Printing Fairyland: Expression of Space and Intention in Huancui tang yuanjing tu

This paper focuses on several new discoveries in Huancui tang yuanjing tu (Illustrations of the Garden of the Hall Encircled by Jade), a special woodblock print published by Wang Tingne in the Huizhou region during the late Ming period (1573– 1644), which portrays Wang’s private garden. The particularity of this print lies in its entry into elite culture; at the same time, it represents a typical case of the integration and interaction between various visual media in the late Ming era. Previous researchers mostly view the print as a “garden painting,” and thus presuppose the validity of the images. Yet many noticeable issues remain regarding the structure and layout of this picture. An investigation of the original site of the garden has yielded the special artistic technique and functional definition hidden in the print. Moreover, such features are skillfully embodied in the context of both the geographic terrain and social culture of the Huizhou area. This article attempts to address these questions and further our understanding of the visual culture of the late Ming.