The Linpan in Chengdu Plain, also known as Linpan settlements, (simplified Chinese: 林盘; traditional Chinese: 林盤; pinyin: línpán, literally: surrounded by woods) are traditional rural communities in the Chengdu Plain, Sichuan, China. They are characterised by small-scale farming, rectangular fields, and natural elements such as water, trees, and bamboo, all of which are supported by the ancient Dujiangyan irrigation system. Linpan settlements adhere to traditional farming practices and culture, playing a crucial role in the preservation of the Chengdu Plain's natural environment. The main structures of the human environment include patches (vast plains of farmland), corridors (roads and irrigation canals), and matrices (small matrices consist of thousands of Linpan villages, while large matrices consist of towns), all of which contribute to the beauty and uniqueness of the Chengdu Plain's rural landscape. Each Linpan unit tends to be inhabited by one or more clan- or surname-based units, which live in a decentralized manner. Smaller Linpan units generally contain a few dozen peasant families, while larger units may contain hundreds of households. Linpan settlements originated during the Ancient Shu civilization, after a long period of immigration into the Chengdu Plain. Linpan culture draws heavily from the Taoist philosophy of pleasure, leisure, and freedom, which has been historically important in the Chengdu Plain. However, due to land development and pollution as a result of China's modernisation, the Linpan way of life is now under threat.
Features
Culture Modern Linpan settlements retain many aspects of traditional Chinese farming culture, thanks to their long history. Traditionally, Sichuan has been a region with an intensive farming culture, with the Chengdu Plain serving as an important place in its development. The plain provides the prerequisite conditions for agriculture, including favourable environmental conditions, a warm and humid climate, abundant water, and fertile land. Thanks to the unique combination of the Dujiangyan irrigation system, the Linpan family system, and the region's ideal natural environment, the Linpan settlements share a number of unique elements, mostly focused on water. Linpan settlements combine traditional Chinese farming culture and Sichuan's water-based culture. For example, the Dujiangyan irrigation works evolved in tandem with the Linpan system, enabling the development of intensive agriculture. As a result, the Dujiangyan irrigation system serves as the core of the system and allows its existence.
Ecology The Chengdu Plain, irrigated by the Dujiangyan irrigation system, is a semi-natural wetland ecosystem. It also provides a food base and living space for humans and animals alike. The mutualistic relationship between the woods and their inhabitants continues today. The main landscape elements in this environment are fields, woods, farmhouses, and water. Combined, these four elements form a network of interdependence:
The relationship between woods and water integrates the forest and water network. The relationship between woods and fields creates a high level of biodiversity. The relationship between woods and farmhouses creates a pleasant microclimate for inhabitants and shields villages from wind. In terms of non-crop vegetation, the dominant plants in the region are evergreen broad-leaved trees due to the subtropical humid climate. Linpan ecology demonstrates the characteristic plant distribution of subtropical humid climates, but with some distinctive variations. In contrast to the high overall biodiversity, vegetation around houses is comparatively uniform; the main vegetation types surrounding residential buildings are evergreen broad-leaved forests bamboo stands with frequencies of 25% and 32%, respectively. In most agriculture-focused Linpan settlements, the plant structure is dominated by a single type of tree or bamboo such as metasequoia or cedar. Mixed forests are usually found in rural tourism-oriented Linpan settlements.
Form Linpan settlements lie between cities and towns, typically scattered across the countryside in a checkerboard pattern. In terms of size, Linpan villages tend to be very small. A village's buildings, surrounding courtyards, and planted bamboo almost always lie within 30 metres (98 ft) of the village's centre. This kind of compact settlement facilitates daily farming activities. Linpan buildings are typically one-story Western Sichuan folk residential buildings, shaped with a galley or in an L-shape. Individual households build their own homes. 3-5 households form a small Linpan unit, while 20-30 households form a large unit. One of the most significant features of Linpan and Western Sichuan rural housing is the presence of a courtyard (known as a “Baba”), which serves as the heart of daily domestic and social activities. In these courtyards, inhabitants dry crops, hang out washed clothes, talk and play Mahjong with neighbors, and host family banquets ("Baba Yan").
Causes of the formation of Linpan culture
Geographical and environmental conditions The Chengdu Plain is a relatively independent geographic unit located in the western Sichuan Basin, with an area of approximately 9,100 square kilometres (3,500 sq mi) and an altitude of 450–750 metres (1,480–2,460 ft). The Chengdu Plain is an alluvial plain, and its fertile soil and flat landscape facilitate agriculture. In addition, the mild subtropical monsoon climate brings high heat and abundant rainfall, making it more suitable for human habitation and farming. With a warm winter and early spring, crops and bamboo can grow year-round. Another unique advantage of the Chengdu Plain is the well-developed irrigation system. After the construction of the Dujiangyan, most fields were able to use gravity irrigation. Along with abundant surface water and groundwater, the region's irrigation system allowed the development of a dispersed rural lifestyle.
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