SHELLY BRYANT ON A Living Art Form: A Walk Through a Classical Chinese Garden
A companion event to the lecture “A Living Art Form: The Making of a Classical Chinese Garden,” this walk through Suzhou-style leisure grounds will take us to the oldest of Shanghai’s five remaining classical gardens, Zuibaichi in Songjiang. The walk will demonstrate the various techniques used to bring the philosophy behind traditional Chinese landscaping to life into a physical space. Construction on the Zuibaichi Garden – one of the best-known gardens in the Jiangnan region – was begun in the late Ming Dynasty. It is well preserved today, with an air of serenity that is missing from some of the more popular tourist destinations in other parts of Shanghai or Suzhou. The quiet setting allows for a leisurely walk, during which we will examine in more detail how the garden expresses an underlying view of life that was treasured by Chinese scholars in ancient times. Many of the trees in the Zuibaichi Garden are over three hundred years old, and some of the peonies have been there for more than a century. This feel for an age-old tradition permeates the grounds, inviting us to enter into the tradition, walking back in time to witness the heights of classical Chinese culture.Shelly Bryant divides her year between Shanghai and Singapore, working as a teacher, writer, researcher, and translator. She is the author of two volumes of poetry, Cyborg Chimera and Under the Ash, and a travel guide to Suzhou entitled Suzhou Basics. Her third volume of poetry, Voices of the Eldersm and her travel memoir The End of the Line are slated for release in early 2012. Her most recent projects include writing an updated guide to the city of Shanghai for Urbanatomy and translating Sheng Keyi's novel Northern Girls (《北妹》) for Penguin Books. Shelly's poetry has appeared in journals, magazines, and websites around the world, as well as in several Shanghai-based art exhibitions, including dark 'til dawn, Things Disappear, and Studio White • Exhibition 2011.N.B. This RAS Weekender will be limited to a maximum of 20 participants and RAS Members will have priority booking until the 15th of April 2012.
FULL PROGRAMME FOR A Living Art Form: A Walk Through a Classical Chinese Garden
RSVP: By latest 19th April 2012. Members have priority booking until 15th April 2012.
MEETING POINT: Downtown Shanghai. To be advised to confirmed participants.
MEETING TIME: 9.15am
DEPARTURE TIME: 9.30am by specially arranged bus directly to Zuibaichi Garden, Songjiang.
10.00am: Garden walk with Shelly Bryant.
12.00pm: Picnic lunch in the teahouse of the Zuibaichi Garden.
You be able to select your sandwiches, snacks and salads from the Element Fresh menu. We will arrange to order and collect the selection to bring with us on the bus.
2.00pm: Return by bus to the original meeting point in downtown Shanghai.
Menu: TBA to confirmed participants.
Requirements: Minimum 12 people, maximum 20 people.