晚明以來的江南地區，人文景觀與生活環境一直發生著變革，並特別明顯地體現於城市的日常生活中。而在城牆之外的生活空間，能特別引人注意者，就在蘇州城閶門外至虎丘的七里山塘。這是一個極適於休閒而富於逸趣的地域，且與虎丘並聯，構成了吳中重要的遊賞之地。發展至清代中期，山塘生活的富麗與景觀的別緻，以及那些包蘊在各種文字記述中的空間感覺與地方認同，都被明顯地注入了不同時代人們的情感，當然也使人們更加清晰地感受到山塘所秉具的地方特質及其時代變化。作為城鄉娛樂與休閒的集聚區，山塘的人文地景自明末以來確實有豐富和擴張之勢，並最終成為世人眼中的煙月作坊之地。但從清代後期開始，山塘地景發生了巨變，原有的生活圖景及其人群表現出了地域轉移之勢。與江南的其他地方一樣，山塘的繁華也轉移到了上海，昭示出歷史轉換對士人生活選擇的影響至深且廣。

Human landscape and living space in Jiangnan have been changing since the late Ming Dynasty, especially reflected in urban daily life. The most attractive living surroundings outside the city walls was Shantang, located between Changmen and Tiger Hill, which was stretching 3.5 kilometers and was the place replete with relaxation and refined interest. Linked with Tiger Hill, it became a famous tourist attraction in Jiangnan. During the middle Qing Dynasty, the affluent life and unique landscape of Shantang, together with the sense of space and identification from all descriptive records, were endowed with people's sentiment from varying dynasties, which vividly demonstrated the local characteristics and changing times of Shantang. As a local center of recreation and relaxation, its human landscape had been enriching and expanding since Ming Dynasty and eventually became Romantic places. Since the late Qing Dynasty, however, Shantang's landscape has undergone a great change which was the location transference of life and dwellers. Just like other places in Jiangnan, Shantang prosperity was transferred to Shanghai, illustrating the profound influences of historical transformation on the life choices of gentry and citizen.