The historical research of Chinese architecture and gardens under the transformations of historiography in the twentieth century

Abstract

The subject of specialized history is a concept introduced from the West to China. During the first half of the twentieth century, Chinese historians consciously attempted a paradigm shift in historiography. The emergence of specialized histories means that the writing of histories is no longer decided by traditional historians but planned by scholars in their fields. In this context, the history of architecture quickly arose, as well as the history of gardens. This article focuses on the development of Chinese garden history in the past century. Reviewing the establishment, advancement, and increasingly interdisciplinary and intercultural direction of Chinese garden history, this paper attempts to explore the future of the discipline and its more diverse possibilities.

Keywords

• chinese architecture
• chinese gardens
• historiography
• paradigm shift
• twentieth century