A Chinese garden has never been just a collection of trees, flowers, and ponds. From its inception, it represented a philosophy of life in which humans are not the masters of nature, but an integral part of it. It is this deep connection between landscape, history, and the human soul that today's documentary film reveals, dedicated to the legendary imperial garden of Shanglinyuan, which is the largest garden complex in Chinese history.

As a child, I heard that if you want to be happy for an hour, drink a delicious beverage; if you want to be happy overnight, spend that time with a girl; but if you want to be happy for a lifetime, create a garden. And so, I have always been amazed by even the most ordinary, neglected, but mysterious gardens in Prague, in Žižkov, or by gardens that were established more than two thousand years ago and were expanded by Emperor Han Wu-ti (Liu Che) from the original royal park into a monumental garden empire of approximately 2500 square kilometers. This created a place that had no equal in human history.

Sixty-three gardens, twelve palace complexes, mountains, rivers, forests, hunting grounds, and thousands of species of plants and rare animals created a space that combined the beauty of nature with the power of the Han dynasty. Plants were brought from distant parts of Persia, tempting grapes from the western regions of the Silk Road, and exotic trees from the southern regions of the world. Shanglinyuan thus became a symbol of the openness of the mind and the learning of China at that time to the surrounding world. It was not only the emperor's residence, but also a place for diplomatic meetings, cultural celebrations, and scientific exploration of nature, and in general, all kinds of social processes.

This film will not only captivate you but will also remind you that the true greatness of a garden lies not only in its size, but in its ability to connect people with the landscape and nature in general. And here is the main thing that I feel Europeans have perhaps forgotten: in Chinese philosophy, a garden represents a synonym for the very image of the universe, where every tree, sprout, graft, stone, water, dewdrop, and path has its meaning. Nothing here is accidental. The harmony of each garden arises from the balance of opposites, light and shadow, movement and stillness, human work, and natural growth.

A strong thread of this documentary is the personal journey of the painter and sculptor Li Xiao-chao, who searches for traces of the long-vanished Shanglinyuan in the villages of the Shaanxi province. He gradually discovers that history never truly disappears. It lives in the walls of old houses, in the faces of local residents, in folk songs, operas, celebrations, and in the daily work in the fields. It is here that the film gains its philosophical dimension. The past is not a closed chapter, but a stream that, like an underground river, constantly nourishes the present. One does not have to search for history only in museums. It is enough to listen carefully to the landscape, which remembers the footsteps of ancestors.

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A simple yet magnificent painting by the artist serves as a powerful metaphor, stretching over ten meters in length. It depicts ancient imperial processions intertwined with modern villages, hunters with farmers, and palaces with ordinary courtyards. The past and present are not separate worlds here; they are two facets of the same story. The documentary also reminds us that even the greatest empires do not last forever. Shanglinyuan experienced a period of unprecedented flourishing, but also decline. Political conflicts, wars, and societal changes gradually destroyed the garden. Nevertheless, its spirit has not vanished. It has been passed down through culture, traditions, and, above all, the people who still live on this land today.

The film's final message is therefore not nostalgic, but optimistic. The true legacy of a civilization is not created by stone palaces or monumental structures. The greatest value lies in the people, their ability to preserve traditions, to find joy in everyday life, and to pass on experiences to future generations. Chinese gardens are not just architectural masterpieces of world history; they are a reflection of a philosophy that teaches humility, patience, and respect for time. They remind us that human life is fleeting, but that culture, if rooted in the hearts of people, can endure for centuries. Shanglinyuan may have disappeared from the maps, but it has not disappeared from memory. It lives on in songs, paintings, landscapes, and human stories. And that is where the greatest beauty of Chinese gardens lies – they are not just a place to visit, but an idea that can be rediscovered again and again.

Jan Vojtěch, Editor-in-Chief of General News

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