Chinese Bonsai, also known as Penjing, is the art of creating a miniature landscape through the use of careful pruning and artistic arrangement of Bonsai trees. The Chinese were the originators of the art and the earliest records of Chinese Bonsai date back to 200 BC. Over time the Chinese art of Penzai spread to other Asian countries such as Korea, Vietnam and Japan. (Bonsai is the Japanese pronunciation of Penzai)
Chinese Bonsai differs from its Japanese counterpart in that it is more wild, brighter coloured and more eccentric artisically than the Japanese tradition of thick trunks and simple shapes with muted colours. Penjing also is more likely to have varied wild natural landscapes in minature whereas the Japanese style is usually to have the Bonsai tree alone in a simple container or pot. More literally, bonsai means ‘tree in a pot’ and Penjing means ‘tray scenery’. In Penjing the miniature landscape may use natural or artificial rock, soil or wood. There are 3 recognised styles of Penjing In China :
Tree Penjing (shumu penjing)
Landscape Penjing (shanshui penjing)
Water-and-Land Penjing (shuihan penjing)
All of these styles have some overlap, although some elements are more predominant than others depending on the artist’s direction.
The goal in Chinese Bonsai is to re-create a natural scene of nature in miniature form. This goal is not only about the physical placement of artistic devices, but it is also about capturing the very soul and character of the scenery the Penjing represents. This type of garden art is difficult to get right, but that is part of the challenge of bonsai. The composition must be such so that a balance is reached between beauty and practicality, the artist using each element in a precise fashion while at the same time making the landscape appear natural.
To start off creating a Penjing landscape it is advisable to obtain the four components that would look like they would work together:
a Chinese bonsai tree
a collection of rocks
a miniature sculture / animal figures, something that compliments the other items and of course the container or pot
For a Chinese bonsai, Chinese Elm is usually a good choice for beginners, and it is very popular for this reason. After this find an interesting shaped rock or collection of rocks that you think would compliment the tree. Look for something that harmonizes with the tree in some way. The next step is to find an adequate sized container for the landscape you are going to create. Shallow containers are usually used as they allow more of the tree and other components to be visible. Finally add in something that adds in a sense of scale, such as miniature farm animals, a sculpture of a horse and cart, anything that makes the landscape look interesting!
Getting the balance right between all the elements in Penjing can be difficult to get right the first time, but with a little practise the easier it becomes, the main thing is to enjoy it!
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