Methods and Logic in Landscape Studies: The Formation of Yanziji in Nanjing as a Case Study
Time: April 30, 2025
Venue: Room 102, Teaching Building II, Pukou Campus, Nanjing University
Speaker: Hu Xiaobai, Associate Professor at the School of History, Nanjing University.
Moderator: Wu Weiyi, Associate Professor at the School of Arts, Nanjing University.
Content Summary:
This lecture will examine the methods and logic of landscape studies through the case of Yanziji in Nanjing. Due to its location at a key inland waterway junction and major river crossing in northern Nanjing, Yanziji has long been a site of frequent human and commercial traffic—laying the foundation for its evolution from a natural riverside cliff into a celebrated cultural landscape. Since the mid-Ming dynasty, literati have visited the site, composing poetry, prose, and paintings that enriched its cultural significance and deepened the integration between the Yangtze River and Nanjing’s urban culture. By tracing the historical development of Yanziji and the surrounding riverside landscape belt, the lecture will illuminate the river’s pivotal role in shaping urban cultural space, offering a critical perspective on the symbiotic relationship between Nanjing and the Yangtze River.
