Potted bonsai plants at home are a refined pastime of scholars; how many pots do you have at home?
Everyone at home likes to decorate their home with plants; they are good for the air at home, and they can also adorn the home, giving the people living there more of a taste of life, and they can also relieve stress and bring a sense of relaxation! So in ancient times, those scholars, besides poetry, loved bonsai most of all! These bonsai were the favorites of ancient scholars!
1. Bowl lotus
China's lotus culture is broad and profound, and it is tightly linked with our Chinese civilization; its core idea is its homophones "he" (harmony) and "lian" (integrity). The bowl lotus is absolutely one of the finest examples of small and exquisite! The bowl lotus is a miniature variety of the lotus; it stands less than a chi tall, its leaves are round like coins3, and its flowers are like candle flames. The bowl lotus, blooming as a lotus in a porcelain bowl on a tea table, fully displays its elegant, understated beauty within a small space. It is especially suitable for planting in containers with a smaller diameter.
2. Orchid
Orchids, called lanhui in ancient times, hide away in remote mountain streams and secluded valleys, blooming in silence, fresh and elegantly understated, fragrant all alone. Orchids are hailed as the "gentleman among flowers" and the "beauty of the empty valley," and people also like to praise those of noble character with the saying "a gentleman is like an orchid." It can be seen how high orchids stand in people's minds. The ancients loved orchids; from rulers to literati and refined scholars, they were infatuated with them, cultivating orchids, writing poems for them, singing tunes, and making paintings. The orchid sentiment has run a long course in China's long history. Plum and chrysanthemum are both seasonal plants, and bamboo is too large to lie on a desk, but only this orchid suits all four seasons, with its small and delicate form. Standing in a tea room, it complements it perfectly.
3. Asparagus fern
The ancients said: "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo." Living in the city, if you want to stroll among swaying bamboo shadows and feel the lingering charm of bamboo, it is not an easy thing. However, carefully growing a few pots of asparagus fern can relieve the longing for bamboo, and all year round you can enjoy that green, moist, and soothing bamboo color.
4. Pine tree
Since ancient times, many people have written about pine trees, such as "Pine Tree" written by Bai Juyi and "Ode to the Pine" written by Hu Zhonggong. What I admire most about the pine tree's qualities is that it silently makes contributions and sacrifices for people; the pine tree is also unafraid of fierce winds and rainstorms, steadfast and unyielding. The pine tree not only provides people with timber, but also cultivates people's character, enabling them to understand the principles of being a person!