Foreword by Franco Panzini -- Evolution and Typology -- Artificiality and Naturalness -- Ethics -- Origins and Spatial Evolution -- The Gardens of the Ancient Dynasties -- The Gardens of the Sui and the Tang -- The Gardens of the Song and the Yuan -- The Gardens of the Ming -- The Gardens of the Qing -- The Chinese Garden in Modern Times -- Functions and Use -- Composition and Effects -- Spatial Articulation -- Fengshui -- Painting and Poetry -- The Spatial Framework -- A Garden of Episodes -- Scenic Views -- Elements -- Mounds and Rocky Compositions -- Water Surfaces -- Garden Paths -- Architectural Elements -- Plant Arrangements -- Reconfiguring the Chinese Garden -- The Chinese Garden and Europe -- Chinese Gardens on the Contemporary Scene -- Reinterpreting Tradition -- Toward Sustainable Open Spaces -- Short Portraits of Parks and Gardens -- Imperial Parks -- Classical Gardens -- Neo-Historical Gardens -- Contemporary Landscape Design -- APPENDIX -- On the author -- Acknowledgements -- Bibliography -- Index of Names -- Index of Gardens and Places -- Thematic Index -- Illustration Credits.