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THE SPLENDOR OF BONSAI 



'East & West 



Patrick ] McGowan 



THE WORD "BONSAI" literally means 

 "to cultivate on a tray." This is a sim- 

 plistic definition, the philosophy and 

 techniques of the art form being far 

 more complex. In practice, "bonsai" is 

 the creation of a tree, shrub, or perennial herb as it 

 would appear after centuries of survival in the harsher 

 elements of nature — but on a small scale. It is the 

 miniature recreation of a five-needle pine growing on 

 a jagged cliff with its trunk twisted, its roots exposed, 

 its branches dipped from the weight of years, yet 

 striving to grow toward the sun-, or a black spruce sur- 

 viving in spite of the winds and snows of a mountain 

 top. Although they live a rough life, trees such as 

 these are healthy, well-adapted, and seemingly time- 

 less. 



It was during the Kamakura Period (1192-1333) that 

 bonsai first became prominent in lapan. The minia- 

 ture trees were valued as art and as family heirlooms 

 by the upper classes of that time. During this period, 

 specimens were often collected from mountains or 

 fields. The Kamakura Period, however, was not the 

 birthplace of bonsai. Ancient scrolls suggest that the 

 art was practiced as early as 800 AD. Although origi- 

 nally unique to lapan, and later to the Orient, the 

 practice of bonsai has gained world-wide practice and 

 appreciation. 



Bonsai is the splendor of aged trees in their total- 

 ity recreated on a miniature scale. The dramatic ef- 

 fects of harsh weather can be created by wiring 

 branches, pruning the trunk, exposing roots, 

 grafting. ..just to name a few of the possible tech- 

 niques. By controlling nutrients, water, and the 

 amount of soil, bonsai can be maintained as healthy 

 trees for centuries. 



The best bonsai have some similar characteristics: a 

 trunk that tapers from the base to the top, branches 

 that are well-proportioned and show effects of age 

 and the environment, and foliage that's also well-pro- 

 portioned. Equally important in the creation of bon- 



sai is the container. It is the container 

 that brings harmony to the tree, in the 

 same way as a frame has to be harmo- 

 nious with a picture. 

 However, there is a split in the styles 

 of bonsai today that corresponds to the split between 

 Eastern and Western philosophy. The landscapes cre- 

 ated in japan reflect the philosophies guiding this 

 more holistic society. Seen as a whole, a Japanese 

 garden demonstrates the perfect harmony among ev- 

 ery tree, rock, leaf, and needle. Likewise, an Eastern 

 bonsai is a balance between every detail of the tree, 

 the pot it is in, the table it sits upon. When viewed 

 from above, most bonsai of the Eastern philosophy 

 have a triangular shape composed of three lobes 

 (main branches). Viewed from the focal side, they are 

 open and inviting, allowing you to see into the tree. 

 All main branch points are visible and no branches 

 cross each other or the trunk. In an effort to create 

 ~the tri-lobed form, to balance branches, or to redirect 

 the trunk, it's often necessary to use wiring. These 

 methods, styles, and visions combine to create some 

 of the world's most impressive bonsai. 



Although less common, there is another approach 

 based on Western philosophy. These are not the two- 

 year-old junipers buried in varnished gravel that you 

 find in supermarkets, but trees reflective of the natu- 

 ral landscape, regional art interests, and philosophy of 

 Western culture. Taking the United States as an ex- 

 ample, the natural landscape ranges from desert in 

 the southwest to conifer forests in the north to sub- 

 tropical jungle in the southeast — almost every climate 

 and topography can be found in this country. As part 

 of a less holistic society. Westerners tend to isolate 

 and focus on the one, rather than the family or com- 

 munity. Both factors contribute to a style of bonsai 

 that is no less profound than its Eastern counterpart. 



Although the techniques are much the same, the 

 outcome is radically different. A couple of examples: 

 Picture a Natal plum with meandering lateral 



February &. March 1994 



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