the chinese garden is a condensed, compacted, micro-universe - with elements of the natural world symbolised by their micro-scale counterparts. for example, mountains are represented by human scale rock figures, whereas seas and oceans are represented by fish ponds and other kinds of water reservoirs. thus, the chinese garden is intended to be a synecdoche for the (natural) universe as a whole. they were often constructed as a retreat for relaxation by those who were able to. there are many possible vistas and views inside such a garden, some intended and others not. architecture plays a vital role in the chinese garden, providing a sheltered platform and offering (a) point(s) of view to those who seek it. this image shows an example of the four different vistas afforded by an archetypal "viewing platform." note that 3 of the vistas point to the natural landscape, as if each were framing a separate micro-universe. also note that the scale of the openings allow them to act as both portal and viewing frame, such that one could easily step through them into the universe that they depict, just as alice tumbled through the hole into her wonderland.
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