Discussion about the effect of digital plants library on the plants landscape restoration in Yuanmingyuan

Abstract. Chinese classical garden emphasizes not only the construction of building, mountains and rivers, spring and stone landscape but also the selection and configuration mode of the plant species. Yuanmingyuan, a classical work of Chinese garden art, is of both the magnificence of northern royal garden and the delicacy of southern private garden. The plants landscape in Yuanmingyuan also has its own unique style. But it is regretful that after several disasters, it nearly disappears just as other building clusters. The Re- Yuanmingyuan group re-presents the plants landscape of Yuanmingyuan through investigation, restoration and three-dimensional space generation, and makes proposal about the concept of digital plants library for the first time with the expectation to provide basic support for the digital restoration of cultural heritage by establishing the plants library. The paper also introduces the process of digital plants library system construction as well as the significance of the library construction for the landscape restoration in Yuanmingyuan and even the northern royal garden.