History of Bonsai

The History of Bonsai

Bonsai is a hobby that many people around the world now enjoy.   These days you can almost find a bonsai club or society in any country in the world.  The art of bonsai seems to be growing at a rapid rate.  Some believe a reason for this is because the daily pace of life has increased to a frantic speed, and finding a counter-balance is healthy for your mind as bonsai is a slow but rewarding process.  I would have to agree, although I really don't feel as if my life runs at a break neck speed.  Nevertheless, bonsai is a way to reconnect with nature and enjoy the passing of seasons in a new way.   

As I was becoming more interested in bonsai I began thinking about the history of bonsai.  In my mind I associated bonsai with Japan so I thought the art had originated in this country.  I was wrong.  

Historians agree that there is not a single date where you can say bonsai began.   Like many art forms it has evolved over many years to where we are today. 

So where did it all begin?  The Chinese must take the credit as being the art's father, although Japan have their own style, terminology, and are credited for introducing bonsai to the western world.  

The Chinese have a long history of creating beautiful gardens for the imperial palaces throughout thousands of years.  The Chinese landscape is quite spectacular and has long been a source of contemplation and meditation.  Capturing this varied and magnificent landscape on a smaller scale is the beginnings of the art.  The first attempts at this scaling down in size were still quite large with some man made mountains being 10 feet high that were surrounded by flowers, various trees and ponds.  

This was a created scene for meditation and appreciation.  Over time the creation of these landscapes became reduced in size to where we know they were planted in a thin tray or dish that could be held in your hands.  

A picture taken from the tomb of Prince Chang Huai during the Tang Dynasty - 700 AD

The Chinese monks were also moved by miniature trees, especially the twisted ones with dead wood and broken branches.  They saw these trees on their meditative walks through the mountains and began uprooting them, planting these natural works of art in pots, and admiring them in their place of prayer.  The monks were taken with the thought of, "Although weather and time has beaten these naturally dwarfed trees down they still persist and find a way to survive every hardship."  This thought motivated them in their studies and quest in life.  They learned life lessons from these trees.  

Japan has always been fascinated with Chinese culture.  Chinese scholars frequently visited Japan where ideas and art was exchanged.  It was during this period when the Japanese would have first laid their eyes on beautifully potted trees.  Buddhism was also introduced to Japan by way of Vietnam, and Korea.  It was through Chinese Buddhist monks that an appreciation of miniature landscapes was born for the Japanese.  The exact time period is still unsure, however, historians believe it was around year 1000.  The earliest illustrations of bonsai in Japan are found in the year 1300.  

As the art was spreading and more and more people were being exposed to bonsai, the more people began looking for naturally dwarfed trees that could be planted into a pot.  In the early periods only the wealthy and political players could indulge themselves in this art.  The majority had more pressing concerns in their life and finding the time to create bonsai trees was not really an option.  Throughout Japan and China there have been feudal ages and peaceful periods.  During these less turbulent times, the average citizen began looking for ways to get more out of their lives.  The art of bonsai grew during these peaceful times and declined during war times.  As a result of more people enjoying the hobby, they began collecting trees all over the place!  I know it is hard to believe but these days very few naturally dwarfed trees can be found in China or Japan.  National parks have also made collection illegal in some places.  A shortage of trees gave rise to propagation and cultivating skills and eventually to the birth of the nursery.  The Japanese were the ones who invented bonsai wire!

Japan being smaller in size than China, began to develop their own styles that suited their environment and way of thinking.  Their bonsai is heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism - less is more.  Bonsai with empty space as opposed to the Chinese style which is more like miniature landscape art.  The Japanese are really opposed to adding figurines such as bridges, animals, fishermen, and small temples to their bonsai.  The Chinese have no problem adding many of these figures to their compositions.

           A photo I took of a juniper at a Taiwan bonsai exhibition.  Chinese/Taiwan style.  I have to say not all Chinese bonsai contain figurines at all.  I just wish to highlight some differences between Chinese and Japanese bonsai.

     A Japanese Black Pine in Japan.  I took this photo before I tried to wire it.

In 1800 a group of Japanese scholars studying Chinese arts met to discuss the miniature tree styles that were being created in Japan.  At this meeting the word BONSAI was used to describe them for the very first time.

JAPANESE
Bon - A shallow tray, pot, container, dish.
Sai - planting, planted
Bonsai:  A tree which is planted in a shallow container.

In China, many years before the Japenese were exposed to the art, were using a different term to describe their work.  They were using the term Penjing.
CHINESE
Pen - tray
Jing - landscape

Penjing:  Landscape on a tray.

Japan introduced their bonsai to the Western World at a trade fair in Paris in the year 1898.  The viewers were amazed at these small trees and many thought the Japanese were using some kind of mystical oriental practice to maintain their small size.  At times bonsai has a negative stigma attached to the name by some people thinking that the trees are tortured and mistreated.  This is definately not the case as bonsai lovers are lovers of nature and bonsai trees are nurtured daily to maintain excellent health.

The first European language book written about bonsai was published in 1902.  The book was written in French.  The very first English bonsai book was published in 1940.  A more popular book titled Miniature Trees and Landscapes was written by Yuji Yoshimura and translated into English in the year 1957.

Bonsai in the West grew tremendously after World War II.  Many soldiers saw bonsai in Japan and Japanese immigrants brought their love of bonsai with them when settling into another country.

I was very surprised to discover that bonsai in the West is a relatively new art.  If a guy from Geelong, Australia can get hooked on it I am sure there are many more people around the world not really knowing of the existence of bonsai and how the hobby can be practiced by anyone, anywhere in the world, these people can also be bitten by the bug!

        An award winning bonsai tree at the annual Taiwan Bonsai Exhibition, 2012