Tree Trimming

Question: The ancient practice of bonsai—the cultivation of miniature trees or plants in small containers—has its “roots” in what country?

Answer: China

Almost everyone associates bonsai trees with Japan, of course. But while bonsai cultivation has been a Japanese cultural touchstone for more than 1,400 years, it didn’t originate there. The practice was passed along to Japan from China, which had been engaging in the cultivation of trees and other plants intended as a miniature representation of nature for centuries. In more recent times, bonsai are celebrated as living works of art both in Japan and around the world.

The seeds of bonsai were planted in China …

The practice of bonsai cultivation began in China sometime between 500 and 1,000 BC. Its origins were likely the result of explorers observing trees and plants that were growing high in the mountains of China—where the climate and harsh growing conditions produced trees that were extremely small and gnarled in appearance. For centuries, Taoists had believed that recreating aspects of nature in miniature gave people access to special powers, so they attempted to recreate the stunted trees they saw in the high-altitude mountain landscapes.

A bonsai outside a Chinese temple.

The Chinese then developed pruning and binding techniques to give their plants twisted shapes and an aged appearance to simulate the natural trees they found in the mountains. They displayed these miniature landscapes on earthenware containers which became known as “punsai” or “penjing”—which basically means “plant” or “landscape” in a “pot.” The first archaeological evidence of punsai was discovered in a tomb dating from 200 AD whose wall had a mural depicting female servants carrying a display of miniature trees.

… and later spread to Japan

For several hundred years, punsai cultivation flourished in China, although it was reserved for the elite in Chinese society. Then, in the seventh century, Buddhist monks from Japan brought back examples of punsai from China—as well as the techniques required for creating them. It would come to be known as bonsai in Japan—pretty much the same meaning though, a “tree in a pot.” The Japanese would develop their own methods for producing the dwarfed trees, which would result in different shapes and styles than China’s punsai. First found only in monasteries, by the 14th century, Japan’s bonsai trees were considered a highly respected art form. As symbols of status and honor, they became fixtures in homes of the elite, just like in China.

A bonsai display in a Japanese home garden.

Japan’s earliest bonsai trees typically reached a height of one or two feet, requiring several years of expert care. To achieve the twisted appearance of the branches and trunks, bamboo and wire were used to hold the tree in the desired shape as it grew. Cultivators often grafted new branches onto existing ones to create a specific shape. But at the beginning of the 1600s, a new philosophical outlook in Japan resulted in bonsai cultivation “branching off” in a different direction. Reflecting Japan’s “less is more” minimalist thinking, artisans began employing special pruning techniques to remove all but the essential elements of bonsai trees.

No longer exclusively for the elite, Japanese bonsai trees became available to all social classes—which meant more people had to learn the art of bonsai cultivation. Soon, bonsai trees were fixtures in almost every Japanese home. Instead of status symbols, bonsai trees are now seen by most people as symbols of harmony, balance, and patience—or simply as living components of interior design. Zen Buddhists consider bonsai trees as objects of meditation or contemplation.

Bonsai in Japan, punsai in China—what’s the difference?

We mentioned how Japan’s bonsai tradition originated in China. But while bonsai and punsai share similar concepts, there are significant differences between the two art forms. The biggest one is that China’s punsai creations are often entire miniature landscapes. In addition to trees, they might include rocks, figurines, and even water elements. The main focus of bonsai in Japan, however, is trees.

What kind of trees? The most common bonsai tree in Japan is the pine, a conifer tree or shrub with a cluster of two to five needles. The one with five needles is called a Japanese White Pine. Other trees used in bonsai are the Japanese Maple, Juniper, and Cherry. The easiest to maintain and go-to plant for bonsai beginners is the Ficus.

The first pruning of a young bonsai is what determines the tree’s ultimate shape. The strategic placement of wires will make the trunks and branches turn in the desired direction. Grafting is often used to create a new bonsai, add branches or roots, or replace foliage. The most common styles in Japanese bonsai cultivation include chokkan, which is just like a tree would grow in nature; moyogi, similar to the chokkan except the trunk grows in the shape of the letter “S”; kengai, where the tree grows downward; and yose-ue, with several trees planted in one pot.

Bonsais—the long and the short of it …

As you can imagine, bonsai trees come in all shapes and sizes. The smallest class of bonsai is known as keshitsubo, which is often nicknamed the “poppy-seed” class. This category includes a famous miniature Japanese Maple bonsai that stands about a half-inch tall, complete with tiny leaves that change color in autumn. So small that the pot can be balanced on your fingertip, growing a bonsai at this scale takes enormous dedication.

A Japanese Maple bonsai displaying autumn foliage.

A micro-bonsai like the Japanese Maple wouldn’t survive a week without constant attention to its needs. But with proper care, traditional bonsai trees can live a remarkably long time, often outliving their caretakers. We’re not talking just years, but centuries. A Sargent Juniper bonsai still going strong in Japan is estimated to be about 1,000 years old. You can see this living treasure for yourself at Omiya Bonsai Village in Saitama, Japan. Another seasoned veteran is the Shimpaku Juniper bonsai, which can be viewed at the Shunka-en Bonsai Museum in Tokyo. With its twisted, gnarly trunk, it actually almost looks its age—which is estimated to be around 800 years—but it was designed precisely that way.

A few more fascinating facts about bonsai trees

• Mama mia, now that’s old—You would think Japan’s thousand-year-old Sargent Jupiter would be the oldest bonsai tree in the world. But that honor goes to a Ficus Retusa Linn bonsai tree currently residing at the Crespi Bonsai Museum near Milan, Italy. Estimated to be more than a thousand years old, the venerable tree is almost ten feet tall and about nine feet wide with a series of thick, twisting roots and a gnarled trunk and sits in a giant, custom made pot. Originally from China, the museum spent ten years negotiating to acquire the ancient tree, which arrived in Italy in 1986.
  
  
• Yeah, but I’m worth more—Perhaps to assuage its bruised ego, Japan’s Sargent Jupiter bonsai is widely cited as the world’s most valuable bonsai tree—with an estimated value of $2 million. But it’s essentially irreplaceable and considered priceless. It’s a moot point, though, as it is not for sale.
  
  
• Giving tree—In honor of our Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, the people of Japan presented 53 priceless bonsai trees and six viewing stones to the United States. These bonsai trees became the foundation of a national collection that is housed at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, located within the U.S. National Arboretum, in Washington, D.C.
  
  
• Aisle or window seat?—The 53 bonsai trees were flown from Japan to Washington D.C. aboard two jumbo jets. They were insured for more than $5 million and kept in quarantine for an entire year before they could be displayed.
  
  
• That’s one tough bonsai—One of the donated bonsai trees was the nearly 400-year-old Yamaki Pine. Located just a few miles from ground zero, the bonsai tree famously survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Cared for by generations of the Yamaki family, they graciously wanted it donated to the U.S.
  
  
• Going once, going twice …—A 200-year-old Japanese White Pine bonsai sold to a private collector at auction for $1.3 million, considered the record for the most expensive bonsai tree ever sold publicly.

Be on the lookout for Chinese examples of punsai and other cherished artistic traditions during our New! China’s Imperial Cities, Natural Splendor & Modern Marvels adventure.