Linpan in Chengdu Plain

A farmhouse in Chengdu Plain.
A Typical Linpan Unit in Pi County

The Linpan in Chengdu Plain is a special settlement in Chengdu Plain, Sichuan, China, which consists of farm house with woods around, irrigation system, farm land and is elementary unit of the village within the scattered locations. The rural landscape of Chengdu Plain is beautiful and unique because of the typical element "Linpan".[1] The production, life and landscape features set in one of the rural settlement pattern that is formed with the history, which is in line with local rural living environment commonly known as "Linpan Settlement in Chengdu Plain".

Introduction

The LinPan in Chengdu Plain, as a principle rusticity landscape in the Chengdu Plain might be define as a complex habitation mode. Generalized Linpan in Chengdu Plain refers to the Linpan Settlement system in the region of Chengdu Plain, also known as Linpan settlement. Moreover, LinPan in Chengdu Plain are the representative of farming type in western Sichuan that combine production and daily life in one landscape. It is understood that the cores of Linpan in Chengdu plain are trees and bamboo, but the main inscapes of this landscape are water, houses and fields, including any kinds of natural and artificial elements. It is usually inhabited by surname or clan as settlement units showing the layout in a decentralized manner and in the form of a typical natural villages. Small-scale Linpan generally have only a few dozen peasant families, however large-scale Linpan may contain hundreds of households.

Linpan in Chengdu Plain originated during the Ancient Shu Civilization and formed in a long period of immigration, which has been thousands of years history. It is not only reflected in the local farming culture, but also is the crystallization of traditional farming civilization era. The Linpan Settlement system coordinates with local farming conditions, traditional farming behavior and living life, and plays a crucial role in preserving the environment of Chengdu Plain.[2] Furthermore, it has society, culture, aesthetic and ecology value and make the rural landscape of Chengdu Plain different from the other area of China. The key reasons that it came into being, can be analyzed as natural environment, farm culture, the history of immigration, society culture.[3]

The rural landscape of Chengdu can be described as patches(the vast plain of farm land ), corridors(roads and irrigation Canals ), and matrixes(small matrixes are thousands of Linpans, big ones are towns). Linpan is the key element that make Chengdu rural landscape unique.[1]

Features

Culture

Linpan Settlement in Chengdu Plain inherited Chinese traditional farming culture and has a farming history for thousands of years, but it also has its own characteristics. Sichuan is a historic and typical region of traditional intensive farming culture in China, while the Chengdu Plain, is an important place of origin and development of this culture. Chengdu Plain provides the requisite conditions for the continuation and development of the farming culture, such as pleasant environmental conditions, warm and humid climate, abundant water and fertile land.

In the second place, Linpan in Chengdu Plain combines the Dujiangyan irrigation system, agricultural production, family system and lifestyle, that integrates the daily life in Chengdu Plain, production and ecological environment. It is a perfect combined spatial form of cultural symbol and use value. Linpan in Chengdu Plain formed as the basis of millennial Dujiangyan irrigation works, which solved the decisive factor, water, for the farming culture development. Formed a pattern of ecological farming, which regard Dujiangyan irrigation system as its core, Chengdu plain as its hinterland and Longquan Range as its protective screen. The intensive Linpan Settlements, fully reflects the farming culture which has the Sichuan water cultural characteristic.

Ecology

Chengdu Plain irrigated by the Dujiangyan irrigation system is a semi-natural wetland ecosystems. It provides a habitat for birds, but also provides a food base and living space for human beings. The symbiosis of people and woods even more continues today. The mainly landscape elements in this living environment are fields, woods, farmhouse and water and these four main elements are harmony and interdependence：

  • Pattern of woods-water, creates the integration of woods forest network and water network.
  • Pattern of woods-fields, shows a high performance in biodiversity.
  • Pattern of woods-farm house, creates a pleasant microclimate.

In terms of vegetation other than crops, the dominant plant type in Chengdu Plain is evergreen broad-leaved forest because Chengdu locates in the subtropical humid monsoon climate zone. Affected by the same rainfall and heat pattern, Linpan demonstrates similar zonal characteristics in the natural distribution of plant community structure with some distinctive variations. In the Linpan landscape, the main vegetation types surrounding residential buildings are evergreen broad-leaved forests and bamboo stands with frequencies of 25% and 32%, respectively. In contrast to the overall high biodiversity of Linpan as a rural settlement, the vegetation around houses are rather uniform. In most farming Linpan, the plant structure is dominated by a single type of tree or bamboo such as Metasequoia or Cedar. The relatively mixed forests mostly exist in Linpan aiming at developing rural tourism.[4]

Form

The whole Linpan settlement in Chengdu Plain that lies between the cities and towns as roads crisscross, coupled with the water-intensive. It is in space to form a "checkerboard" pattern, such a network, which distributed a number of scattered Linpan landscape units.[5] Linpan Settlement generally based on single-family or family group as a unit, scattered among the field.

In terms of shape it is characterized by small-scale and recognizability. The scale of the farm village in Chengdu Plain is very small. The radius of the buildings, surrounding courtyards and bamboos always within 30 meters. This kind of compact small village has a strong identifiable and easy for people to grasp farming activities.

The buildings in Linpan are generally typical one-story Western Sichuan folk residential buildings with Galley or L-shape layout built by individual household respectively. Usually, 3-5 household form a small Linpan unit, and 20-30 households form a big Linpan unit，which are surrounded by tall trees and bamboos to shelter from wind.

One of the most significant features of Linpan and almost all Western Sichuan folk housing is that the buildings always enclose a courtyard called “Baba”, and “Baba” is where most domestic and interactive activities happen. People dry crops, hang out washed clothes, talk and play Mahjong with neighbors, and even host family banquets (Baba Yan) in the "Baba" courtyards.

The Causes for the Formation of Linpan Culture

Geographical and Environmental Conditions

Chengdu Plain is a relatively independent and complete geographic unit sitting in the western Sichuan Basin. The area of Chengdu Plain is about 9100 square kilometers in size and 450–750 meters in altitude. Chengdu Plain is a river alluvial plain, and its fertile soil and large open flat land provides a firm foundation for farming development. In addition, the mild subtropical monsoon climate brings rich heat and abundant rainfall, making it suitable for human habitation and production. With the warm winter and the early spring, crops and bamboos can grow year round. Another unique advantage of Chengdu Plain is the well-developed irrigation system. After the construction of Dujiangyan, most farmland achieved gravity irrigation. Along with ample surface and groundwater resources, the dispersed rural living pattern became possible.[6]

Economics and Production

The relatively stable climate and advanced water irrigation and management system in western Sichuan provide a powerful guarantee for the independent farming of individual households. In order to promote crop production, farmers choose to live scattered near their own land to devote more labor to intensive rice farming. In addition, the scattered pattern solves the shortcomings of long distance transportation in the fields. Moreover, surplus manpower and large courtyards make it possible for farmers to supplement agricultural income by operating home textiles, bamboo basket weaving or raising livestock, and grow fruits and vegetables. With all these factors, the production of the Linpan gradually evolved into the current pattern.[6]

Migration

There have been six large-scale migrations in history from other provinces to Sichuan province, creating the unique and inclusive culture of an immigrant society. Migrants promoted the social and economic development of the region in many ways and various customs they introduced created the compatible features of a new culture. During the migration process, bloodlines were broken and the concept of clans was diluted, so rather than being bind by kinships, people were more related by geographic and production approximaty. In the new settlements, people could be equal regardless of their origins, allowing the Linpan culture of a scattered living pattern to flourish.[6]

Culture and Customs

Western Sichuan Plain is an important source of Taoism. Since the Ancient Shu Civilization, people living in the region have valued nature and freedom over careers and regulations. Later generations of the Shu in the unique geographical and cultural environment also inherited the philosophy of prioritizing pleasure, leisure, and the freedom of life, which formed the social basis for Linpan culture. Another reason explaining the settlement pattern is the tradition of living separately in single-family homes instead of large unified homes with parents and relatives. By splitting up into smaller units, there are more initiative and flexibility for households to live and produce.[6]

Distribution of Linpan

Linpan Settlement mainly distributed in the Chengdu Plain, however, Chengdu Plain belongs to the Sichuan Basin. Sichuan Basin is one of the famous big basin in china, whose terrain is relatively inaccessible. It is surrounded by 1000–2000 meters above sea level mountain, one of the few mountain up to an altitude of 3000–4000 meters. Basin covers an area of about 170,000 square kilometers, mostly in elevation between 300–700 meters.

The Chengdu Plain covers an area of about 23,000 square kilometers and is the largest plain in southwestern China. It lies on the marginal region of the Sichuan Basin and rivers from the high mountains to the north and west brings soil and water supply to the vast land.[7] The Chengdu Plain located among Longquan range, Longmen Mountains and Qionglai Mountains.[3] The great Minjiang River, together with its tributaries, runs across the Chengdu Plain to form an expansive water network.[7] Because the formation of factors, Linpan mainly distributed in flat terrain area, that the most typical ones are in Chengdu Plain. In addition to Sichuan in China's western provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and other places also have distribution.

The typical Linpan Settlements mainly distributed in 14 districts(cities) of Chengdu Plain are Longquanyi District, Pi County, Wenjiang District, Shuangliu District, Xindu District, Qingbaijiang District, Dayi County, Xinjin County, Jintang County, Pujiang County, Dujiangyan City, Pengzhou, Chongzhou City, Qionglai City,covers an area of 11,711 square kilometers. According to statistics, Linpan in Chengdu Plain demonstrate a wide distribution (area of 9482 square kilometers). a total of 141,100 existing Linpan, Linpan total area of 67,679.87 hectares, the population living within Linpan 449.03 million, accounting for 41.50 percent of the total population of the city region, representing the city 77.09% of the total rural population; Linpan per capita area of 150 square meters. The number of existing Linpan is around 141,100, with a total area of 67,679.87 hectares. The resident population of Linpan in Chengdu is about 449.03 million, accounting for 41.50% of the total population of the city region and 77.09% of the city total rural population.[8]

Types of Linpan Settlement

Farming Type

This type of Linpan settlement mainly focus on agricultural production. The vegetation and buildings in this kind of Linpan Settlement should harmonize with the fields, and it is the ecological residence of the rural population who engaged in agricultural activities. It is also the typical vector, which is the symbiosis of people, fields, buildings, woods and water. There are some unique spatial features of the farming Linpan, which provide spaces for drying cereals and corn, stacking farming tools, intensively-reared livestock etc. These characteristics are reflected that in this kind of Linpan settlement farming as the main mode of industrial structure.

Ecological Type

With the change of time, social development, improvement of living standards and the progress of rural-urban integration, at the same time Linpan also changing.The villagers no longer satisfied with living a life of self-sufficient farming, they move to the urban area from Linpan Settlement, that causing some empty linpan Settlements. The role of these "Empty Linpan" is no longer for living, but has transformed to the ecological Linpan which has an ecological function for preserving the local environment.

Rural Tourism Type

At present, the rapid population growth led to urban sprawl and dwindling agricultural land resources. rural tourism as a compound of agricultural production and economic activities has become more and more popular. Thus, Rural Tourism type of Linpan emerged in Chengdu Plain. This type of Linpan mostly located in suburban areas, relying on agricultural production and make full use of the environment and transport advantages to develop rural inn and farmhouse catering services.It not only can satisfy local people's production and living needs, but also provide a tourism and vacation place for urban residents.

Specific Industrial Type

The main function of agricultural and forest land in specific industrial Linpan is production. Generally, the in the requirements of landscape aesthetic is less than the other types of Linpan. This type of Linpan create the multiple agricultural eco-landscape. This kind of Linpan make use of the traditional specific industry and enhance it, such as anti-season greenhouse vegetables and fruits, courtyard economy, livestock raising and other specific industries.

The Threaten of Linpan in Chengdu Plain

With the implementation of changes in land use policies and urban-rural integration in China, most households are grouped together as a group-type settlement during the new rural construction. The original distribution of Linpan formula has been greatly affected by the construction practices of farmers and the government, and the distance between farmers and land is also pulled away. Many factors can cause the number of Linpan Settlement dwindle. On one hand, many Linpan Settlement were removed or merged into a larger one. On the other hand, with the increasing number of part of the Linpan dwellers drift into cities, many Linpan Settlements are lack of management and change to be “Hollow Linpan”. All of these lead the number of Linpan Settlement decreasing each year. Pi County, a country near Chengdu, had more than 11,000 Linpan Settlement while there only has 8,000 now. A recent survey shows that the number of Linpan which holds more than 10 households living in is less than 900.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Yang, Qingjuan; Li, Bei; Li, Kui (2011). "The Rural Landscape Research in Chengdu's Urban-rural Integration Development". Procedia Engineering. 21 (1): 780–788. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.11.2078.
  2. 1 2 Fan, Yanzhi (2009). 川西林盘环境景观保护性规划设计研究 (MSc). Sichuan Agricultural University.
  3. 1 2 Duang, Peng; Liu, Tianhou (2004). 林盘: 蜀文化之生态家园 [Linpan: The ecological homeland of Shu culture] (Di 1 ban. ed.). Chengdu: Sichuan Science Technology Press. ISBN 7-5364-5577-1.
  4. ↑ 孙大江; 陈其兵; 胡庭兴; 刘光立; 孙大远; 罗启高 (2011). "川西林盘群落类型及其多样性". 四川农业大学学报. 29 (1).
  5. ↑ Zhao, Rongming (2006). 成都城市边缘区乡村聚落规划设计面临的问题与对策研究 (MSc). Southwest Jiaotong University.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "On Causes for Formation of Linpan Culture in West Sichuan Plain--《Journal of Chengdu University(Social Sciences)》2011年05期". en.cnki.com.cn. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  7. 1 2 "What makes Chengdu the Land of Abundance". GO CHENGDU. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  8. ↑ Chengdu, Urban and Rual Construction Commission (2007). "成都编制规划保护川西林盘风貌". Urban Planning Newsreport. 17: 8–9.

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