The physical openness of Chinese architecture toward its environment, with the resulting particular house-garden relationship, obviously displaced and strongly stimulated the Chinese love of nature. Inside a Chinese traditional garden house, the garden space is of the same value as the architectural interior space. There is no separate design of Chinese house and Chinese garden as in some contemporary architecture in which after completion of the building construction, the garden is adapted to the building. For Chinese garden house, a garden is not merely a accidental nature space but it is a purposely designed space inside the house by which man enrich his life. A Chinese garden is created in such a way as to provide a place more for the requirement of the activities of people than for the decoration of the house. That would be one of the reasons that trees are not numerous inside a Chinese garden. In China, a garden is an architectural space. Chinese garden thus becomes a part of the dwelling and is incorporated into the dwelling organism of the house.

In Chinese garden house, architecture defines garden space, and as well only through the garden can merely a house become a real home. Contrary to some contemporary residential building in which the non-utilitarian garden is considered as a luxury rather than a fundamental component. Garden is only created as a decorative element attached to sides of a building as front yard, side yard or back yard. In Chinese garden house, garden space is enclosed inside architecture. As perimetric layout, architecture serves as a three-dimensional defining element for Chinese garden space. At the same time, some architecture, such as opening pavilions and walking galleries, depends on the garden space for their particular relationship. This design technique becomes more and more significant in Chinese contemporary cities, as land become more and more scarcer and more expensive. For it corporate the separated side yard, front yard and back yard into one area. Thus, it offers us an economical and effect way to utilize land. Also, garden space is enclosed by architecture instead of solid walls or fences. Through many opening methods, such as pivoting doors and windows, opening pavilions and walking galleries, Chinese garden’s space can be extended to the interior space of surrounding building. While those opening spaces increase in number and size, the garden space loses its sense of enclose, becomes more diffuse, and begins to merge with adjacent architectural space. In addition, the “borrowing” technique can extend one’s visual limit out of the garden’s space to a larger scope. The “borrowing” adds another dimension to the garden space. The advent of the new building methods and materials, such as steel frame construction and use of glass, makes this design technique could be achieved more effectively.

The windows of some modern houses open toward the street. In order to prevent the disturbing of noise and dust from outside, the windows are covered with heavy drapes or curtains. Modern houses assume a defensive posture to the environment. In the Chinese garden house, scenes in enclosed garden provided view focus for architecture space. From large pivoting doors and windows, to small openings which frame views so that they are seen as paintings on walls, to narrow openings which give only a hint of what lie beyond the space, all of the openings of architecture face into the seclude, quite and air-fresh inside garden’s space instead of to the outside noise dust world. Thus, living inside Chinese garden house, we cannot only fully enjoy sunshine, but also can enjoy moon view, tree view, and even rain view. Ay of these things that had brought so much pleasure to ancient scholars are gradually lost from the life of urban people today. Through incorporation of the garden and architecture, Chinese garden house provides a place through which people leave behind the hurried world of profession and competition and have a rest on the secludes of this home in the mist, of cities.

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