A foreigner explains how to design bonsai landscapes to make them more interesting (Chinese and English)

Text: CHAD Canadian Translation: Keyi

When I make a bonsai landscape, or even just a single bonsai, I think ahead about possibly using a small building, bridge or figure. Sometimes it can be very hard to find the right match for a bonsai, because you want it to be as close to reality as possible, so you have to find buildings or figures of the right size and proportion to pair with the tree.

When I make a penjing landscape up or even just a penjing, I’ll have some plan of maybe using a little building, bridge or figure. Finding the right piece for the penjing can and has been difficult sometimes. You want to make the penjing as believable as possible, so you’d need to find the right size building or figure to go along with the tree.

Sometimes when I display trees, I use different approaches. Not all pairings and decorations have to stay with the real tree at all times. I think placing them nearby can also make a bonsai look quite good, for example a fisherman sitting under a small juniper bonsai, with the bonsai above him, like a juniper hanging down from a cliff. It has a lovely atmosphere.

Sometimes, I’ve used figures a different way, when I display my trees. Not all have to always be with the actual tree, but near it also makes the penjing quite nice to look at such as the picture of the fisherman sitting under the little cedar penjing which is above him like it’s hanging down from a cliff.

I really like this small bonsai in the blue pot. In front of a tree I placed three small figures. I found this small tree in my backyard, so I planted it in this small pot, and now it looks very interesting.

This one little penjing in the blue pot I quite like, with the three men together, near a grove. The tree itself I found in my backyard and planted in the little pot.

This Serissa japonica (June snow) growing in rock always reminds me of a lake I visited many years ago, sitting on the rock, feeling the trees grow, and watching all kinds of sailboats pass before my eyes.

The one little penjing of the serissa on the rock reminds me of a lake I went to many years ago seeing the trees watch boats of all kinds sail by.

A fisherman rows his boat drifting on the river, a small banyan (Ficus) looks down from behind a huge rock; it is one of my favorite bonsai. Why do I like it? First, because it reminds me of when I first came to China and traveled to Guilin. I especially liked a river called the Long River; it was very beautiful. Second, because some trees, if they are planted in a small pot, will grow smaller leaves, and I think that is very interesting.

The penjing with little ficus peering behind the rock with the little figure on his boat, is one of my favorites’. Two reasons why it’s one of my favorites. One is that it reminds me when I was traveling near Guilin area, at a river called, Dragon River and second because some trees, if they’re in small pots, their leaves will shrink in size which I thought is very interesting.

I think this bonsai landscape with the yellow lighter is also very interesting. For the rocks, I chose to use smoother rocks, but on one rock I placed a very small fisherman, and opposite him, two people are also fishing.

The penjing with the yellow lighter I thought was also interesting. For the rocks I decided to use smoother looking rocks, but on one rock I placed a very small fisherman while across from him, two people are also fishing.

I like this bonsai landscape because it is paired with these small red buildings, and at a glance it is almost a small Chinese garden.

I like how this penjing looks with the little red buildings. It’s almost like it’s a little Chinese garden.

For some bonsai like this juniper, I placed a small house behind it, giving the bonsai some depth so it looks more three-dimensional and real.

For some penjing like this little juniper, I used a small house and placed it a little back to give some depth to the penjing.

This banyan (Ficus) grove in the large bonsai is my favorite. These two banyan trees were very cheap. To keep it from being too monotonous, I bought some stones and made this scene. I used a pair of figures to show them at ease under the trees, drinking tea and enjoying a beautiful day. Sometimes I can even imagine myself sitting there, just like them, enjoying fragrant tea and these lush trees.

The large penjing ficus grove is my absolute favorite. The two clumps of ficus trees were cheap and then I went out and bought some rocks and made the penjing. I wanted to use a couple figures to show that they’re enjoying the day under the trees, having tea. I can imagine myself sitting there, enjoy the tea and trees.

Of course, not all bonsai need buildings or figures, but sometimes making a bonsai landscape helps create the appearance of a truly old tree in a small space, or records a beautiful scene you once visited and do not want to forget.

Not all penjing need buildings or figures, but for some, it helps create the look of a real old tree in a small space, or of a place you once traveled to and want to remember.

For more exchanges, please follow our Baijiahao account.