We will begin with the design of the Chinese garden, which tends to be less known and understood, and end with a discussion of the Japanese garden style, form and elements. One's first impression of a Chinese garden is that it is small, rough in appearance, hard, represented by concrete or rock, and without lawn or grass. There is a reason for all of this. An exploration of the Chinese technique will give you an appreciation for the purpose of what you see in the Sino-garden. Typically the style is to create human-made elements that represent the natural world.
Imagination is a very important part of the Chinese effect.
One's mental state or spiritual being is valuable for interpreting the Chinese garden. Hill and pond garden Irregularity of lines commonly define this garden. An informal, nonsymmetrical arrangement of elements in the garden contrasts with the straight lines and balanced or geometric order seen in buildings. Often the best experience of the Chinese garden is the view encountered from within a structure like a house, where all the lines are are vertical or horizontal, and to view the garden, often through a round window, the curves and irregularities of rock and plant act like a picture of nature on the wall. Poets and painters evoke the same emotional response in the observer.