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"Penjing: the Chinese Art of Bonsai"

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Penjing: The Chinese Art of Bonsai Wu-Zhong Zhou1 and Xiao-Bai Xu2 The formative stage of bonsai took Additional index words. history of bonsai, bonsai schools, bonsai place during the Wei and Jin Dynasties patterns, bonsai plants, penjing, (A.D. 220-420), when the strong in- potted landscape fluence of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism resulted in the social mode Summary. More and more people of upholding simplicity and elegance, have become very interested in bonsai, and expressing sentiment in landscape. a unique art of gardening that orig- Confucius said, “The wise find plea- inated in China. However, most sure in water, the virtuous find plea- people know about Japanese bonsai sure in hills” (Analects). Thus, like and have only scant knowledge of landscape painting and poems in China, Chinese bonsai. This paper gives a brief introduction to the history, local summarized as Shan Shui, or “moun- schools, and patterns of the bonsai art tains” and “water,” Chinese bonsai is in the Chinese tradition, as well as a made of not only plants, but also of list of plants used for bonsai in China. rocks and water, because it attempts to approach and display in symbolic form the essence ofnature. This is not a real- istic or naturalistic presentation, but ome misconceptions in horticul- one that seeks to find the “nature of tural history are very interesting, nature.” It is for this reason that bonsai S such as Prunus mume Sieb et was given a precise name “penjing” Zucc., one of the famous 10 tradi- (potted landscape) by Chinese experts. tional flowers in China. Although it Bonsai matured in the early Tang originated in China, it was given the Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). A mural viv- common name “Japanese Apricot” by idly depicting a maid of honor holding Westerners because they obtained the a potted landscape in her hands has plant from Japan, and thought it na- been found in the tomb of Crown tive there. Similarly, most Westerners Prince Zhang Huai of the early Tang mistakenly credited bonsai to Japan. Dynasty, which was built in 706 in The history of bonsai Qianxian County, Shanxi Province. Bonsai originated in China. It We can learn a great deal from the dates back to ancient times in the poems of the Tang Dynasty; the artis- history of China. As early as the Yin tic forms of potted landscape were and Zhou Dynasties, more than 3000 stressed and various styles had already years ago, the Chinese began to culti- emerged. vate ornamental plants and to pattern The Northern Song Dynasty gardens after natural scenery. Accord- (A.D. 960-1279) saw unprecedented ing to archaeological findings, potted development in the art of painting, flowers found in a mural in an Eastern which, in turn, fostered the penjing Han Dynasty (A.D. 25-220) tomb in art. Enjoying fantastic trees and gro- Wangdu County, Hebei Province, have tesque stones became a common fad at been recognized as the embryonic form that time. The famous Song paintings of bonsai by most experts in China. of “Eighteen Scholars,” together with many poems and writings, indicate that the penjing art was well on its way 1Associate Professor of Horticulture and Dean of Studies toward perfection, and that two major of China Training Center of Potted Landscape Arts; kinds of penjing had evolved: moun- Vice-President and Chief Engineer of Qiong-Hua Insti- tain-and-water penjing and tree tute of Landscape Horticulture, Jiangsu Agricultural College, 12 Su Nong Road, Yangzhou, 225001, Peoples penjing. The latter was quite similar to Republic China. Currently visiting scholar in the Hu- that of modern penjing. man Resources Dept. (TAES—HORT), Texas A&M Univ., College Station. Chinese penjing flourished in the 2 Ming and Qing Dynasties (A.D. 1368- Professor of Horticulture, President of Chinese National Association for Potted Landscape Artists, and President 1911). A study of relevant documents of Qiong-Hua Institute of Landscape Horticulture. and extant penjing works shows that 150 HortTechnology · Apr./June 1993 3(2) various artistic features were evident In the late years of the Qing Dy- developing considerably. Many new during that period, and that penjing nasty and thereafter, Chinese penjing ideas and technical innovations based works tended to embody pictorial con- declined for a time, but, in recent dec- on the old traditions have found vivid ception and poetic flavor. ades, it has rejuvenated and has been expressions in the penjing art of today. HortTechnology · Apr./June 1993 3(2) 151 The local schools of bonsai art in china The bonsai art is now spreading throughout the whole country, espe- pruned in the shape of layers of clouds cially in eastern, central, and southern (Fig. 1). Yangzhou tree penjing best China, where the climate is mild and expresses sobriety and elegance. Moun- wet. China has vast territories, distin- tain-and-water penjing as well as wa- guished and varied local scenery, and ter-and-land penjing has many forms material resources (plants and rocks) that appear to give both poetic and for bonsai, all of which, along with picturesque effects. different aesthetic standards and tech- Suzhou penjing. Known for its niques of bonsai-making, make it ready classic beauty, Suzhou tree penjing for forming various local schools of employs Chinese elm, hedge sageretia bonsai art. The main local schools of [Sageretia theezans (L.) Brongn.], tri- bonsai in China are as follows: dent maple (Acer buergeranum Miq.), Yangzhou Penjing. Represen- and plum (Prunus L.) for themes. tative trees of this genre are pine (Pinus Training methods are mostly rough L.), cypress (Cupressus L.), Chinese wiring with meticulous pruning to elm (Ulmus parvifolia Jacq.), and shape branches like clusters of clouds. Chinese littleleaf box (Buxus micro- Sichuan penjing. Trees such as As mentioned previously, we can phylla Siebold & Zucc. var. sinca Rehd. Buddhist pine [Podocarpus macro- see that penjing, as a particular kind of & E.H. Wils.), which are meticulously phyllus (Thunb.) D. Don], maidenhair gardening, is closely tied with land- wired with palm fibers and carefully tree (Ginkgo biloba L.) (Fig. 2), spiny scape painting and poetry in China. persimmon (Diospyros armata Indeed, the three arts of poetry, land- Hemsl.), snow-in-summer [Serissa foe- scape painting, and penjing are thought tida (L.F.) Lam.], and flowering quince of as interdependent, each requiring an understanding of the others, with proficiency in each necessary to achieve proficiency in any one. Thus, penjing art is called “silent poetry, three-di- mensional painting” in China. It has already become an integral part of the Chinese peoples’ leisure cultures. It was during the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 1127-1279) that Chinese bon- sai art found its way to Japan, where it was then introduced into the conti- nents of Europe, America, and Austra- lia at the beginning of the 20th cen- tury. So far, it has become a worldwide art with different styles, such as Japa- nese, English, and American (e.g., “Pompon”), etc. Plants used in Chi- nese bonsai are listed in Table 1. 152 HortTechnology · Apr./June 1993 3(2) ready developed or are still undergo- jing is a unique blend of grace and ing development with their own re- vigor. spective local characteristics. Huizhou tree penjing. Plum, The patterns of Chinese [Chaenomeles lagenaria (Loisel.) G. common juniper (Juniperus communis Koidz.] often are seen in Sichuan tree L.) and formosa pine (Pinus taiwan- bonsai penjing. Wiring with palm fibers and ensis Hayata) are representative of Bonsai (tree potted landscape) in trimming shapes the branches and Huizhou penjing trees. Rough wiring the Chinese tradition are divided into leaves into “plates” and makes the and rough pruning are typical Huizhou the following patterns according to trunks expressively sinuous. Sichuan techniques for making tree penjing, their shapes: mountain-and-water penjing, as well which is known for its rusticity and A) Straight Trunk (Fig. 4). The as water-and-land penjing, is noted for grotesqueness. tree trunk grows erect and the branches serenity, grace, steepness, and majesty. Zhejang tree penjing. Pine and spread in gradations, resembling a Lingnan penjing. Hedge sager- cypress usually are collected, tied with huge, towering tree in its natural set- etia, Chinese elm, orange jasmine either palm fibers or metal wires, and ting. This pattern, in turn, can be di- (Murraya paniculata L. Jack), and pruned to make Zhejang tree penjing vided into three subpatterns: 1) single Philippine tea (Ehretia microphylla highly natural and picturesque in both trunk, 2) double trunk, and 3) multi- Lam.) are typical penjing trees in this form and spirit. trunk (three or more). region. The chief method of training is Nantong tree penjing. The tree B) Slanting Trunk (Fig. 5). The to retain the branches, but cut the mostly used for penjing is shrubby yew tree trunk inclines to one side. Several trunks so that the trees look old and podocarpus [Podocarpus macrophyllus branches spread naturally on the top of hardy, natural, and graceful. The beau- (Thunb.) D. Donvar. maki Endl.] Its the tree and look elegant. tiful and fantastic mountain-and-wa- trunk is wired with palm fibers into an C) Twisted Trunk (Fig. 6). The ter penjing is also very attractive. “S” shape (two curves and a half) with tree trunk is twisted to the left and Shanghai penjing. This me- branches pruned into clear-cut pieces. right. The branches spread to both tropolis boasts a large variety of trees Apart from those mentioned pre- sides in clear gradations. (Fig. 3) for making penjing. They are viously, schools of penjing in Fujian, D) Recumbent Trunk (Fig. 7). tied with wires and pruned. Shanghai Henan, Hubei, Nanjing, Hunan, tree penjing is considered sprightly Guizhou, and Xuzhou either have al- and vigorous.
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