Journal of Landscape Research 2020, 12(3): 101–104, 107

Analysis of Landscape Gene Identification and Its Characteristics of Traditional

Villages: A Case Study of Zhuge Bagua Village
CHEN Hui
(College of Horticulture and Gardening, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China)

Abstract With the promotion of rural revitalization strategy, the protection of ancient villages belonging
to characteristic villages has been paid more and more attention. Based on the perspective of landscape
gene, this study used the technology of gene identification and extraction of settlement landscape to
identify the unique landscape features of Zhuge BaguaVillage from four aspects of architecture, layout,
culture and environment. The results showed that the layout of Zhuge BaguaVillage was special and with
the help of the surrounding landscape texture, the layout looked like eight trigrams; Zhuge Bagua Village
building was a typical Hui-style building with exquisite decoration and carving; Zhuge BaguaVillage attached
great importance to Fengshui, was based on clan blood, and advocated Confucianism and farming; Zhuge
Bagua Village was located in a beautiful landscape with a special layout.
Keywords Zhuge Bagua Village, Ancient villages, Landscape gene, Landscape texture, Layout
characteristics
DOI 10.16785/j.issn 1943-989x.2020.3.021

1 Identification and determination factors[2]. The gene identification index system wuhou Temple in the period of the Emperor
of landscape genes in Zhuge Bagua is the premise of gene identification in Zhuge Shizong of Ming Dynasty. There are four
Village Bagua Village. The characteristics of traditional entrances in the Dagongtang, all of which
1.1 Principles and identification meth- villages in Zhuge Bagua Village from the are three bays. There is a stage on the inner
ods of landscape gene extraction in perspectives of main building, residential side of the gate house, so the room has deep
Zhuge Bagua Village building, landmark building, layout form, depth, with a corridor of 8.3 m. In front of
Landscape gene refers to the cultural cultural factors and reference environmental the house is an open corridor, and there is an
landscape in a certain region, which is different factors were analyzed, and the landscape gene attic like a archway. On the two rear corners
from the basic unit of cultural landscape identification index system of Zhuge Bagua of the worship hall, there are four columns
characteristics in other regions. Landscape gene is Village was establishesd[3]. Combined with the each forming a cluster. This practice is quite
the most effective tool to study the formation of research situation, we can identify the genes special, which is rare in other places. The wood
landscape in a certain area from the perspective of traditional villages of Zhuge Bagua Village components are painted dark red. The four
of geography and key factors affecting landscape from the perspectives of architecture, culture, front and back gold pillars in the center of the
evolution, find out the content of cultural heritage environment, layout form, etc., and establish central hall of Dagongtang are made of cypress,
and describe the unique characteristics of landscape gene identification index system catalpa, candlenut and toon respectively, with the
cultural landscape. According to the uniqueness of traditional villages in six categories and 18 homonym “BaiziTongchun”.
principle of landscape gene identification, by indexes (Fig.2). 1.3.2 Residential building. Index factors include:
using simultaneously the most common methods 1.3 Results of landscape gene identi- architectural form, building materials, architec-
of landscape gene selection, such as element fication of Zhuge Bagua Village tural decoration. The residential buildings are
extraction, figure extraction, structure extraction, According to the landscape gene identi- arranged symmetrically, and the main forms
meaning extraction[1] (Fig.1) and selecting the fication system of traditional villages and the are: three living rooms with two wing-rooms,
main, landmark, residential buildings, layout four basic principles of gene expression and closed and introverted small patio courtyard,
patterns, cultural factors and village environment identification methods, from the main public and involution. In addition to various anti-theft
factors from the landscape genes of Zhuge buildings, residential buildings, layout, cultural facilities, the rich people’s houses are finally
Bagua Village, the characteristics, functions and factors and reference environmental factors closed, surrounded by high brick walls. The brick
significance of the landscape genes of traditional of Zhuge Bagua Village, combined with the fire sealing wall is conducive to fire insulation in
villages of Zhuge BaguaVillage were revealed. collection of various research materials of Zhuge the settlement with high building density. Zhuge
1.2 Landscape gene identification Bagua Village (Fig.3), the results of landscape Village has many houses in Ming and Qing
system of Zhuge Bagua Village gene identification of Zhuge Bagua village were Dynasties, including blue brick, grey tile, wharf
The traditional village landscape mainly obtained. wall, fat beam, fat column and little boudoir.
refers to a kind of ancient village architectural 1.3.1 Main public buildings. Index factors 1.3.3 Landmark building. Index factors
group form, which takes the blood relationship include: architectural form, building materials, include: architectural form, building materials,
as the link, is well preserved and has the architectural decoration. The Dagongtang is architectural decoration. Prime Minister’s
largest scale and research value. In the process Zhuge Liang’s memorial hall. It only worships ancestral Hall: there are five doors of Prime
of formation and development, the village Zhuge Liang’s gods and portraits, and holds Minister’s Ancestral Hall. The door, bedroom
landscape of Zhuge Bagua Village is mainly spring and autumn sacrifices for Zhuge Liang. and two verandahs are not large in scale, and
influenced by its geographical and cultural It is not a ancestral temple. It was called Zhong- the decoration is also simple. Only the corbel

Received: March 31, 2020 Accepted: May 20, 2020

101
 Analysis of Landscape Gene Identification and Its Characteristics of Traditional Villages

supporting the cornice purlin on the eaves crafts of specific inheritance techniques[4]. complex, decoration of residential buildings,
column head is carved with winding grass, which Based on the landscape gene recognition building materials, geographical location of
is dense and appropriate, with bright and delicate system, the landscape gene characteristics of buildings, etc; the layout gene characteristics
lines. Eaves column and mountain column are traditional villages of Zhuge Bagua Village were analyzed from the aspects of overall
all stone square columns, and the diameter of were divided into four types: architectural gene shape, composition and characteristics of
four gold columns in the center is about 50 cm. characteristics, cultural gene characteristics, layout; cultural gene features mainly consider
There are “Maoliang” on the left and right of layout gene characteristics and environmental cultural beliefs, customs, traditional handicrafts,
the Shu column in the atrium. There are ox legs characteristics. The main aspects of architectural etc; the environmental gene characteristics
on the column head, and there are corbels under gene characteristics are: single structure of were analyzedby extracting the information of
the beam end, all of which are exquisitely carved. residential buildings, overall form of building topography, river system and site selection of
On the winter solstice every year, the Prime
Minister’s Ancestral Hall holds a ceremony of
Landscape gene identification of traditional villages
ancestor worship-winter sacrifice.
1.3.4 Layout form. Index factors include:
layout composition, layout concept and layout Principles of landscape Methods of landscape Landscape gene identi-
characteristics. The structure of ZhugeVillage is geneidentification geneidentification fication system
mainly in the form of agglomerations, centered
on the Ancestral Hall and built according to the
Fengshui of Yin and Yang and five elements.
External uniqueness

Environmental char-
Cultural characte-
Architectural chara-
Structure extraction
Internal uniqueness

Meaning extraction

Layout haracteristics
Element extraction
Overall advantages

Generally speaking, the houses of a member of

Local uniqueness

Figure extraction
Fangpai are surrounded by the Fangpai ancestral
hall, and these agglomerations form the main

acteristics
cteristics
part of the village. Mound divides the village

ristics
into two parts: the east and the west, each with
an avenue leading to the village along the foot of
the mountain on the east side. The building faces Fig.1 Landscape gene identification system of traditional villages
to the west, southwest, east and northeast. This
Architectural form
orientation keeps the house low in front and high
at the back. The house is “zuochaomankong”, Main public buildings Building material
which meets the requirements of Fengshui.
Architectural decoration
1.3.5 Cultural factors. Index factors include: relig-
ious beliefs, traditional customs. In Dagongtang, Architectural form
two sacrifices a year pay more attention to the
Residential building Building material
spring rites, and in the prime minister’s ancestral
hall, two sacrifices a year pay more attention to the Architectural decoration
autumn rites. The traditional customs are wedding
and other customs. Architectural form
1.3.6 Reference factors. Index factors include:
Landmark building Building material
topography, river system and site selection. Bagua Landscape gene
identification index
Village area is like the bottom of a pot, with low system of Zhuge Architectural decoration
and flat in the middle and gradually high around. Bagua Village
Layout composition
Four directions of water converge at the bottom,
forming a pond, which is Zhong Pond. With Layout form Layout characteristics
Zhong Pond as the center, there are eight alleys
extending in all directions, leading to eight high Layout concept form
hillocks outside the village, whose plane is similar
Totem logo
to the eight trigrams.
Cultural factors Religious belief
2 Analysis of landscape gene
Traditional custom
characteristics of Zhuge Bagua
Village Topography
The landscape gene characteristics are
the regional characteristics and distinctive Reference environmental factors River system
characteristics embodied by the materialization Site selection
of traditional architecture and decoration within
a region, and also include the unique historical Fig.2 Landscape gene identification index system of traditional villages of Zhuge
culture and folk custom skills and traditional Bagua Village
102
Journal of Landscape Research

village from Zhuge Bagua Village[5]. the other is Xuyan King Temple (commonly (Fig.4).
2.1 Analysis of architectural gene char- known as Yangtang Temple); one is in the north 2.1.3 Decoration and materials of residential
acteristics of Zhuge Bagua Village and the other is in the south. ④ The commercial building. It is plain and durable, simple and
2.1.1 Single structure of building. It is characterized building is a water loft. generous, mainly in black color. Roofs are mainly
by the layout of buildings in groups. ① The 2.1.2 Overall form of building complex. The gabled roofs; building structure is brick and
Prime Minister’s Ancestral Hall is located in feature is that the house axis is perpendicular to wood structure. The ancestral hall and houses
the southeast corner of the village, which is the the contour line. The building faces to the west, in Zhuge Village use a lot of polished brick and
small water gap of the whole village. It faces the southwest, east and northeast. In this direction, carved door faces, which are called Su brick
northeast and leans on Taoyuan Mountain, which the axis of the house is perpendicular to the door heads by local people (Fig.5). Residential
is in line with Fengshui practice. ② Dagongtang contour line, so as to keep the house low in front buildings of Zhuge Village are often decorated
is located in the center of the whole village, facing and high at the back, with “zuomanchaokong”, with exquisite carvings, including wood, stone
southeast to Taoyuan Mountain. Dagongtang is so as to meet “rising higher step by step” and brick carvings, and the techniques include
located in the main cave of Fengshui. ③ There are required by Fengshui. There are three major round, openwork and relief. The common
two large temples in the village; one is Longfeng residential areas, namely Meng, Zhong and Ji, themes of sculpture include peaceful and
Temple (commonly known as Gaolong Temple), each centering around on its own ancestral hall auspicious bottles, cases, litchi, pan, surplus year

Facade of Dagongtang Plane of Dagongtang Prime Minister’s Ancestral Hall

Vegetable garden

Bedroom
Bedroom

Main
room
Bedroom
Patio

Patio

Bedroom Landing hall

Gate Screen wall with

Su brick
Patio

Dagongtang
0 3m

Detail of parts of Ancestral Hall Layout of Zhuge BaguaVillage Topography of Bagua Village

Tianchi Mountain Daciyan

Xianshan Mountain
Zhong Pond

Peripheral transit
road
Zhuge Village

Fig.3 Landscape gene characteristics of Zhuge Bagua Village

Fig.4 Building complex Fig.5 Door head with Su brick

103
 Analysis of Landscape Gene Identification and Its Characteristics of Traditional Villages

after year, auspicious clouds and hundreds of the liquor workshop. The terrain of the liquor Pond as the center, the village is surrounded by
blessings, birth of a son in succession, three workshop is flat, the streets are tidy and the Dagongtang and other ancestral temples, and 8
friends of winter of pine, bamboo and plum, location is significant. The other is in the shape lanes are built around to radiate to all sides. The
and four gentlemen of plum, orchid, bamboo of belt and develops along the contour line. The whole village is divided into 8 parts, so that all
and chrysanthemum[6]. third one is in the shape of belt. residents in the village can be naturally classified
2.1.4 Site selection of residential building. It is 2.3.2 Lane. With Zhong Pond as the center, into eight parts: Kan, Liang, Zhen, Ku, Li, Kun,
characterized by leaning on the mountain and there are eight alleys extending in all directions, Dui and Qian. Eight hills around Zhuge Village
facing the water and south. Most of the houses leading to eight high hillocks outside the village. outside make the village in the shape of eight
and ancestral halls are located on both sides of The lanes constitute the basic vein and texture trigrams.
the road and street. Therefore, the building faces of the whole Zhuge Bagua Village, which closely 2.4.3 Religious system. Zhuge Bagua Village
to the west, southwest, east and northeast. link the various residential buildings, and the worships Confucianism and Fengshui. It pays
2.2 Analysis of environmental gene lanes are narrow. The lanes in the village are attention to Fengshui concept, the Fengshui
characteristics of Zhuge Bagua Village vertical and horizontal (Fig.8). of Yang residence of Zhuge Village attaches
2.2.1 Mountain. It is surrounded by mountains. 2.3.3 Patio. The function of the patio is lighting, importance to “gathering wealth”. Geomancy
Zhuge Village is surrounded by mountains, ventilation, water collection and drainage. compares water to wealth, and the residence
with Tianchi Mountain and Daciyan in the Worship hall has a small patio on the left and must be “SishuiGuixin”.
north, Xianshan Mountain in the west, Hailong right, which is called “Riyue Patio”. The whole
Mountain and Shilingxi in the east (Fig.6). There area of the patio is a pool. The patio is very 3 Conclusions and discussion
are some rolling hills in the village, roughly north- narrow, only 3–4 m wide, 1.5–2 m deep, even less By using the technology of landscape gene
south. The largest one is Taoyuan Mountain, than 1.4 m deep. It is paved with strip stone, with identification and extraction, the index system
which is located in the middle[7]. ditch on the edge. Every family has two big water landscape gene identification index system was
2.2.2 Water. It is characterized by passing tanks, or a brick pool, which is full of rainwater. constructed and the characteristics of landscape
through the village. Shilingxi, which originates There are several fish in the tank. Several pots of gene in Zhuge BaguaVillage were analyzed from
from Tianchi Mountain, bends from the north to evergreen plants are often displayed in the court. the aspects of layout form, architectural style,
the south (Fig.7) and passes through an ancient 2.4 Analysis of cultural gene charac- environmental elements and traditional culture.
well for drinking water for tens of miles. teristics of Zhuge Bagua Village The results showed that: From the pers-
2.3 Analysis of layout gene charac- 2.4.1 Festival customs. There are many festivals pective of architecture, residential landscape
teristics of Zhuge Bagua Village and customs in Zhuge Bagua Village. Local elements were often typical representatives of
2.3.1 Overall layout. It is in the form of eight traditional color is strong. There are two lantern regional landscape elements. As for a residential
diagrams. Zhuge Village is located on several fairs in Zhuge Village in the first month of the building, its landscape elements can be roughly
low Gangfu, which are generally from northwest lunar calendar every year. Spring and autumn divided into six aspects: ① Zhuge Village’s roofs
to southeast. The main vein of the village sacrifices for Zhuge Liang are held on April 14 were mostly gabled roofs; ② the shape of gable was
extends along the Gangfu. In general, the village and August 28 of the lunar calendar. Next to regular “tu” shape; ③ the facade of Zhuge Village
boundary is divided into the northeast and the spring festival couplet, a pair of Yuanbao cut was one or two floors; ④ the plane structure was
southwest parts. There is a pond at the entrance with gold paper or silver paper is pasted on each mainly composed of three living rooms with two
of the village. A large ancestral hall is built family. Pay a New Year call in the first month of
N
behind the pond. At the southeast corner of the lunar year; go sweeping in Qingming Festival;
Com atouqiang
of M

Beilou Pond is middle water gap, with Temple eat five yellow in the Dragon Boat Festival;
merc

of Guan Yu and a chastity archway. They are all give night food in July. There are alsocustom
ial str

located in the east and face the west, standing activities:the birthday of the kshitigarbha and
eet

side by side. Temple of GuanYu is like a lock, three day and night Daoism field. Commercial street Xiatang Road
and chastity archway is like a key, which locks the 2.4.2 Cultural beliefs. Zhuge Bagua Village of Shangtang
water gap, which is conducive to “cangfengjuqi”. pays attention to Fengshui construction and
There are three major residential areas. One is advocates farming-reading culture. With Zhong
Xi
nk
ai R
oa
d
Xi
nd
ao
Ro

Legend
ad

First class road

Second class road Jiu
Third class road sh
iR
Pond oa
d
Commercial street of ShangtangXiatang Road section
Yiqin LaneChangshou Road section
Xingtang Road section
Fig.8 Context of Bagua Village
Fig.6 Mountain potential Fig.7 Water vein (To be continued in P107)
104
Journal of Landscape Research

flowerpots can be put into indoor or balcony colleges and universities has unique advantages. application of horticultural therapy in mental
for daily maintenance. However, the indoor Agricultural colleges and universities have health education of college students. Journal
temperature, light and other conditions often teachers who master horticultural technology, of Jinzhou Medical University (Social Science
can not meet the growth of some plants, so the and have obvious advantages in horticultural Edition ), 16 (1), 60-62.
selection of plant varieties needs to be planned technology and most of the agricultural colleges [8] Liu, B. X., Liu, T. Y. & Meng, X. et al. (2018).
in advance. and universities have their own experimental Suggestions on the application of horticultural
3.2 Setting up elective courses land, which can be used to cultivate plants, so therapy in forestry colleges and universities.
Through the form of elective courses, tem- the site and technical problems are relatively Science & Technology Information , 16 (13), 147-
porarily solve the problem that it is difficult for easy to solve. Therefore, agricultural colleges 148.
personnel to convene. At the same time, it is and universities can be used as horticultural [9] Wu, Z. X., Qiu, H. Z. (2013). The role of
necessary to establish a community, strive for the therapy pilot to collect experimental data, help horticultural therapy in cultivating the positive
support of the school, set aside a fixed time for improve the implementation of horticultural psychological quality of college students. Health
community activities, so as to facilitate the active therapy program, so that we can carry out better Medicine Research and Practice , (1), 96-98.
participation of students. promotion in the future. [10] Wang, Q. (2019). Study on the influence of
3.3 Planning ahead and arranging the different types of campus green landscape on
activity flow reasonably References the health of college students (Master’s thesis).
On the one hand, strive for the support [1] Li, S. H. (2011). Introduction to horticultural Retrieved from China National Knowledge
of the project in the school and get some therapy . Beijing: China Forestry Press. Infrastructure.
experimental funds for research. On the other [2] Geng, Y. R. (2019). Application of fragrant plant [11] Zhao, R. L., Zhang, Y. L. & Wang, Q. et al.
hand, plan the funds and activities as a whole. Jasmine in college students. Journal of Green (2019). Study on the influence of peony viewing
For example, arrange the fertilizer production or Science and Technology , 24 (12), 44-46. activities on the physiology and psychology of
cultivation activities to the early stage, and then [3] Cai, X. D., Li, S. L. (2015). The application of college students. Landscape Architecture , 26 (6),
carry out the embossing or flower arrangement horticultural therapy in mental health education 109-113
activities after the flowers bloom, or carry out of agricultural college students. Journal of [12] Liu, H. J. (2018). A study on the effect of horti-
the vegetable or fruit tasting activities, which can Yangtze University (Natural Science Edition ), culture course on college students’ mental health
not only enable students to observe the whole (12), 77. (Master’s thesis). Retrieved from China National
growth cycle of plants, but also reduce the waste [4] Zhang, H. R., Huang, Y., & Gao, Z. M. et al. (2017). Knowledge Infrastructure.
of materials. Advantages of horticultural therapy for students [13] Gao, B., Ye, H. R. & Lian, X. M. (2019).
majoring in Chinese medicine in agricultural The application experience of horticultural
4 Conclusions colleges. Journal of Xinyang Agriculture and therapy in the psychological growth of college
At present, more attention has been paid Forestry University , 27 (4), 139-141. students. Journal of Fujian Forestry Science and
to the psychological state of college students. [5] Song, Y. H., Ju, G. H. & Yang, C. et al. (2017). Technology , 46 (1), 134-138.
Each school has arranged teachers who Campus horticultural therapy: The new direction [14] Huang, X. X., Ma, B. H. & Zhang, L. F. et al. (2018).
are specially responsible for mental health. of maintaining the mental health of college The application exploration of horticultural
Horticultural therapy is close to nature and students. Chinese Horticulture Abstracts , (12), therapy in improving the mental health of
has good effect of intervention and it has 219-222. college students of college of landscape
been widely concerned. As a new medical [6] Ma, Q., Zhang, P. & Zhang, L. F. et al. (2019). architecture and tourism: A case study of
method, it has a very good effect on human Innovative application of horticultural therapy Agricultural University of Hebei. The Journal of
physical, mental health and society. Although in mental health education of college students. Hebei Forestry Science and Technology , (4), 14-
it is difficult to promote it in an all-round way, Xiandai Horticulture , 373 (1), 147, 193-194. 17.
the pilot implementation in some agricultural [7] Liang, G. D., Shi, L. Y. (2018). Analysis of the
************************************************************************************************************************

(Continued from P104) settlements in Hunan Province. Acta Geogra- Resource Development & Market , 33 (9), 1123-
wing-rooms; ⑤ the local decoration was three kinds phica Sinica , 68 (2), 219-231. 1126.
of sculptures; ⑥ the building materials were black [2] Liu, P. L. (2014). Landscape and gene of home: [5] Liu, P. L., Liu, C. L. & Li, B. H. (2010). Analysis
brick and wood. From the perspective of layout Deep exploration of landscape gene map of of landscape characteristics and gene of
environment, Zhuge BaguaVillage was in the traditional settlements . Beijing: Commercial Chinese traditional ethnic settlements. Scientia
shape of eight diagrams; from the perspective Press. Geographica Sinica , (6), 810-817.
culture, it attached importance to Fengshui [3] Liu, P. L., Liu, C. L. & Deng, Y. Y. (2010). Study [6] Su, J. (2011). Tian, Di and Ren: Analysis of
culture and emphasize Confucianism and on landscape division and landscape gene the landscape composition of the traditional
cultivation. Zhuge Bagua Village has its unique identification elements of traditional Chinese residential settlement in Zhuge Bagua Village.
landscape culture gene, and how to inherit and settlements. Acta Geographica Sinica , 65 (12), Journal of Nanjing Forestry University (Hum-
protect these is worth pondering. 1496-1506. anities and Social Sciences Edition ), (3), 71-75.
[4] Yang, L. G., Liu, X. L. (2017). Spatial characteristics [7] Chen, Z. H., Lou, Q. X. & Li, Q. X. (2003).
References of the cognition of landscape genes in Dong Zhuge Village . Chongqing: Chongqing press.
[1] Hu, Z., Liu, P. L. & Cao, S. Q. (2013). Spatial minority traditional villages: A case study of
characteristics of landscape gene of traditional Zhaoxing’s Dong Village, Guizhou Province.
107
Copyright of Journal of Landscape Research is the property of WuChu (USA - China)
Science & Culture Media Corporation and its content may not be copied or emailed to
multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission.
However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.