One Garden, A World Beyond A Small Space, An Infinite Grace
Associate Professor Leng Tian Embarks on Academic Exchange Tour in France
To advance the international development of the school and disseminate traditional Chinese garden culture, Associate Professor Leng Tian from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University undertook a series of academic exchanges in France from October 1 to 7, 2026. This marks the-first-ever appearance of our faculty speaker at a UNESCO event. Through keynote speeches, university lectures, touring exhibitions and overseas book publication, he builds a bridge for Sino-French civilizational dialogue rooted in garden-design practice.
Fig.1 Associate Professor Leng Tian delivers keynote speech at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris
On October 1-2, Associate Professor Leng Tian attended the International Conference on Peace hosted by the Traditional Culture Foundation of UNESCO. On October 2, in Hall 4 of UNESCO Headquarters, he delivered the bilingual Chinese-English keynote Design and Creation of the Chinese Garden at the Louvre-Lens. This is the first time a faculty member from our school has taken the floor at UNESCO. Drawing on this transnational garden-construction project, he shared practical experience of implementing traditional Chinese garden philosophy abroad and analyzed design concepts, technical challenges and cultural representation in cross-cultural contexts. Chaired by Professor Anne Gagey (President of Université d’Artois), Professor Cai Zongqi (Peking University) and Professor Michel Espagne (École Normale Supérieure de Paris), the session gathered specialists from multiple countries for cross-civilization discussion. The presentation won high acclaim, followed by lively scholarly exchanges on cross-cultural interpretation of garden art and contemporary inheritance of traditional culture.
Fig.2 Partial group photo of participants at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris
Fig.3 Associate Professor Leng Tian presenting at UNESCO conference hall
Fig.4 Associate Professor Leng Tian taking part in forum discussion
On October 6, invited by ESCE Business School (Paris Campus), Leng Tian gave a full-English lecture titled The Chinese Garden at Louvre-Lens: Design and Construction, attended by around 50 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Supported by first-hand project materials, he walked through the complete journey of this overseas Chinese garden from concept to completion and interpreted its unique spatial aesthetics and humanistic spirit. During Q&A, teachers and students held in-depth discussions covering differences between Chinese and Western garden philosophies, global dissemination of garden art and Sino-French cultural integration, creating a vibrant academic atmosphere.
Fig.5 Associate Professor Leng Tian delivering lecture at ESCE
Fig.6 Associate Professor Leng Tian delivering lecture at ESCE
Meanwhile, a series of touring exhibitions themed on the Chinese Garden at the Louvre-Lens were held across France. Starting from March 2025, they included Associate Professor Leng Tian’s solo exhibition and a thematic photography show by our alumnus Hou Bowen, both covered by local French media. Between September and October 2026, the touring exhibition of project drawings and documentary photographs travelled to Université d’Orléans and ESCE Business School. Featuring design sketches and on-site photos, these shows presented Chinese garden ambience and craftsmanship to French teachers, students and the general public. Drawing large crowds, they sparked great interest in Chinese garden culture among local youth and academia.
Fig.7 Touring exhibition of the Chinese Garden at Louvre-Lens , Université d’Orléans
Fig.8 Touring exhibition of the Chinese Garden at Louvre-Lens, , Université d’Orléans
In addition, the book Une porte sur un univers culturel (One Portal, to One Cultural Universe), co-edited by Leng Tian and Zhang Qiang, was published in France in September 2026. From the perspective of Chinese gardens, it explains Chinese ideology and culture embodied in garden symbols for international readers, offering a fresh reference for global scholars studying Chinese garden heritage.
Fig.9 Book cover
Fig.10 Copyright page of the publication
Integrating forum presentations, university lectures, thematic exhibitions and overseas publication, this France visit presents China’s contemporary garden-architecture achievements in multi-dimensional ways. Based on real-world projects, Associate Professor Leng Tian shared traditional Chinese architectural culture with international scholars and young audiences, enhancing the school’s global academic influence. It strengthens partnerships between our school and French universities as well as international organizations, laying a solid foundation for future cross-border research, talent exchange and cultural communication. It puts mutual learning among civilizations into practice and helps fine traditional Chinese culture go global.
(Source: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University)