Spatial Configuration and Cultural Logic: A Space Syntax Analysis of Wu Family Manor, a Late Qing Merchant’s Garden Residence in Northern China

Traditional Chinese gardens are not only aesthetic representations but also spatial expressions of diverse aspects of social life. Compared with the extensive studies on Jiangnan gardens, the spatial organization and cultural meanings of private gardens in northern China remain relatively less explored. This study examines the East Courtyard of Wu Family Manor, a late Qing private garden in Guanzhong. Space Syntax is applied to quantitatively analyze its spatial configuration, while historical documents and field surveys are combined to explore the logic of its spatial organization and its relationship with merchant family practices and ritual concepts. The results reveal a clear spatial hierarchy within Wu Family Manor. The residential core occupies a relatively central position in the spatial configuration, and the garden functions as a complementary extension of domestic life. The spatial organization reflects a dual logic of hierarchical public order and inward-oriented family life, corresponding to the ritual principles and residential practices of merchant families. Compared with the landscape-oriented organization commonly observed in Jiangnan gardens, Wu Family Manor presents a different pattern of garden–residence integration, consistent with the characteristics of traditional northern garden residences. Methodologically, this study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating Space Syntax with historical and socio-cultural evidence to examine the spatial logic of traditional garden residences in northern China, thereby expanding its application to the study of traditional Chinese gardens. In practice, this finding indicates that conservation and adaptive reuse should consider not only individual buildings and gardens but also the spatial relationships and hierarchical structure underlying their organization. Clarifying the spatial organization logic of historic garden–residence complexes can provide additional evidence for interpreting and retaining their historical spatial character and regional identity, while also offering a reference for the conservation and renewal of similar traditional garden–residence sites in different historical and regional contexts.