Dissertation on Oriental Gardening

book by Chambers

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June 25, 2026

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Dissertation on Oriental Gardening was a 1772 book by Sir William Chambers. It presented a fanciful account of Chinese gardens, intended to promote the burgeoning trend of irregular garden design in England. The book contributed to a revolt against the prevailing formal garden styles, advocating for a more naturalistic approach inspired by Eastern aesthetics. Chambers' work, though not always accurate, helped popularize the concept of the "English garden," which blended European ideas of the sublime with Chinese principles of landscape design. This shift marked a significant departure from the architectural, controlled gardens previously favored in the West.12

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garden and landscape design
Chinese
The famous Dissertation on Oriental Gardening by the English architect Sir William Chambers (1772) was a fanciful account intended to further the current revolt in England against the almost universal Brownian park garden.
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The famous Dissertation on Oriental Gardening by the English architect Sir William Chambers (1772) was a fanciful account intended to further the current revolt in England against the almost universal Brownian park garden.
Read More