West Lake cultural landscape of Hangzhou

The West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou stands as a testament to the enduring influence of traditional Chinese landscape design principles, blending 'harmony between humans and nature' with poetic and artistic inspiration from literature and poetry. This 700-year-old tradition, rooted in the ninth century, has not only persisted but also spread across China and into neighboring countries like Japan and Korea. The landscape's core value lies in its integration of six creation elements that reflect Chinese cultural aesthetics, where culture dominates nature, creating a unique and significant heritage site. This study underscores the historical and cultural significance of West Lake as an outstanding example of how landscape design can embody and perpetuate cultural values over centuries.

Zhang, R. (2023). West Lake cultural landscape of Hangzhou. Routledge Handbook of Cultural Landscape Practice, 362–368. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315203119-41