Study of Xu Fang’s Jian Shang Garden in the Early Qing Dynasty

The Jian Shang Garden was a classical garden built by Xu Fang, a loyal supporter of the Ming Dynasty, in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. During the dynastic changes, many Ming scholars refused to serve the new regime and became adherents of the former Ming Dynasty of their own accord, a special social phenomenon in early Qing Dynasty. The study of the gardens built by this special group can enrich the Chinese history of classical gardens to a certain extent. By analyzing paintings and historical documents, this paper studies the original site of Jian Shang Garden, various garden elements and the later stage development of the garden, and draws the plane diagram of the garden and summarizes its historical value. It is expected to advance the depth of researches of the development of classical gardens in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.