Abstract:As a vital branch of Chinese classical gardens, academy gardens embody the harmonious integration of architecture, cultivated landscapes, and natural scenery, carrying profound historical and cultural significance. Clarifying the aesthetic development process, humanistic qualities, and artistic characteristics of academy gardens can furnish a robust historical foundation and value system to support the stylistic continuity and functional activation of these spaces in the contemporary context. Using Guangzhou's Yuyan Academy as a case study, field investigations examined four key dimensions: strategic site selection, architectural composition, garden craftsmanship, and cultural continuity. The findings reveal that Yuyan Academy's location demonstrates a nature-oriented aesthetic sensibility while considering the environmental educational value. Its architectural layout follows deliberate principles, with garden spaces dynamically adapting to the terrain, emphasizing literary resonance and incorporating rich philosophical insights and aesthetic associations that reflect spiritual cultural values. Throughout history, gatherings of eminent scholars have endowed the academy with precious cultural heritage, enhancing its enduring charm through sustained cultural transmission and establishing it as a treasured gem within Lingnan's academy culture.
