Abstract

This chapter analyzes a city that was never built, and that only enjoyed an existence in two somewhat obscure but fascinating texts, written by the notorious Chinese intellectual Zhang Jingsheng (1888-1970). The two texts were entitled "An Aesthetic Outlook of Life" (Mei de renshengguan, 1924) and "The Method of Organisation of an Aesthetic Society " (Mei de shehui zuzhifa, 1925); they described in detail Zhang’s vision of a “Beautiful China” (mei de Zhongguo) and a “Beautiful Beijing” (mei de Beijing). Zhang Jingsheng’s grand designs for his ideal city were very much inspired by his personal experiences as a university student in France. And even though Zhang never explicitly cited Ebenezer Howard’s (1850-1928) "To-morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform" (1898), the seminal text of the British Garden Cities Movement, Howard’s influence could also be discerned in Zhang’s utopian scheme.