The Figure–Ground Relationship Between Shanshui and the Urban

This chapter introduces Terrapoetic Urbanism as a framework for understanding urban development through the long-term interaction between cities and regional landscape systems. Rather than treating Shanshui (mountain-and-water landscapes) as a scenic backdrop, the book demonstrates how regional landscape systems function as the spatial, ecological, and cultural substrate of urban formation. Integrating regional and dynamic analysis with historical interpretation and empirical case studies, it traces how natural landforms, water networks, and human interventions jointly shaped urban site selection, spatial structure, and resilience across different historical periods. Through analyses of cities, districts, and river basins, the book reveals a process of continuous adaptation between landscape systems and urban growth. By reinterpreting traditional landscape wisdom within contemporary planning discourse, this work offers critical insights for sustainable urbanization, resilient infrastructure, and landscape-based urban design in rapidly changing environments.