The basic methods of material selection in Chinese gardens are as follows:
(1) The method of obtaining materials mainly through the use and simple processing of natural materials is usually called "local sourcing". This is the primary method of material selection in ancient Chinese gardens. In ancient times, due to the convenient acquisition of wood and stone materials in various places, most buildings were constructed mainly from wood and stone. Landscapes were created by piling up earth and rocks. For example, in the use of stone, Ji Cheng once said: "If the stone can be piled up, then the mountain can be mined." Southern gardens mostly use Taihu stones and yellow stones, while in northern gardens, although stone is also used, they tend to use the abundant Northern Taihu stones and blue stones found in the north.
(2) With the development of society and the evolution of design concepts, garden builders hope to obtain materials with certain properties according to the needs of garden construction. To meet these needs, garden builders will rely on the engineering technology of the time to search for or develop and research such materials. This is generally referred to as the demand-oriented material sourcing method.