the difference between penjing and bonsai

the difference between penjing and bonsai

In the picture, there is poetry
In the poem, there is meaning
In the silence, there is movemen
In the movement, there is rhythm-

Robert Steven opinions about penjing and bonsai

Some people say that my bonsai are contaminated penjing, and that my penjing are not authentic. Before going further, I would like to explain the difference between penjing and bonsai. Are penjing the same as bonsai? Is there a difference in concept and philosophy?
The answer is: Yes- and No! It depends on the context we are discussing. This has long been a controversial issue since there are few articles written about penjing by competent sources from China. Confusion on this matter can be seen in books, articles, and in online discussion forum threads. In these instances the two arts are considered to be the same — simply a matter of translation — but at other times they are referred to as two different art forms. So what is the truth?
Let’s start from the basic understanding of the words, “bonsai,” (Japanese) and “penjing” (Mandarin). Pen = pot, jing = view or landscape. penjing means “landscape in a pot”. Bonsai in Japanese means ” planted in a pot,” which if translated into Chinese is penjai or penzai. This simply means “plant in a pot.” Any plant that is in a pot is called penjai. So penjing does not have the same meaning as bonsai, as we understand it today. What we call bonsai, in Mandarin is called shujuang penjing. In articles and discussion, the word shujuang is usually left off, leaving just the word penjing. So, in a very general context, bonsai is the same as penjing because we all know what we are talking about – by eliminating the word shujuang. But in a specific context, penjing is different from bonsai.
Penjing has a broader context in this art form with its own specific nuance. Shujuang penjing (bonsai) is just one of the styles in the broader penjing art. There are shanshui penjing (rock penjing), bigua penjing (wall-hanging penjing), shuihan penjing (water and land penjing), shushe penjing (tree and stone penjing)-etc-The basic philosophy of penjing is “Yuan yu je zan, Gao yu je zan,” which means “Inspired by nature, admired as superior to nature.”
With penjing we try and recreate the beauty of nature without eliminating the imperfections of nature. There is a great deal of creative and natural freedom in how the artist may do this with penjing. The soul of penjing is revealed more in the whole presentation; the thematic message, the symbolism and poetry. The presentation is natural, without too much of the aesthetic depending on the anatomical details of the tree. Penjing is involved more with a subjective expression, with very strong individual emotional references. Anatomical perfection is not a main requirement in penjing because nature is imperfect. The technical engineering skill important to bonsai is not so important in penjing. Instead, the application of skill should be relevant to the tree only in order to successfully convey the thematic message to viewers. The essence of the whole principal in Penjing is “Hua jong you se, se jong you yu; Jin jong you dong, dong jong you diao,” meaning “Inside the picture, there is poetry, inside the poem, there is meaning; in the silence, there is movement, in the movement, there is rhythm.” The objective aspect of penjing is to follow the phenomena of natural imperfection. The subjective aspect is based on balancing the presentation of the captured moment from nature with the implicit message of the theme. In the presentation of the message, nuance and symbolism should be used to accent the overall presentation. This fact requires imaginative interpretation by the artist and viewer.
What I am doing with my own work is to combine the objective aspect of bonsai with the subjective aspect of penjing, the beauty of the structural refinement of bonsai with the inner beauty of the symbolic presentation of penjing, all to lend a unique nuance to the result. In my opinion, the term “authentic” has no relevance to art. An artist should be able to make his own statement of character and identity. I am not trying to create my own style, but rather trying to find new, innovative possibilities based on my own applications of aesthetic concepts. There is no absolute in art and beauty. For appreciation of artistic creation to occur there should be an emotional interaction between the art object and the viewer. This requires communication between the art object and the viewer.

Root Grafts for Bonsai

Grafted plants for bonsai often present problems in the training stages, or later as the plants get older due to differing rates of growth between the root stock and scion and because of differing bark characteristics. This can be overcome by using cutting grown material whenever possible, or by using special types of grafts that will minimize the problems.
Avoiding Grafts
I try to avoid grafts for bonsai whenever possible. It is almost always better to have a plant on its own roots than grafted to a rootstock. Cutting grown material is becoming much more common for bonsai suitable species and you should look for it to avoid the problems of suckering and rootstock scion mismatch.
Suckering problems occur in such genera as Liquidambar, Malus (apple), Pyrus (pear), and Prunus ( cherry, plum, apricot), Crataegus (hawthorn), and others deciduous woody plants. Profuse suckering leads to endless pruning and bud rubbing to keep the suckers from overrunning your cultivar. The problem is particularly bad after major pruning, for example, after a trunk chop to get a low curve and taper to the trunk. Sometimes the scion will actually die and the understock will take over the plant after such drastic pruning.

In addition, there is often an unsightly graft union in these plants. The differing bark characteristics can make the union stand out dramatically and detract from the trunk, and the illusion of an ancient rugged tree. Growth rate mismatches can often lead to a 'necked down' appearance for smaller dwarf cultivars on standard rootstocks, exactly the kind of plants we are looking for in bonsai. Even worse is the problem of the scion growing faster, resulting in REVERSE taper. Prunus species often form a burl at the graft union that is prone to insect damage and completely unusable for bonsai purposes.
Most of these species can be grown from cuttings without too much difficulty. Some are extremely difficult, such as cultivars of Crataegus (hawthorn). Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet' cuttings will sometimes take three years to root. It is also possible to air layer many of these species to get them on their own roots.
Conifers present the larger challenge. While most Juniperus, Chamaecyparis, and the broad leaf evergreens can be grown from cuttings, it is the pines that pose the greatest problems. Some pines can be grown from cuttings, but it is almost always easier to graft them.

Pygmy Bonsai Plants

Bonsai few moments ago had a boom and became everybody's favorite ornamental plants. The form is unique and both pygmy idol celebrities and ordinary citizens or even politicians. Bonsai plant symbolizes the high level of patience and creativity of the owner. Not a bit of time it takes to care for a bonsai, you can spend months or even dozens of dozens of years to treat these dwarf plants. A unique and increasingly more and dwarf plants, the more expensive the price of bonsai, but the owners admitted that caring for bonsai bonsai is not only chasing the money, but creating a certain satisfaction when they successfully created a unique form of pride in their bonsai.
History and distribution
Bonsai originated in China believed the original name which in 200an Penjing AD became the main hobby of the nobles of China, which was also popularized by Taoist monks. Bonsai himself became popular after becoming a symbol of the emperor to maintain peace Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei after successfully conquering keraan-Cao Cao in 207 AD War is peace renowned Red Hill War. Own bonsai pruning technique brought to Japan by the monk of China who wish to broaden their religion in the Heian era of empire in the year 794 AD until the late Edo led Tokugawa era in 1876 AD Bonsai quickly won the hearts of the Japanese aristocracy as a class of plants that can show the identity of these nobles. Even bonsai also became the plant kingdom. Bonsai became known among ordinary people after a Japanese nobleman who teaches bonsai-making techniques to one of his students who come from ordinary people to help care for her beloved bonsai because he was already too old. With the rapid manufacture of bonsai care and techniques are spread by word of mouth and a favorite in all circles.
Bonsai start-known in the western world since the U.S. resolve to the world war 2 in Japan., And in Europe bonsai known since exhibited at the Paris Exhibition in 1987. Although at first many of the protest because the making of bonsai plants is considered torture by eliminating the growth genes, but with further review, everyone believes that the bonsai is a priceless art on an ornamental plant. After a lot of people are anesthetized and fascinated by the unique art of bonsai making, the people who came from America and Europe is much to learn to Japan to learn more about the creation and maintenance of bonsai.
Bonsai Planting

To grow bonsai is not complicated, you can buy at the store would bonsai plants or take your favorite plants in your yard. Choose plants with the main stem that is strong enough and move them to the pot with extreme caution so as not to damage the plants. Then the form of grooves in accordance with the plant you like to wear a wire. Check the twigs and branches that grew on a regular basis to form a bonsai in accordance with what we want. Other things that are not less important is the selection of land, for there the formation of the stem, twigs and branches are determined. A good soil for bonsai is not a land full of humus, but every type of bonsai has a particular soil needs different to one another. We recommend that you consult with experts plants. Select a soil with little humus content of soil moisture and keep it but do not let too much water or until the soil aggregation, because it can threaten plant life.

Caring for Bonsai

You can care for your bonsai in a simple way, but rose to its own knowledge so that you can live a long bonsai. When making a first measurement of irrigation water and soil pH levels to enable us to give dosing water on bonsai. Provide water when first planted in bonsai, and do not forget to provide more water during dry weather and increased air temperature. Select a pot that can flatten the sprinkling of water to various parts of the direction. To choose a fertilizer nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to balance the level of oxygen in the soil and plant health. Give vitamin to add gloss leaf, twig and limb strengthening and so forth. Trim the twigs, leaves, branches that grow beyond the routine form that we want, also disrupt the shape of wild roots. We try not to cut the lead to cuts in the stem trimmed. Put the bonsai in the affected area, morning sun, but protected from the scorching afternoon sun. To prevent pests, give an anti-pest which you can buy at the plant store. Consult with experts to provide an anti-crop pest that is suitable for your bonsai plants.