The Relationship between the Images and Texts of Jinchang Famous Garden and Zizhiyuan Ji and a Historical Survey of the Making of Gardens

The Jinchang Famous Garden, an exquisite long scroll attributed to Wen Zhengming, vividly captures the enchanting garden scenery outside Changmen in Suzhou during the Ming dynasty. This paper gathers and organizes relevant historical materials pertaining to both the painting and the garden it portrays, conducting thorough textual research to accurately present the creation of both the artwork and the garden. Through textual analysis, it is postulated that the painting depicts the Zizhi Garden of Xu Feng, a renowned calligrapher in Ming dynasty Suzhou. Interestingly, this painting was originally titled Mountain Gardens during the Ming dynasty, with the name Jinchang Famous Gardens being assigned by later collectors, based on inscriptions found within the painting. Intriguingly, there exists a discernible correlation between the depicted garden landscape in the painting and the descriptions found in Zizhi Yuan Ji. By integrating garden painting and garden literature, this study drafts a plane schematic diagram of the garden, concluding that the garden exhibits a high degree of sophistication in terms of site selection, garden layout, and construction. This study holds dual historical significance, offering valuable insights into both Ming dynasty gardens and the garden painting of the Wumen school.