An Exploration of Landscape Identity in the Local Records of the Ming and Qing Dynasties:

LIU Yin; WANG Guoguang; ZHANG Zhizheng; YI Liang

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-0232.2025.01.009

Abstract："Landscape Identity"is formed as a result of the emotional value and the cognitive meaning visitors assign to physical spatial structures in the landscape.The landscape records in the Local Chronicles of Ming and Qing Dynasties of China are based on the elites'consensus on cultural aesthetics.On the one hand,they act as important references and official templates for local landscape identity.On the other hand,they influence perceptual habits,feature recognition,and system establishment of local historical landscapes.A case study of the Zhaoqing Prefecture Chronicles in the Ming and Qing dynasties was carried out.The evolution of landscape identity in Zhaoqing Prefecture City in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was analyzed according to the identity community,landscape elements,and landscape system by combining choreography,human geography,and landscape architecture. In the landscape identity of Zhaoqing Prefecture City during the Ming and Qing Dynasties,literati and officials who served outside of their hometowns and pursued careers and ideologically honored Confucianism were the leading groups.Due to the historical requirement to provide information to a central administration,a compilation of local records was kept by the local magistrate of a prefecture at the time,with the cooperation of the higher officials from each prefecture. The Zhaoqing Prefecture Chronicles of the Ming and Qing Dynasties provide comprehensive details regarding the identity of landscape elements subsequent to the delineation of geographical boundaries between the prefecture city and its constituent counties.There is a notable consistency in the classification,quantity,and sequence of landscape elements in these documents.A general introduction of landscapes is given,followed by detailed introductions of different landscapes.All landscapes are divided into three types,namely,"natural mountain system","natural waters",and"artificial waters".With references to the Zhaoqing Prefecture City or its counties,landscapes are introduced from near to far and according to the geographic identifiers of"north-northeast-east-west-southeast-southwest-south". The landscape identity system of Zhaoqing Prefecture City in the Ming and Qing Dynasties has been certified by the spatial expression of illustrations and the functional screening of language,which present evolutionary relationships.The evolution of illustrations constitutes the seeking of visual truth and rich spatial expression for plotting.On the one hand,the landscape system has undergone a transformation of overall vision from a tour-view sightseeing style to a centralized style,and then to a truth-seeking style.This is manifested by a shift from the holistic,traditional approach of integrating travel intentions and scenic landscape paintings to the objective,precise,and realistic Western latitude and longitude mapping method.On the other hand,with the increased centralization of authority and improved plotting,the functions of maps have been strengthened,and the city map increasingly focuses on structural layout details,such as the layout of government agencies,road trends,wall forms,landmark buildings of government offices,and places of belief within and beyond the city limits,but weakens the secondary landscape information in periphery regions.This has resulted in the selection of the landscape system and the display of the religious customs of Zhaoqing Prefecture City that presents a view that is continually shrinking in scale but increasingly rich in detail,demonstrating both a diversified and integrated trend.The evolution of the written language is exemplified by the Eight Sights set.This represents a continuation of a systematic and structured presentation of objective urban landscapes,along with subjective aesthetic tendencies.It also demonstrates an overall development trend from landscape intuition and landscape symbols to landscape activities.Specifically,it can be discussed from two perspectives:the main sequence order and the writing form of the Eight Sights.The main sequence order of the Eight Sights is to incorporate a humanistic element into the landscape identity system.The new humanistic landscape is integrated into the landmark architectural landscapes and activities of the city.The Eight Sights Radiation Circle served as an aggregated representation of the landscape system and the landscapes of Zhaoqing Prefecture City and strengthened the services to the city.The writing form of the Eight Sights shifts from the point-like phrase description of"landscape place+objective landscape features"to the regional activity display of"landscape place+subjective behavioral scenes".It is influenced by the cultural normalization of man-landscape interactions and top-down guidance on how to behave in the official landscape identity system from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. A review of landscape identity in the chronicles provides a clear understanding of the special significance and value of historical landscapes to specific groups at different periods.It also can offer a facsimile that can be utilized to enhance the humanistic study of the historical and cultural landscape of Zhaoqing Prefecture City.Research results have some practical significance for the preservation of historical landscapes and understanding the evolution of modern human settlements in Zhaoqing Prefecture City.