Chinese Landscapes: The Village As Place [Hardcover]

Ronald G. Knapp (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

China lives in its villages, but there is no prototypical village. The variety of village designs, settlement patterns, housing forms, cultural practices, and economic activities is as variegated as China itself. This excellent book comprises 17 chapter-length studies of villages throughout China by U.S. and Chinese geographers, anthropologists, and regional planners. Four general chapters provide the historical, political, ecological, and cultural contexts. Without jargon and with great economy and insight, the authors expertly escort the reader on a fascinating tour of village China that highlights elements of continuity as well as changes wrought by political turmoil and economic progress. This copiously illustrated book will interest informed general readers as well as a specialized academic audience.
- Steven I. Levine, Boulder Run Research, Hillsborough, N.C.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Hawaii Pr (July 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824814134
• ISBN-13: 978-0824814137
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,261,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an interesting book, already outdated, November 29, 2009

By 

Emma Root (MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chinese Landscapes: The Village As Place (Hardcover)

Despite the title, and the enticing cover, this is more a book of city planning than what we in the West consider Chinese landscape illustration. And alas it is already outdated, since progress in China is fast destroying the traditional villages. Still a good read, as long as you realize its limits.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How interesting Chinese settlement landscape is!, September 1, 2009

By 

Motohide Akiyama (JAPAN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chinese Landscapes: The Village As Place (Hardcover)

Good material for geographer, architect, regional planner, regional historian, cultural anthropologist or photographer who are interested in Chinese landscape, especially landscape composed by settlement, farmland and natural landform. Landscape is basic representation to understand the character of regional culture and life style of its community. A lot of beautiful plates should give us fruitful image for Chinese landscape in historico-geographic context.