Research review on development stages and disciplinary fields of vernacular landscapes in China

This study was a systematic review focusing on vernacular landscapes in different academic realms. It explored ways for effectively building artificial ecosystems with low resources. The research analyzed the development core around two objects of agro-farmland landscapes and rural landscapes. Next, the paper made horizontal comparisons of the differences in aesthetics, sociology, cultural geography, landscape ecology, architecture and landscape architecture disciplines on the object, purpose, method and content of vernacular landscapes. Subsequently, the two major characteristics of previous studies were summarized. The first of these characteristics was that external factors dominated research focused changes of vernacular landscape according to longitudinal observation. The second was that multi-disciplinary interactions played promoting role according to horizontal observation. From the above two characteristics, it was concluded that the man's subjectivity was embodied in the experiences and wisdoms reflected in life. It was also as a result of productions and ecosystems in terms of efficient uses of local resources. There was also the incarnation of the different scales of rural settlement landscapes, farmland landscapes and integral humanism ecosystem. These presented in different material space forms and combinations with typical characteristics and patterns. These experiences and wisdoms deserved serious inheritance and development. Therefore the inherent problem of local landscape research was building efficient artificial ecosystems with low resources. As a result, the concept of vernacular landscape was a rural complex ecosystem fully adapted to specific regional natural and humanistic environments. It reflected the special relationships among humans and lands with long-term effects. At the end, it put forward the outlook of future research as deepened basic theories and nature of problems, which diversified exploration and paradigm convergence of disciplines.