Abstract: Both the Chinese culture of mountains and waters and the word“landscape”originated in the East Jin Dynasty. With similar meanings，they are interchangeable in certain contexts. Yet，there are some subtle but profound differences in their connotative focuses and conceptual denotations. Such disparities underlie ancient Chinese people’s preference of mountains and waters to landscape；and for the same reason，since the 20th century and especially after 1990，Chinese poets and artists have gradually substituted，or renewed，their classical concept of mountains and waters with the modern concept of landscape in their aesthetic awareness，writing habits and other aspects，as their ecological environment，life style，and mode of feeling things have been changing.

Key words: mountains and waters, landscape, nature, ecological environment, aesthetic idea