The Processual Theory of Terrapoetic Urbanism

This chapter presents an analytical and empirical examination of representative cases of urban formation in ancient China, elucidating the role of mountain–water urbanization across multiple spatial scales. Through examples from Suzhou, Shaoxing, and Hangzhou, the chapter demonstrates that urban form emerged not from isolated design intentions or formal aesthetics, but from integrated responses to landscape structure, hydrological conditions, and institutional frameworks. The analysis shows that regional landscape systems shaped through long-term human intervention constituted the ecological foundation and cultural substratum of urban development, revealing a dynamic and adaptive relationship between urbanization processes and their supporting natural environments.