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Open AccessArticle

Research on Changsha Gardens in Ming Dynasty, China

by

Weiwen Li

and

Chi Gao

Land 2023, 12(3), 707; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030707 - 18 Mar 2023

Viewed by 458

Abstract

Despite the growing interest in Chinese gardens, there is a lack of research on Changsha Gardens. Through document retrieval, review, and map analysis, we reconstructed the Changsha Gardens during the Ming Dynasty. Our findings reveal that gardening flourished in Changsha during this period. [...] Read more.

Despite the growing interest in Chinese gardens, there is a lack of research on Changsha Gardens. Through document retrieval, review, and map analysis, we reconstructed the Changsha Gardens during the Ming Dynasty. Our findings reveal that gardening flourished in Changsha during this period. The royal gardens, dominated by literati aesthetics, set the trend for development, while the landscaping techniques were influenced by Jiangnan Gardens. Private gardens placed more emphasis on artistic mood and cultural implications. Landscape architects incorporated towers, terraces, and suburban mountain gardening to borrow scenery. The use of spring water to create landscapes and the rectangular shapes of the water bodies reflected Neo-Confucianism and practical functions. Planting design focused on meaning over form, with landscapes used to commemorate sages and promote the farming and reading culture and other Confucian values. However, it relied too much on borrowing natural scenery and the pragmatism of the Hunan culture, which might have affected the progress of landscaping techniques and the development of Changsha Gardens. Changsha Gardens were not as skilled as Jiangnan Gardens, and the style was not as prominent as other regional schools of gardens. This might be the reason why Changsha Gardens have not become one of the regional schools of gardens in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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Open AccessArticle

The Multidisciplinary Approach in the Study of Landscape Evolution: The Fluvial Capture of the San Donato Creek (Gubbio, Central Italy), an Example of Hydrological Regime and Hydrogeological Risk Changes

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Land 2023, 12(3), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030694 - 16 Mar 2023

Viewed by 524

Abstract

Historical maps, especially those at a small scale and rich in detail (e.g., the old “Cadastres”), represent an exceptionally important tool for understanding the recent historical evolution of landscapes. The note describes the example of the territory of Gubbio, in Umbria (Central Italy), [...] Read more.

Historical maps, especially those at a small scale and rich in detail (e.g., the old “Cadastres”), represent an exceptionally important tool for understanding the recent historical evolution of landscapes. The note describes the example of the territory of Gubbio, in Umbria (Central Italy), where a map from the end of the 16th century shows a drawing of the hydrographic network partially different from the current one. A multidisciplinary study based on field surveys, observations of satellite images, archaeological discoveries, and archival research proved useful to confirm what was reported by the cartographer at the time. The possible causes that led to this variation of the surface hydrography up to its current configuration are then discussed in the light of other documentary finds from the archives, taken from the chronicles of the time, which have made it possible to identify, with sufficient approximation, the period where this change occurred. All this leads to a highlighting of a profound evolution of fluvial and slope morphogenetic processes that have affected the study area in recent centuries, in which the regulation of surface waters and afforestation, conducted during the 20th century, have played a decisive role. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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Open AccessArticle

Where the Second World War in Europe Broke Out: The Landscape History of Westerplatte, Gdańsk/Danzig

by

Wojciech Samól

,

Szymon Kowalski

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Arkadiusz Woźniakowski

and

Piotr Samól

Land 2023, 12(3), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030596 - 02 Mar 2023

Viewed by 504

Abstract

The article describes the landscape history of the Westerplatte Peninsula in Gdańsk (Poland) from the 17th to the 20th century presented as a complex process of the landscape’s environmental, urban and military transformations. Westerplatte is known as the symbolic place where the Second [...] Read more.

The article describes the landscape history of the Westerplatte Peninsula in Gdańsk (Poland) from the 17th to the 20th century presented as a complex process of the landscape’s environmental, urban and military transformations. Westerplatte is known as the symbolic place where the Second World War in Europe broke out, and for this reason the current discourse is mainly concentrated on that period. Nonetheless, the history of Westerplatte includes many other important events involving Polish, German, Russian and even French politics over the last three centuries. Thanks to its location at the entrance of one of the main harbours on the Baltic Sea, it is cartographically the best-documented part of the Vistula river estuary. A comprehensive archival survey conducted in the Polish and German archives and cartographical analysis of over 200 selected historical maps allowed the authors to reconstruct its spatial history over three centuries. This case study of Westerplatte can be regarded as an example of the research modus operandi of a historical landscape which has been transformed multiple times. It might form the basis for establishing a new policy for its preservation, allowing a balance to be kept between fluctuations of the current historical politics and more universal requirements for the protection of tangible and intangible heritage. The article also stresses the importance of a holistic and interdisciplinary approach in the analysis of a historical landscape and the necessity of proper selection and critical verification of sources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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Open AccessCommunication

Erosion Modelling Indicates a Decrease in Erosion Susceptibility of Historic Ridge and Furrow Fields near Albershausen, Southern Germany

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Land 2023, 12(3), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030544 - 23 Feb 2023

Viewed by 546

Abstract

Ridge and furrow fields are land-use-related surface structures that are widespread in Europe and represent a geomorphological key signature of the Anthropocene. Previous research has identified various reasons for the intentional and unintentional formation of these structures, such as the use of a [...] Read more.

Ridge and furrow fields are land-use-related surface structures that are widespread in Europe and represent a geomorphological key signature of the Anthropocene. Previous research has identified various reasons for the intentional and unintentional formation of these structures, such as the use of a mouldboard plough, soil improvement and drainage. We used GIS-based quantitative erosion modelling according to the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) to calculate the erosion susceptibility of a selected study area in Southern Germany. We compared the calculated erosion susceptibility for two scenarios: (1) the present topography with ridges and furrows and (2) the smoothed topography without ridges and furrows. The ridges and furrows for the studied site reduce the erosion susceptibility by more than 50% compared to the smoothed surface. Thus, for the first time, we were able to identify lower soil erosion susceptibility as one of the possible causes for the formation of ridge and furrow fields. Finally, our communication paper points to future perspectives of quantitative analyses of historical soil erosion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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Open AccessArticle

Evolving Cultural and Historical Landscapes of Northwestern Colchis during the Medieval Period: Physical Environment and Urban Decline Causes

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Land 2022, 11(12), 2202; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122202 - 04 Dec 2022

Viewed by 618

Abstract

In Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, both coastal and sub-mountainous parts of Colchis underwent rapid urbanization. In the 12th century, the processes of decline began: Large settlements were replaced by small farmsteads with light wooden buildings, and the economy transformed from [...] Read more.

In Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, both coastal and sub-mountainous parts of Colchis underwent rapid urbanization. In the 12th century, the processes of decline began: Large settlements were replaced by small farmsteads with light wooden buildings, and the economy transformed from commodity-based to subsistence-based. What caused this decline? Was it the social and political events linked to the decline of the Byzantine Empire and changes to world trade routes, or were there other reasons? This article provides the answer. The synergy of archaeological, folkloristic, historical cartographic, climatological, seismological, and hydrological data depicts a strong link between these processes and climate change, which occurred at the turn of the 12th–13th centuries. The beginning of cooling led to a crisis in agriculture. A decline in both farming and cattle breeding could not fail to affect demography. Seismic activity, noted in the same period, led to the destruction of many buildings, including temples, and fortresses, and changes in hydrological networks, which were directly linked to climate change and caused water logging, led to a loss of the functions of coastal areas and their disappearance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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Open AccessArticle

The Evolutionary Process and Mechanism of Cultural Landscapes: An Integrated Perspective of Landscape Ecology and Evolutionary Economic Geography

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Land 2022, 11(11), 2062; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11112062 - 17 Nov 2022

Viewed by 780

Abstract

Cultural landscapes are joint masterpieces of man and nature with outstanding universal value. Adequate knowledge of their evolutionary process and mechanism is crucial to their development, protection, and management. However, theoretical understanding about such has been limited as existing studies tend to focus [...] Read more.

Cultural landscapes are joint masterpieces of man and nature with outstanding universal value. Adequate knowledge of their evolutionary process and mechanism is crucial to their development, protection, and management. However, theoretical understanding about such has been limited as existing studies tend to focus on the descriptive and interpretative analysis of the evolutionary process and pay less attention to the underlying mechanism of the process. Integrating the traditional perspective of landscape ecology in cultural landscape research and theories of path dependence and path creation in evolutionary economic geography, this paper constructs a triple-layered integrated analytical framework of cultural landscape evolution and applies the framework to empirically examine the cultural landscape evolution of Mount Lushan. To grasp an accurate and full picture of the process, field observation and historical data collection were carried out, and a combination of thematic analysis and chronological organization was conducted. The research finds that the cultural landscape evolution of Mount Lushan has experienced three stages, i.e., coexistence and mutual influence of multiple cultures, conflict and integration of Chinese and Western cultures, as well as landscape transformation, revival, and expansion. Such evolution is a non-linear, dynamic, and complex process across which the elements, functions, and patterns of landscapes were constantly constructed and reconstructed. Fundamentally, it is the result of the synergistic effect of path dependence and path creation, and is driven by the interplay of the behavior of associated actors and the change of contextuality. The findings of this study can provide some strategic references for the management practice of cultural landscape heritage sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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Open AccessArticle

Walking in China’s Historical and Cultural Streets: The Factors Affecting Pedestrian Walking Behavior and Walking Experience

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Land 2022, 11(9), 1491; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11091491 - 05 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 862

Abstract

The urban street has evolved into an important indicator reflecting citizens’ living standard today, and pedestrian walking activity in the streets has been proved to be a major facilitator of public health. Uncertainties, however, exist in the factors affecting pedestrian walking behavior and [...] Read more.

The urban street has evolved into an important indicator reflecting citizens’ living standard today, and pedestrian walking activity in the streets has been proved to be a major facilitator of public health. Uncertainties, however, exist in the factors affecting pedestrian walking behavior and walking experience in streets. Especially, the factors affecting pedestrian walking behavior and walking experience in the historical and cultural streets. For the study of their main influencing factors, Hefang Street business block and Gongchen Bridge life block in Hangzhou are selected here as the study objects. Both non-participatory and participatory research methods are adopted to collect pedestrian information and observe pedestrians’ ambiguous behavior, specific behavior, and stopping behavior. According to the study result, walking preference, walking time, environmental characteristics, and land-use mix (LUM) significantly impact pedestrian walking motivation. The type differences between Gongchen Bridge life block and Hefang Street business block leads to the difference in pedestrians’ behaviors and their stopping time in business. Meanwhile, gender differences bring pedestrians’ significant differences in walking motivation. Pedestrian walking preference and walking time are positively correlated with walking motivation in both streets. Environmental characteristics and LUM have also been proved to be important influencing factors of pedestrians’ walking motivation. In this article, design and planning strategies are proposed for streets of different types in an attempt to provide reference for the revitalization and utilization of cultural heritage streets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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Review

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Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Landscape Modifications Ascribed to El Niño Events in Late Pre-Hispanic Coastal Peru

by

Marco Delle Rose

Land 2022, 11(12), 2207; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122207 - 05 Dec 2022

Viewed by 739

Abstract

Coastal Peru, one of the driest deserts in the world, is a key region to investigate the connection between climate processes and Earth surface responses. However, the trends in space and time of the landscape effects of El Niño events throughout the last [...] Read more.

Coastal Peru, one of the driest deserts in the world, is a key region to investigate the connection between climate processes and Earth surface responses. However, the trends in space and time of the landscape effects of El Niño events throughout the last millennium are hard to outline. A deeper understanding of geological and archaeological data in pre-Hispanic time can help to shed light on some critical questions regarding the relationship between such a coupled atmosphere–ocean phenomenon and landscape modifications. The bibliographic sources required for this purpose are scattered throughout various disciplines, ranging from physical to human sciences, and thus comprehensive databases were used to identify and screen relevant studies. The performed examination of these documents allowed us to assess strengths and weaknesses of literature hypotheses and motivate additional studies on targeted research objectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Historical Landscape Evolution)

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