Yanshan Garden is a famous classical garden with the special feature of the south of Five Ridges among the three classical gardens existing in Guangxi, and the features of gardens in the south of Five Ridges can be fully understood through the research on it. The paper has deeply studied the influence of geomantic environment consciousness on landscaping from the perspective of site selection and landscaping layout. Geomantic theory is a major basis for site selection of Chinese traditional garden architecture. Ancient geomancy originates from the theory of the Eight Diagrams inThe Book of Change, the fundamental thought of which is "avoiding wind and gathering Qi". The planning and layout of Yanshan Garden is based on views of Five Elements Theory, and corresponds with the requirements in geomantic theory. It has made full use of natural conditions of real mountains and rivers in the planning of Yanshan Garden which presents in the layout of the front or back yards. Residences and courtyards are isolated with each other, separated by portal and lattice walls, corridors and pavilions, courtyards, flowers and woods, and pools. The whole garden can be divided into five scenic areas, which are Entrance Zone, Paddy Sweet Cottage Zone, Hantong Tower-Biyun Lake Zone, Fangzhu Mountain Zone, and Ruzhong Mountain Zone, all of which are connected and separated with each other. Landscape in the garden is changeable, fully manifesting geomantic environmental consciousness of gardeners.
Gardening aesthetics implied in Yanshan garden were analyzed by combining with its natural environment,Map of Yanshan Garden of Nong Daijin and relevant researches. This study stated that Confucianism,Taoism and Zen Buddhism laid the philosophical foundation of gardening in Yanshan Garden and its gardening aesthetics included the ideas of entering or leaving the officialdom,painting style and artistic conception,beauty of natural landscape and cultural connotation of Fengshui.
