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| Claire Gothard ('19) |
After studying Islamic Art in Morocco, I have been aware of the amazing artistic symbolism that contributes to the calming, focusing quality of historical gardens. I was ecstatic to see that in our first week in China we were not only visiting the Yu Gardens in Shanghai but also visiting Suzhou the home of many exquisite gardens. I was excited to compare the things I had learned and enjoy the beauty of these famous gardens.
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| Yu Garden, Shangai, China |
The Yu Garden was a private garden, as many in China were. The winding landscape contains many beautiful shaded areas, buildings, walls, doorways, and even a small plaza they now use for traditional concerts. The plants include many trees and bamboo to provide shade and simulate a forest. The water features are large and include fish that you can see and bridges to cross. The importance of rocks in Chinese garden art is something I hope to learn more about. The rock formations, both in the garden and as internal displays, are graceful and unique. The formations are supposed to reflect the mountain paradises of immortals. In Suzhou, we spent the most time in the Humble Administrator’s garden. It is a UNSECO World Heritage site and as our guide said “the most beautiful garden in the south of China.” The sprawling grounds reflect the Chinese aim of personal gardens reflecting the beauty of the natural world. The paths wind around and up and down through passages and over many ponds. The numerous pagodas and rock features reflect the needs of the aristocracy and literati owners and the traditional Chinese rock art. The striking similarity to Islamic gardens is the geometric mosaic walkways present in both of the gardens.
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| Kesbah, Rabat, Morocco |
The Islamic empires actually drew a lot of artistic inspiration from China. Though the influence is not as direct as it is in pottery, the Chinese garden style affected, most strongly, the Mughal Empire’s gardens. The Mughals emulated China by constructing terraced gardens and using technology advances to create bubbling water features. In Rabat, Morocco, the Kesbah has a traditional Islamic style garden – it has quadrants with cultivated plants that provide visual and olfactory stimulation as well as shade. In Islamic culture, gardens are representative of paradise (heaven) on earth. Water, geometric features, and beautiful plants are paramount in Islamic gardens. Water features are typically moving, like streams, to reflect Qur’anic verses about the four rivers in heaven. Shade is another important factor. Art of the Islamic garden was developed in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. Running water and shade were precious and thus reminiscent of paradise.
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| Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou, China |
Gardens are representative of the heavens in so many cultures. I think the garden designers capture and manipulate the inherent beauty in nature to reflect the culture’s specific tastes. Gardens are an escape from the chaos and imperfection of the real world and a reflection of the best qualities. The multidimensional experience of sound, sight, touch, and smell makes both styles of garden immersive and impactful. I am excited to move to Xian, which has a larger Muslim population, and see if Islamic garden art is present.
Claire Gothard, of Louisville, Ky., is a member of the McConnell Scholar Class of 2019. She studies economics, political science, international business and Middle East and Islamic studies at the University of Louisville.
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