history research emerged as an academic discipline, to consider about our future have to lean upon a clear understanding and identification on our past. A wellknown Chinese philosopher Guanzi once said, "look back to the history could answer your questions today; see the things he have done in the past let you understand the man in front of you". It is significant that summarize past experiences and theories according to the development history, to explore the effective measures and the approach to solving current problems. A landscape history is a history of spreading, within departments of archaeology, landscape developing, local history or continuing education for the possible future.

The history book is always recorded and written by a group of people. Based on the information they collected, the researchers summed up the history in his understanding of past things. In this way, different writers will have different views towards a specific period history. In my heart, to accommodate the reality context or anticipation to identify history book, or to support someone’s academic thoughts to interpret history cannot create a valuable landscape history record. Only truthfully recording the things in the past is authentic. When we refer to the history of landscape architecture, should understand correctly the history itself, to find out the truth of the fact.

To learn the history of a discipline studying must avoid misunderstanding and being single-faceted. Indeed, seeking for the reality and the truth is the common principle of historical research. In term of the historical truth, should consider two key aspects, one is the source of historical development, the second is the range. For landscape architecture history, it originated from the ancient garden making, and then developed fast and not been restricted to the garden craft. The scope of landscape history ranges from specific individual features to areas covering hundreds of square miles till the whole land planning. Generally speaking, topics studied by landscape from the morphology of settlements like natural landscape, then develop to the status of settlements, field boundaries and field systems and gradually generate the new concept cultural landscape. The all hidden behind such landscape developing and their thoughts finally establish the scope of landscape architecture history.

At present, the gardening history we widely learn in universities actually cannot realize the entire contents on the landscape architecture history. Over the earth, the garden making is only within very limited scope if compared with the landscape. If identify the full history on the landscape discipline developing, it must be a result based on the History of Landscape. The history expresses we how to adapt to the natural environment, how to accomplish the nature remaking, and leave the mark on the earth with gaining the cultural thoughts, which reveals the longterm interaction between human and nature. Through learning the history, we would understand the historical heritage more accurately and get the intelligences and good thoughts from them. Apparently, the history of Landscape is served as the fundamental for landscape architecture discipline, also provides references for today's landscape protection, landscape management, planning and design thoughts. All landscape designers should study the history of Landscape. The more we know about the past, the more brilliant works we could carry out for the future.

Francis Bacon once said, ‘Histories make men wise’. To be more exact, the approach you examine and understand the history will determine how much knowledge and wisdom you obtain from the history. As the history researchers, they focus on the history itself, of course, to strive for the real nature of things actually happened in the history. Meanwhile, if you are a landscape practitioner to study history, they have to keep an eye on the reality and the demands without devoting all their energy to history study. Despite we read the history and recognize what happened in the past, we still cannot fear of the reality and the future. At the same time, landscape architects should pay more attention to the unquestioning confidence towards the future although we earned considerable past achievements.

June 18, 2016 WANG Xiang-rong