Abstract:In the Lingnan region of China, where summer diseases and epidemics are prevalent, the flourishing Lingnan garden culture of the Ming and Qing dynasties contains subtle healing wisdom. Taking the scholars’ gardens in the north of the Pearl River in Guangzhou during the Ming and Qing Dynasties as an example, we examine the historical materials such as the New Language of Guangdong, Panyu County Record, Haishan Xianguan Scroll, etc. and the old Lingnan medical books such as the Essentials of Chinese and Foreign Hygiene, to reveal the unique characteristics of the Chinese medical healing of the scholars’ gardens in construction the Guangzhou area during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, in terms of the selection and of the site, the layout and spatial creation of the gardens. It also analyses the correspondence between the healing activities of the gardens and the creation of landscapes from psychological and physiological perspectives. It can be summarized as the selection of the garden site which is suitable for good luck, dispelling illnesses and the terroir; the garden environment which avoids the summer heat; the garden healing practices such as meditating, singing and enjoying music, and banqueting and drinking, etc. which reflect the characteristics of psychological healing; and the garden healing practices such as archery, climbing, boating in the lake and breaking the litchi and keeping animals, etc. which reflect the characteristics of physiological healing.
