News for friends, contributors NBF and members of The National Bonsai BULLETIN Foundation Winter 2003 Volume XIV, Number 2 Penjing Symposium Scheduled for 2004 James J. Hughes In order to encourage better understand- ates all of nature and he will provide back- ing and appreciation of the Chinese art of ground on the spiritual, intellectual, and penjing, the National Bonsai Foundation cultural history that is unique to the and the U.S. National Arboretum are spon- Chinese civilization that brought both soring A Symposium on the Art of Chinese nature and art to bear on the creation that Penjing, May 22 and May 23, 2004. The we know now as penjing. purpose of this symposium is to provide a The author of Gardens of China: forum to examine the history, styles, and History, Art and Meanings, Mr. Morris unique characteristics of this art form. holds a Master’s Degree in Asian Studies Penjing, the Chinese practice of growing from Columbia University and speaks artistic pot plants and miniature land- and reads Mandarin Chinese. He taught scapes, began well over a thousand years at the New York Botanical Garden and ago and has spread throughout the world. lectured at the New York Horticultural Most Westerners were introduced to this Society, the Pennsylvania Horticultural garden art form by way of Japanese bonsai Society, and Winterthur Gardens. even though bonsai had its origins in The featured speak- Chinese penjing. While each country made er of the symposium, lasting contributions to the development Yunhua Hu, is the for- and refinement of this horticultural artistic mer director of the tradition, penjing has unique qualities Penjing Research Cen- originating in the context of Chinese cul- ter at the Shanghai ture. The symposium will focus on that A Symposium at the Botanical Garden. Mr. rich heritage. Hu will give back- Edwin Morris, the U.S. National Arboretum ground information on leadoff speaker for the co-sponsored by the the historical develop- Yunhua Hu symposium, will pre- National Bonsai Foundation and the ment of penjing and the various styles of sent an overview of gar- U.S. National Arboretum penjing as they have evolved historically. den culture in China Mr. Hu has authored many penjing/bonsai and how it influenced which penjing evolved especially in the two books and articles, and twice was invited the development of great river valleys in north and central abroad to lecture and demonstrate penjing penjing. He will discuss Photo: Feder Craig China. He will also examine the cultural techniques. the physical setting in Edwin Morris feel for the Tao, the divine flow that perme- (Continued on page 3) ★ ★ PLEASE RENEW YOUR NBF MEMBERSHIP ★ ★ If you have received this NBF Bulletin you became a member of the National Bonsai Foundation in 2003 and your membership expires at the end of this year unless you have already renewed it. Since 2003 was our inaugural year of membership, if you joined during this past year you are considered to be a charter member of the organization with a basic membership fee of $25.00. Those joining after 2003 will pay a basic membership fee of $35.00. Enclosed please find a sheet which provides the details of membership in NBF. When you complete this form please consider joining at a level above the basic fee as it will go to support the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in many different ways. Thank you! 2 President’s Letter As we ap- roll continues to grow, thereby pro- proach 2004, viding a regular source of funds for your Museum the support of the Museum. Many BOARD OF DIRECTORS is emphasizing loyal supporters have sent in dona- HONORARY MEMBERS the “Penjing” tions well exceeding the amount of John Y. Naka in its name. the regular dues, and long-time Hon. Orville G. Bentley H. Marc Cathey This issue benefactors have continued their John L. Creech of the Bulletin extremely generous annual financial Harry Hirao will entice you support. We thank you all. Saburo Kato (Japan) Barbara Hall Marshall to attend the I am also pleased to announce that Dr.Yee-sun Wu (Hong Kong) Penjing Symposium now being Deborah Rose has made a donation to George Y.Yamaguchi planned for next May under the chair- NBF to help us fund, together with the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR manship of Curator Jack Sustic. This USNA, the construction of the lower Johann F. Klodzen is the second international sym- courtyard, which will be named the OFFICERS posium in the educational series “Rose Lower Courtyard.”We are very Felix B. Laughlin, DC President conceived and funded by our late grateful to Deborah for her generosity. Marybel Balendonck, CA benefactor Mary Mrose, in whose We hope to have the Rose Lower Vice President honor and memory the International Courtyard completed well before the Christopher M. Cochrane, VA Secretary Pavilion in the Museum is named. time of the 5th World Bonsai Conven- Cesar Portocarrero, MD Mary would be ecstatic about the pro- tion in May 2005. Treasurer gram for the upcoming symposium— It is with a deep sense of appreci- MEMBERS and I am sure that you will be too. ation for their lifetime contribution Vaughn L. Banting, LA During the Penjing Symposium, to NBF and the Museum that we Jack E. Billet, DE Mary Bloomer, AZ we will celebrate the extraordinary remember those who have passed Roger S. Case, Jr., NM contributions to the Museum of Dr. away this year, including Marion Dennis S. Donald, PA Robert Drechsler, MD Yee-Sun Wu, who will turn 100 in Gyllenswan (a founding Director Doris W. Froning, DE 2004. Dr. Wu was instrumental in and the Chairman of NBF), Mary James J. Hayes, PA making our appreciation of the art of Mrose (a major benefactor and an Cynthia Helms, DC C. F. Kwok, VA Penjing possible, when he donated Honorary Director of NBF), Kenichi Janet E. Lanman, MD not only the funds to build the Oguchi (a major donor of bonsai, Cheryl Manning, CA Chinese Pavilion in the Museum but suiseki and scrolls), and Kazuya Brussel Martin, MS Mary Ann E. Orlando, DC also most of the penjing originally Morita (a long-time supporter on Larry Ragle, CA displayed in the Pavilion. His vision behalf of the Nippon Bonsai Asso- Glenn Reusch, VA and expectation is that during the ciation). F. Chase Rosade, PA Thomas Scott, TN 21st Century, bonsai and penjing will Looking beyond 2004, please Helen C. Souder, FL become even more popular in North make your plans to attend the 5th Jerald P. Stowell, NJ Edward Trout, FL American than in Asia. Over the past World Bonsai Convention to be held Ted T.Tsukiyama, HI years, we have added other penjing to in Washington, D.C. on May 28–31, William N. Valavanis, NY the Chinese Collection, including 2005. NBF and the U.S. National Jack W. Wells, DC Chris J.Yeapanis, VA one creation by Qingquan “Brook” Arboretum are sponsoring this Zhao, the Chinese master, and several international event, along with the EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS President creations by the late Stanley Chinn, American Bonsai Society, Bonsai American Bonsai Society the American master who lived in Clubs International and the Potomac President Wheaton, Maryland until his death Bonsai Association. Bonsai Clubs International President last year. Potomac Bonsai Association NBF’s transition to a true mem- ADVISORS bership organization during this year Thomas S. Elias has been promising and bodes well Director, U.S. National Arboretum Jack S. Sustic for NBF’s future. Our membership Supervisory Curator of the National Bonsai &Penjing Museum James J. Hughes Assistant Curator for Plant Collections G. Jackson Tanner Assistant Curator for Artifacts and Archives Bonsai Societies of Florida Visit NBF’s Website: Golden State Bonsai Federation Hawaii Bonsai Association www.bonsai-nbf.org Lone Star Bonsai Association Mid-America Bonsai Alliance Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies 3 rosary beads through the fingers or chant- Summer Intern 2003—Michael James ing silent mantras is for others. Many dif- ferent thoughts and emotions were evoked I am from Clear Spring, a small town in while I watered those ancient trees. They the Appalachian Mountains of western make my dreams real. I still fantasize about Maryland. Right now tending to my fami- how living cells are multiplied into both the ly’s organic farm and caring for my col- textured clouds of foliage and the twisted lection of ornamental trees and bonsai wood that supports them. seem to be my destiny in life. After high The specimens at the Museum are school I enrolled in the Maryland Institute works of art that took many lifetimes to College of Art but soon transferred because create; yet they are still unfinished and con- I found that my courses were too abstract tinue to change. In both fine art and in and impractical. My reasoning here was good science attention to detail is necessary that if I learned something more useful, like and even the smallest elements like grass how to grow food, I could continue draw- and moss are significant. ing art from nature, but I would never be- I have a special appreciation for the growers who planted the trees from seed. come a starving artist! So I went to Cornell Photo: G. Tanner Jackson University in Upstate New York and got a Michael James Did these people have any thought about degree in Plant Science. what these seeds might become at the Before I was born, my father, in pursuit ing each other’s language, we would just moment they were planted? Were they of his own dreams, was shocked when he look across the table and smile at one thinking hundreds of years into the future? was drafted into the army during the Viet- other.