Detailed Explanation of Nine Commonly Used Techniques for Bonsai Shaping
Trees in nature are infinitely varied in form, yet they also follow certain patterns. In order to artistically recreate the spirit and charm of various trees in nature, bonsai artists have referenced the forms of ancient trees in nature and summarized many different styles of bonsai shaping, creating bonsai artworks that are "derived from nature yet surpassing nature."
1. Bark-prying method
This is done during the tree's peak growing season: use a sharp knife to pierce into the cambium layer of the trunk bark, then gently pry a few times to temporarily separate the bark from the xylem. You can also insert appropriately sized stones into the pried-open bark, then wrap and bind it with hemp fiber or palm fiber. After the wound heals, that part of the trunk swells and bulges locally, presenting a venerable, aged appearance.
2. Tearing method
For branches that need thinning, instead of using scissors, use your hands to tear them off together with the bark and part of the xylem, leaving a woody groove on the tree. After the wound heals, it looks as though it formed naturally, giving an impression of antique elegance and aged character.
3. Stick-bending method
Use sticks of appropriate thickness such as wooden sticks, bamboo poles, iron rods, hard plastic pipes, or iron pipes as supports. According to the shaping design, wrap the young tree's main trunk around the support to bend it into shape. Depending on the trunk shape and degree of curvature required by the design, one, two, or even three sticks can be cleverly combined. Since iron pipes conduct heat quickly and are harmful to trunk growth, wrap the surface of iron pipes with cloth strips, hemp fiber, or similar materials for insulation. Bonsai suitable for this bending method are all 2-3 year old young trees; older trees with hard trunks are not suitable. After bending, bind firmly with rope, and during the maintenance period, prune and shape the branches and leaves. After 1-2 years of binding, remove the sticks, and with slight refinement, it becomes a naturally curved, gracefully elegant osmanthus bonsai.
4. Knot method
For this shaping method, generally select young trees with soft branches. Tie a knot or form a 360-degree circle in the main trunk not far above the soil line. After slight binding and several years of cultivation (along with root exposure) and pruning, it can become a bonsai of graceful and distinctive form.
5. Bark removal method
On the viewing side of the osmanthus bonsai, on the middle-lower part of the trunk, vertically remove a piece of bark in an irregular shape to expose the xylem. After the wound heals and forms a scar, the trunk appears aged and beautiful.
6. Trunk splitting method
On the viewing side of the bonsai, on the middle-lower part of the trunk, first remove a piece of bark, then use a sharp knife or small chisel to remove about one-third of the xylem. After scarring, a concave woody area is exposed, displaying the bonsai's ancient and unusual character. However, the splitting should not be too deep - at deepest it must not exceed one-half of the trunk diameter; nor should there be too many - generally 1-2 splits per bonsai is sufficient, otherwise it will affect the bonsai's growth and give an appearance of being "riddled with holes."
7. Branch-breaking method
The branch-breaking method can be further divided into two types: breaking while leaving a trace, and breaking without severing.
(1) Breaking while leaving a trace. At the point where the branch is to be broken, first saw a groove about half the depth of the branch diameter, then tear it off together with the bark and xylem. After the wound heals, it looks as though it grew naturally, with a beautiful appearance.
(2) Breaking without severing. First wrap the branch to be broken with metal wire, then break the branch halfway (broken but not severed, so the branch remains alive). The angle and position of the break depend on the shaping requirements. Generally, only one or two branches per bonsai are broken. The broken branch curves are rigid and sturdy, presenting a striking new look.
8. Vertical bark splitting method
Some bonsai trunks are smooth and lack an aged appearance. In spring, make several vertical cuts on the trunk deep into the xylem. After the wounds heal, the bark becomes rough and aged-looking.
9. Trunk cleaving method
This means splitting the trunk vertically. According to different shaping requirements, there are two methods of operation: one is to split the roots and trunk into two but not separate the canopy - that is, split below but not above, still remaining one plant; the other is to split the roots, trunk, and canopy all into two, becoming two plants. With careful cultivation, two osmanthus bonsai can be made.
For the trunk cleaving method, select plants with strong vitality and carry it out before spring budding.
Bonsai Techniques, Mnemonics, Illustrations
Bonsai Techniques, Mnemonics, Illustrations
"Bonsai Technique Mnemonics"
Branches have no inch of straightness; one inch has three bends.
Where sparse, a horse can pass; where dense, wind cannot penetrate.
One branch shows undulation; two branches divide into long and short; three branches speak of gathering and scattering; many branches have both exposed and hidden parts.
Straight long positions should be hidden rather than exposed; straight curved positions should be exposed rather than hidden.
For plum bonsai, prefer breaking over bending, prefer slanting over straight.
A bonsai is a wordless poem, a three-dimensional painting, a living sculpture.
The day the landscape is complete, the work has been ten years in the making!
Fear not cutting the wrong branch; fear placing it in the wrong position.
Accumulate branches and truncate the trunk. A zhang for mountains, a chi for trees, a cun for horses, a fen for people. Distant mountains have no trees; near is large, far is small.
Creating forms from nature, wondrous as a painter's craft; terrain within a foot yet connecting to the vast void beyond.
Dragons emerge and disappear across thirty thousand qing; clouds and rain crisscross the twelve peaks.
A pure seat frees one from vulgarity; in leisure, it summons cool breeze in summer heat.
Mountains and falling waters on a bleak night; drunk dreaming of rivers and lakes within a single leaf
Remove the strong, keep the weak; remove the coarse, keep the fine.
Examine accurately, cut ruthlessly.
Rugao bonsai: looking left and right with two and a half bends; cloud head, rain feet, beauty's waist.
Do not water if not dry; when watering, water thoroughly.
Water when dry, let dry between waterings; fertilize lightly and frequently;
A landscape tree without roots is like a planted post; for pavilions, observe the tip; for bonsai, observe the feet.
In spring, remove misplaced buds,
In summer, prune strong and weak branches;
In autumn, apply supplemental fertilizer,
In winter, prune the appropriate branches.
Song of Daily Management for Deciduous Bonsai
Pests and diseases should be prevented early.
Winter is precisely the time.
Clean fallen leaves promptly.
Eliminate overwintering eggs.
Spray "lime-sulfur agent";
When spring comes, the tree is well.
Five-remove, five-keep pruning method
Remove far, keep near; remove large, keep small. Remove straight, keep curved; remove center, keep edges; remove high, keep low.
Song of Daily Management for Deciduous Bonsai
In spring, water in the morning,
Strengthen light exposure to prevent leggy growth.
Apply more "phosphorus-potassium" organic fertilizer;
Branches sturdy, leaves thick, internodes short.
In summer, best to avoid western sun exposure.
Prevent leaves from early scorching.
When temperature drops, fertilize promptly.
In extreme heat, bonsai are especially enchanting.
In autumn, west wind turns leaves yellow,
Reduce water and fertilizer as appropriate,
Transform mechanisms within the plant;
Check and adjust frequently, and the tree will be well.
In winter, cold protection is primary.
Placing in high positions is foremost.
Overwinter indoors with light exposure;
With sufficient dormancy, the bonsai thrives.
Essential guidelines for fertilizing bonsai and flowering plants
"Four more": apply more when yellow and thin, apply more before budding, apply more during bud formation, apply more after flowering.
"Four less": apply less when fat and strong, apply less when sprouting, apply less when flowering, apply less during rainy season;
"Four never": never apply when leggy, never apply when newly planted, never apply in peak summer heat, never apply during dormancy.
Lingnan bonsai:
Shedding garments to change brocade, one display with three transformations; spring buds, autumn leaves, summer luxuriance, winter storage
Long below, short above; long inside, short outside.
A thousand blossoms meet the eye in slanting profusion, but only two or three branches delight the heart.
Four conditions for potted trees: exposed roots, thick trunk, dense branches, fine leaves
Four great potted trees: boxwood, golden pea shrub, winter jasmine, juniper pine.
Seven sages of potted trees: Huangshan pine, juniper, elm, maple, holly, ginkgo, Japanese bush cherry.
Eighteen scholars of potted trees: plum, peach, tiger thorn, winter cherry, Chinese wolfberry, azalea, emerald cypress, papaya, wintersweet, nandina, camellia, Buddhist pine, Malus spectabilis, bamboo, crape myrtle, pomegranate, serissa, gardenia.
Lingnan bonsai "branch accumulation and trunk truncation method"
Suzhou-style bonsai "six platforms, three supports, one crown" shaping method
Yangzhou-style bonsai "one inch, three bends, cloud style" shaping method
Shanghai-style bonsai "combined pruning and binding method"
Zhejiang "high-trunk style" Zhejiang school
Anhui "twisted-spiral style" Hui school
Shandong "screen style"
Sichuan "earthworm-curve style" Chuan school
Fujian "aerial root style"
Lingnan bonsai branch supports curve upward like deer antlers and droop like chicken claws; excess is pruned away leaving the lean and elegant; every branch and every leaf is imbued with feeling.
The trunk moves like a snake yet stands upright, with arms extending horizontally left and right; the tree form is vigorous and robust, the canopy lush and dense.
Yangzhou-style bonsai: the trunk must be ancient, the pads must be flat and even; the technique uses "inch knots, inch bends, chicken-claw wings" - main branches like chicken wings, side branches like chicken claws.
Production key points: first expose roots, second create nodes, third bend, fourth make pads, fifth finish the crown.
Suzhou-style bonsai technique: coarse binding, fine pruning, with pruning as primary and binding as supplementary.
Shanghai-style bonsai technique: equal emphasis on binding and pruning, fine binding and fine pruning.
Wild stump collection: for deciduous trees, after leaf fall and before budding, when the tree is in dormancy; for evergreen trees, any time of year, but best in spring or rainy season. The key is that fibrous roots are complete.
Application of traditional Chinese painting techniques in bonsai craft
Intention before the brush.
A thousand mountains all enter the painting, but only one peak's green is taken.
A slice of mountain has grace; an inch of stone generates feeling.
One peak suggests Mount Taihua's thousand xun; one spoon suggests rivers and lakes for ten thousand li.
A room elegant needs not be large; floral fragrance lies not in abundance.
Golden ratio method.
When joined, the whole is connected; when separated, each object has its own posture.
Scalene triangle composition principle.
Application of traditional Chinese painting techniques in bonsai craft
Painting only the fish without painting the water, yet within it there are waves.
The light of one torch illuminates the whole body.
The guest follows the host. Foil and set off.
When solid, make it appear empty; when empty, make it appear solid.
Form broken but meaning continuous; trace broken but momentum continuous.
The divine dragon shows its head but not its tail.
If a mountain is to appear tall, showing it all does not make it tall. Let mist and rosy clouds lock its waist, and then it is tall.
View its momentum from afar, observe its substance up close.
Seen up close there is exposure, and exposure reveals its substance; viewed from afar there is concealment, and concealment brings out its meaning.
The more the scenery is concealed, the greater the realm.
Use the clever and the clumsy together, apply both the coarse and the fine.
The application of traditional Chinese painting techniques in the art of penjing
In the body of a mountain, stone is the bone, trees and shrubs are the clothing, grass is the hair, water is the blood vessels, and temples, monasteries, woods, settlements and bridges are the ornaments.
Stone is inert by nature; when a tree is alive, it becomes spirited.
Trees must not be crowded; one must see the elegance of the mountain.
A mountain ten zhang tall, a tree one chi, a horse one cun, a person the size of a bean
Sixteen taboos in pruning the roots, trunks and branches of penjing
Root taboos: returning roots, sheet roots, reverse roots.
Trunk taboos: S-shaped trunk, reverse trunk, trunk that steals the main trunk.
Branch taboos: sheet branches, parallel branches, inward-facing branches, branches cut from the trunk, crossing branches, overlong branches, wheel branches, opposite branches, frog-leg branches, reverse branches.
Near should be delicate and detailed, far should be generalized;
The lower part should be clear, the upper part should be blurred;
Near trees should be large, far trees should be small
A mountain ten zhang tall, a tree one chi, a horse one cun, a person the size of a bean.
Distant people have no eyes, distant trees have no branches, distant mountains have no stones, faintly like an eyebrow.
Birdsong makes the mountain more secluded, the drone of cicadas makes the forest quieter still.
Seek quiet through liveliness; movement and stillness set each other off, balanced and harmonious.
Guest and host clearly distinguished, uneven yet orderly, gazing at each other with feeling.
Seek simplicity within complexity.
How could a mountain of a thousand li be wondrous throughout, how could waters of ten thousand li be beautiful throughout
The substantial and the insubstantial give rise to each other.
Within the substantial there is the insubstantial, within the insubstantial there is the substantial.
Within the dense there is the sparse, within the sparse there is the dense; sparse and dense are well arranged.
What is exposed is substantial, what is concealed is insubstantial,
When there is both concealment and exposure, the substantial and insubstantial give rise to each other.
Plain yet extraordinary, hardness and softness complementing each other.
Leaky, transparent, thin, wrinkled.
One bend, two turns, three protrusions, four returns, five pressing the top.
Better empty than full; exceeding 5/10 shows excessive bulk and crampedness, while having 3/10 too few dry parts makes it loose and monotonous. This ratio applies to the front view, side view and top view of a penjing.
In the layout of a penjing, the greatest taboo is a rigid, four-square stability.
No distinction between light and heavy, the guest stealing the host's role
The three distances method
The ancients said: "A mountain has three distances:
Looking up from the foot of the mountain to the peak is called high distance,
Peering from the front of the mountain to the back is called deep distance,
Gazing from a near mountain to a far mountain is called level distance.
The momentum of high distance is towering, the meaning of deep distance is layered, the meaning of level distance is harmonious and faintly vast."
The twelve great principles of penjing styling
Conceive the idea before putting brush to paper.
Learn from nature.
Shape according to the momentum.
Combine movement and stillness.
Use complexity and simplicity together.
View the large through the small.
Yin and yang, front and back.
Primary and secondary clearly distinguished.
Proportions harmonious.
Gazing and answering each other.
Variation within unity.
Both form and spirit present.
Clever use of a title, the finishing touch that brings it to life.
"Plain words have no flavor, shallow meaning has no interest."
Ten styles of penjing scene composition
--Antique: mostly tree-stump penjing. Made from pine, cypress, elm and the like, with pine foremost; there is a saying that "without pine there is no antique," shaping an old and vigorous image.
--Elegant: made mainly from orchids; "without orchid there is no elegance," forming a quiet, elegant and plain atmosphere.
--Clear: made from evergreen plants such as bamboo, with bamboo foremost; "without bamboo there is no clarity," forming a clear, bright and lively landscape.
--Charming: mostly flowering penjing, with plum foremost; "without plum there is no charm," forming a wondrously beautiful and colorful posture.
--Secluded: mostly mountain-forest penjing, using dense plants and mountain stones to form jungles and gorges like "Qingcheng, the most secluded under heaven."
--Majestic: mostly mountain-stone penjing, made mainly from stone, matched with trees and buildings, using relatively tall stone material to form a landscape like the majestic posture of Mount Tai
--Dangerous: also mountain-stone penjing, but it must create the momentum of cliffs and steep walls.
--Wondrous: mountain-stone penjing dominated by strangely shaped stones, forming a landscape like "Huangshan, the most wondrous under heaven."
--Open: mostly water-and-stone penjing, forming seaside scenery that delights the heart and refreshes the mind.
--Beautiful: also landscape penjing, using mountains, water, flowers and trees to form a beautiful scene like "Emei, the most beautiful under heaven."
Five ways of looking when watering tree-stump penjing
First, look at the pot used for planting;
Second, look at the growing medium;
Third, look at the plant's leaves;
Fourth, look at the growing season;
Fifth, look at the climate.
One scene, two pots, three stands
The method of planting high in a deep pot, mounding soil and raising the roots; the method of raising roots by sand culture in a cylinder; the method of planting flat in a deep pot and raising roots by flushing with water.
Ensure survival in the first year, nourish the roots in the second year, nourish the tree in the third year.
Artistic expression techniques in penjing making
Primary and secondary clearly distinguished, substantial and insubstantial giving rise to each other, sparse and dense properly handled, movement and stillness setting each other off, concealment within exposure, hardness and softness complementing each other, contrast of withered and flourishing, both form and spirit present, clever and clumsy used together, contrast and variation, the extraordinary within the ordinary, likeness within unlikeness, unity of opposites, and so on.
Forms of penjing styling
One. Straight-trunk type (single-trunk towering style, single-trunk short-and-stout style, single-trunk robust style, double-trunk towering style, double-trunk robust style, towering forest style, robust forest style);
Two. Slanting-trunk type (bent-slanting style, horizontal-slanting style, straight-slanting style, slanting-trunk forest style);
Three. Straight-slanting trunk type (short-and-stout double-trunk straight-slanting style, tall-and-flowing double-trunk straight-slanting style, robust double-trunk straight-slanting style);
Four. Curved-trunk type (straight-curved style, slanting-curved style, whorled style, double-curved style, curved-trunk forest style);
Five. Prostrate-trunk type (horizontal prostrate style, curved prostrate style);
Six. Cliff-hanging type (fully hanging style, semi-hanging style, semi-hanging flying-whorl style);
Seven. Waterside type (single-trunk waterside style, double-trunk waterside style);
Eight. Upside-down hanging type (single-trunk upside-down hanging style, double-trunk upside-down hanging style);
Nine. Water-and-dryland type (semi water-and-dryland style, full water-and-dryland style);
Ten. Rockery forest type (peak-and-ridge forest style, hill forest style, cliff forest style);
Eleven. Wind-blown type (single-trunk wind-blown style, double-trunk wind-blown style, forest wind-blown style);
Twelve. Bridge-crossing type (single-tree bridge-crossing style, double-tree bridge-crossing style, forest bridge-crossing style);
Thirteen. Decayed-trunk type (cave style, axe-cleaved style);
Fourteen. Withered-and-rotted type (withered-tip style, withered-branch style, withered-trunk style (shari trunk));
Fifteen. Bizarre type (knob-and-hole style, lingzhi style).
Beauty of artistic conception is the highest realm of penjing art
Emotion within the scene, scene within the emotion, emotion and scene blended;
The key lies in seeking its spirit and charm.
Pines may be tall or short, curved or straight; the key is to seek their vigor;
Cypresses may be strange, wondrous, withered or flourishing; the key is to seek their clumsiness;
Weeping trees: the key is to seek their tender feeling; hanging trees: the key is to seek their danger and wonder,
Flowering trees: the key is to seek their gorgeousness; fruit trees: the key is to seek their abundance,
Spring trees: the key is to seek their vitality; summer trees: the key is to seek their lushness,
Autumn trees: the key is to seek their red leaves; winter trees: the key is to seek their cold posture.
Only when one understands the spiritual essence of a tree can its spirit and charm be sought.
The posture of central correctness: steady and balanced, neither leaning nor slanting;
The posture of calm harmony: fine rain and gentle wind, no surging waves;
The posture of prosperity: full of vitality, radiant with youth;
The posture of welcoming guests: bowing deeply with hands clasped, courteous and polite;
The posture of clear elegance: a graceful gentleman, beauty that is a feast for the eyes;
The posture of towering abruptness: like the Buddha atop Mount Fotou, like the cloud-supporting stone supporting clouds;
The posture of plunging cascade: the waters of the Yellow River coming from heaven, flying down three thousand chi;
The posture of vigorous strength: a flying roc pouncing on a tiger, a coiled dragon churning the river;
The posture of majestic wonder: swallowing heaven and transforming earth, shaking the firmament;
The posture of strange danger: a perilous tower a hundred chi high, a boulder falling from a high peak;
The posture of strange elegance: lofty and ethereal, transcending the dust and the commonplace;
The posture of strange prominence: old trunks and coiled branches, gnarled roots and twisted joints;
Favorable momentum: duckweed following the water, drifting with the waves;
Adverse momentum: clouds and mountains rolling backward, the upside-down golden hook;
The posture of galloping leap: raising the whip to urge the horse on, perilously crossing the mountain pass.
The posture of central correctness: steady and balanced, neither leaning nor slanting;
A peaceful stance: fine rain and gentle breeze, calm and unruffled;
A flourishing stance: full of vitality, brimming with youthful vigor;
A welcoming stance: bowing deeply with hands clasped, courteous and polite;
A refined and elegant stance: a graceful gentleman, lovely to behold;
Requirements for the layout of the tree crown
1. The tree crown must be vertical, horizontal and balanced;
2. The tree crown must turn back to "lift its head";
3. The tree crown must lean forward.
Achieve the effect that the front of the tree form is exposed while the back is concealed, with both concealment and exposure present, leaving a sense of subtle reserve.
Common forms of landscape bonsai
1. Close-view style:
(1) Cliff-hanging style: this form requires attention to the center of gravity; though it should be exaggerated, it must remain reasonable.
(2) Figurative style: it should hover between resembling and not resembling, inviting repeated contemplation. It should not be too lifelike, nor too abstract and hard to understand.
(3) Strange-rock style: the form should be relaxed and generous, strange yet not distorted, and must not be affected or artificial.
2. Distant-view style:
(1) Peak: the form should be tall and upright in momentum, achieving a majestic, towering grandeur.
(2) Ridge: layer upon layer connected, with rounded and flowing forms; the shape should be steady and solemn, with a vast and powerful momentum.
(3) Foreshore rock: a rock that highlights the riverside.
(4) Gorge: a water channel flanked by two mountains.
(5) Reef (island): a part protruding above the water in rivers, lakes or seas.
(6) Valley: deep between two mountains, where a path can follow the flowing water.
(7) Ravine: a dry gully in the mountains.
3. Water-and-dry style:
(1) Fully dry style: this subject is easy to use with a shallow pot.
(2) Semi-dry style: depicting a corner of the waterside.
4. Wall-hanging style:
The design of a wall-hanging scene should be concise and beautiful, with rich and substantial layers. The implied meaning should be profound.
5. Rock-attached style:
It looks like a tree naturally growing among rocks, quaint and with a wild charm, and can be placed in a landscape pot.
6. Viewing stones:
The selected stone should possess thinness, openness, holes and wrinkles, or achieve excellence in form, spirit, color, texture and charm.
Tree bonsai classification and styling methods take woody plants as the main body; through artistic treatment (pruning, wiring) and careful cultivation, they typically reproduce in a pot the spirit and appearance of a solitary tree or forest in nature as a work of art.
Because of differences in styling techniques, tree bonsai are usually divided into 3 types: formal style, figurative style and natural style. Judging by the development trend, the natural style is dominant.
1. Formal style: mostly traditional forms, with certain standardized conventions, neat and rigorous styling, suitable for symmetrical arrangement in halls or gateways; the atmosphere is solemn and luxurious. Apart from Yangzhou-style bonsai, Sichuan-style bonsai, Tong-style bonsai and Hui-style bonsai, which still retain traditional forms, other schools have innovated on the basis of inheritance. For example, Yangzhou-style bonsai's "table style" and "clever cloud style" bonsai; Sichuan-style bonsai's "rolling dragon embracing a pearl", "opposite bend", "square bend", "dropped bend", "three bends and nine reverse bends", "large bend with drooping branches", "straight body with crown", "joined bend and dropped bend", "old woman combing her hair" and "comprehensive style" bonsai; Tong-style bonsai's two-and-a-half-bend "civil tree" and "martial tree" bonsai; Hui-style bonsai's "wandering dragon bend" bonsai, etc.
2. Figurative style: using pine and cypress or flowering plants, they are pruned and wired into dragons, phoenixes, lions, tigers, elephants, eagles and other birds and beasts, as well as figures and patterns, and inscribed with auspicious phrases such as "dragon and phoenix bring prosperity", "two dragons playing with a pearl", "all things renew", and "grand prospects unfold", for congratulations, celebrations and festivals.
3. Natural style: simulating the spirit and appearance of solitary trees and forests in nature, with varied shapes and countless postures.
Its styling can be summarized into 12 forms
Straight-trunk style: the tree stands upright, with the momentum of an ancient tree reaching the sky and standing towering; in Guangzhou it is also called the large-tree type.
Slanting-trunk style: the trunk lies across the soil surface, while the branches and crown spread flat beyond the pot, like an ancient tree by the water, so it is also called the waterside style.
Cliff-hanging style: the trunk hangs outward and downward, resembling an ancient pine on a precipitous cliff. If the trunk hangs no lower than the bottom of the pot, it is called semi-cliff-hanging; if lower than the pot bottom, it is called full cliff-hanging. In Yangzhou it is also called "hanging mouth".
Lying-trunk style: the trunk lies across the soil surface, while the branches and crown rise and extend, like the momentum of a tree struck by lightning or blown down by wind.
Curved-trunk style: the trunk is twisted and coiled like a dragon, mostly seen in traditional forms.
Multi-trunk style: the trunks grow in clusters, uneven in height, with twisted branches extending in all directions. Among these there are also the double-trunk style, three-trunk style or single-root multi-trunk style.
Dead-trunk style: the trunk is mottled and hollowed through by erosion, extremely rich in an ancient and venerable air.
Weeping-branch style: the branches and leaves droop and spread, like a willow hanging over green waves.
Wind-blown style: the branches and leaves drift to one side in the wind, full of movement, like strong grass in a fierce wind.
Connected-root style: thick roots are exposed and connected, the stems are uneven in height, and arranged in a pleasing disorderly way. In Yangzhou it is commonly called "crossing the bridge"; in Guangdong and Guangxi it is called "interlocked trees".
Raised-root style: through cultivation techniques and styling methods, the twisted and winding root form is changed to present an ancient and venerable momentum.
Forest style: multiple plants grown in clusters, just like the open fields, with scattered groves clustered among the mountains.
According to the research decision of the evaluation committee of the "China Bonsai Evaluation Exhibition", Chinese bonsai are divided into five specifications: extra-large, large, medium, small and miniature.
Tree bonsai (classified by tree height)
(1) Large: 81 cm to 150 cm.
(2) Medium: 41 cm to 80 cm.
(3) Small: 15 cm to 40 cm.
(4) Miniature: below 15 cm.
Landscape bonsai (classified by pot diameter)
(1) Large: 101 cm to 150 cm.
(2) Medium: 41 cm to 100 cm.
(3) Small: 15 cm to 40 cm.
(4) Miniature: below 15 cm.
Tree-and-rock bonsai are measured by the length of the pot.
Bamboo-and-grass bonsai are similar to tree bonsai.
Characteristics of literati trees
Clarity, simplicity, elegance, softness, refinement and Zen are all qualities of the literati; look at the artistic conception, not the form.
For pines look at the bark, for cypresses look at the bone
Five taboos in growing bonsai
1. Avoid fertilizing.
2. Avoid drought.
3. Avoid waterlogging.
4. Avoid sudden shading.
5. Avoid watering at noon.
Four taboos of forest-style bonsai
First taboo: a forest cut straight with one knife;
Second taboo: a dense, unventilated forest;
Third taboo: a forest in a deep pot or large vessel;
Fourth taboo: a forest without pruning;
Eight suitable practices and eight taboos in creating tree-stump bonsaiFirst suitable: a clear theme and definite conception; taboo: creating without knowing what one wants to express or how to express it.
Second suitable: having a basic understanding of the height and left-right spread of the work after it takes shape; taboo: having no clear idea and letting it be.
Third suitable: having a basic estimate of the time needed to take shape; taboo: having no plan in mind and being too impatient.
Fourth suitable: cutting the stump into place; taboo: repeated changes later.
Fifth suitable: a clear orientation; taboo: repeated changes.
Sixth suitable: accurate setting of support points and concentrating growth advantage; taboo: cultivating non-styling branches too thick and artificially creating wounds.
Seventh suitable: styling that gains momentum, with key branches exaggerated; taboo: bland and unremarkable, mediocre and slick.
Eighth suitable: clear goals for each stage of cultivation; taboo: cutting everything with one knife without purpose.
Five taboos in seeking survival of mountain-collected tree stumps
1. Avoid shallow planting;
2. Avoid frequent checking;
3. Avoid sparse watering;
4. Avoid mistaken inspection;
5. Avoid impatience;
Bonsai styling requires wiring, and the specific operation must be done correctly;
In the old days the habit was to wrap with iron wire, which wasted time and effort and often failed.
First, the contact area is small, and sinking into the phloem causes great damage;
Second, tightness is hard to control, and force against force easily rebounds.
Switch to nylon packaging tape, tightly wrapped and densely wound, the most practical;
Bending freely as one wishes, overcoming hardness with softness without difficulty.
If encountering a fork in a branch or trunk, wrap it in place and add several turns.
Also, if the bend is sharp and the branch thick, add iron wire to secure and tie it;
If the thickness and length are known, base it on how large the branch is.
At the middle bend, make a small loop, then bend toward the fork branch;
Thread a steel rebar through the loop, and cross and fasten the tail ends tightly.
Here one more point must be mentioned: place a pad under the iron wire.
After wrapping with tape and iron wire, use a pry bar, pull ring, and fix straight bends.
When the day comes that the branch or trunk has taken shape, then disassemble each piece.
Store the removed items properly, so they can be used for wiring again in the future.
Key branches of excellent styling (commonly called essential branches)
1. Floating branch: the main vein of the branch drifts slightly downward while parallel. To obtain the best curvilinear beauty, the branching angle can be exchanged between nodes to strengthen the sense of rhythm, but it does not deviate from the central axis of the main vein.
2. Probing branch: a branch emerging from a high position, with the main vein rising and falling in curved nodes, similar in some ways to the floating branch. Its greatest feature is that among many relatively uniform styling branches it suddenly stands out and breaks the edge line of the composition. Just like the line in poetry, "a branch of red apricot reaches out beyond the wall."
3. Dragging branch: the main vein is rounded and flowing, with the same direction as the trunk, like the dragging saber used by Guan Yu in battle. It is mostly used in the styling of curved and slanting trunks, with the meaning of covering the rear and anchoring the foot.
4. Dropping branch: the main vein suddenly twists and plunges downward in its forward advance, with strong and clear variation, flowing naturally after dropping, mostly used in tall tree forms to make up for the empty feeling of few branches on the high-footed part.
5. Pouring branch: as soon as the main vein emerges from the branch it curves and flows into a downward-pouring state, with few curved nodes and changes in between, like a river rushing straight down, pouring a thousand li, with a powerful and vigorous momentum.
Techniques for promoting and suppressing branch pads in tree-stump bonsai
1. Strong pruning to suppress vigor;
2. Half-breaking to suppress vigor;
3. Leaf removal to suppress vigor;
4. Replacement to suppress vigor;
5. Backlighting to suppress vigor;
6. Chemical treatment to suppress vigor.
Deadwood (jin) --------- In nature, old trees, after being devastated by lightning, wind, frost, snow and rain, falling rocks and disease, have part of the crown or some of the branches withered, with the bark peeled off and the xylem turned bone-white; this is called natural "deadwood" (jin).
Shari (deadwood) --------- Old wood in nature that has been struck by lightning, weathered by wind, frost, snow and rain, crushed by falling rocks and damaged by disease, its bark stripped away and the woody part of the trunk turned to white bone, is called natural "shari".
Branch-borrowing space-filling method
1. Fill empty space with a companion plant;
2. Fill empty space with a downward-hanging branch;
3. Fill empty space with a back-turning branch;
4. Fill empty space with a broken-off top.
Stands: there are tree-root stands, pillow stands, scroll stands, square stands, round stands, irregular-shaped stands, single stands, double stands, curio stands, etc. The craftsmanship is required to be simple and antique, the lines smooth, the proportions harmonious, and the scenery mutually echoing.
Bonsai pruning techniques
1. Pruning based on plant characteristics: 1. Unbalanced pruning; 2. Balanced pruning; 3. Pruning with leaves retained; 4. Reserved pruning.
2. Pruning based on aesthetic characteristics: 1. Keep branches to define pads, remove redundant branches; 2. Harmonious proportions, refined pruning; 3. Angle orientation, precise and detailed pruning; 4. Outline control, integrated pruning.
Personification method for styling raw material: (excerpted from the Chinese Flowers and Bonsai magazine, I found it quite good, so I am recording it here)
After the raw material is in hand, first ponder it repeatedly to determine the best front. Then, following its form, divide the trunk according to the personification approach into head, abdomen, and hip (below the two hips is the root). Once these three parts are determined, the other specific parts will not fall into confusion.
Below, the "three major taboos", "five minor taboos", "three rare branches", and "five fine branches" in the shaping of tree-stump bonsai regarding retention, discarding, accumulation, and control are described separately as follows:
Three major taboos:
First taboo: nose branch; a nose branch is a branch without an eye, extremely vulgar and depressing, and a great enemy that damages the image of a stump bonsai.
Second taboo: chest branch; a chest branch is a stuffy branch, a great enemy that damages the vital energy of a stump bonsai.
Third taboo: belly branch; a belly branch is a ruffian branch, a major diseased branch that strangles the future of a stump bonsai.
Five minor taboos:
1. Taboo: back-of-the-head branch;
2. Taboo: neck branch;
3. Taboo: armpit branch;
4. Taboo: top-of-the-head branch;
5. Taboo: forehead branch
Three rare branches:
1. It is rare for a branch to grow at the ear position; once the ear position has a branch, the whole stump bonsai gains its primary image.
2. It is rare for the shoulder position to have a branch; if either side of the two shoulders has a branch, the stump bonsai has hope for the future.
3. It is rare for a branch to emerge at the hip position; if the hip of the trunk has a large branch, it means the foundation of the stump bonsai is good, and its future is great, even boundless.
Five fine branches:
1. The cheek (including the jaw) or the cavity of the trunk has a branch. 2. The left and right sides of the upper chest of the trunk have branches. 3. The roughly corresponding areas of the two flanks of the trunk have branches.
4. The roughly corresponding area of the back of the trunk has a branch, which is also a first-class fine branch. 5. When the two sides of the waist or the rear waist of an old, large, thick, ancient trunk sprout branches, these are also first-class fine branches.
The foundation of tree bonsai shaping - the trunk
Trunks are divided into straight trunk, slanting trunk, curved trunk, cliff-hanging, split trunk, jumping branch, rotted trunk, connected root, rock-attached, lying trunk, combined, etc.
The skeleton of tree bonsai shaping - branches
Branches are divided into flowing branches, whorling branches, slanting-drooping branches, flat-spreading branches, upward-raising branches, natural branches, deer-antler branches, chicken-claw branches, curved branches, zigzag branches, wind-blown branches, hanging-curtain branches, vine-curved branches, etc.
The life of tree bonsai shaping - the root base
Roots are divided into radial form, lateral form, coiled-twisted form, trunk-wrapping form, hanging-thread form, coiling-dragon form, etc.
The foremost image of tree bonsai - the crown
Crowns are divided into fan-shaped crown, semicircular crown, umbrella-shaped crown, triangular crown, withered-tip crown, bald-top crown, turning crown, flat-top crown, one-sided crown, etc.
The symbol of life of tree bonsai - the leaves
Leaves are divided into heart-shaped leaves, elliptical leaves, needle-shaped leaves, palmate leaves, etc.
The nostalgic pursuit of tree bonsai - aged appearance
Its expressions include knots, holes, incompleteness, cracks, spots, peeling bark, corrosion, fractures, etc.
Classification and shaping methods of tree bonsai
A work of art that takes woody plants as the main body, undergoes artistic treatment (pruning, wiring) and careful cultivation, and typically reproduces the spirit and appearance of a solitary tree or forest in nature within a pot.
Tree bonsai are divided according to different ornamental features into three categories: foliage-appreciation, flower-appreciation, and fruit-appreciation.
Foliage-appreciation category: tree bonsai appreciated for the form and color of plant leaves and their changes through the four seasons, as well as the ever-changing spirit and appearance of branches, stems, and roots. Foliage-appreciation tree bonsai are the main type in tree bonsai of various styles and schools. For example: the pine, cypress, elm, and poplar bonsai of the Yang school; the Chinese juniper, true juniper, Japanese apricot, elm, and trident maple bonsai of the Su school; the Buddhist pine and ginkgo bonsai of the Chuan school; the orange jasmine, Japanese apricot, elm, and Fukien tea bonsai of the Lingnan school; the five-needle pine, black pine, Buddhist pine, and true juniper bonsai of the Shanghai school; the Buddhist pine, five-needle pine, and boxwood bonsai of the Tong school; the five-needle pine and Chinese juniper bonsai of the Zhe school, etc.
Flower-appreciation category: tree bonsai appreciated for the form and color of plant flowers and their changes through the flowering period, as well as the ever-changing spirit and appearance of leaves, branches, stems, and roots.
For flower-appreciation tree bonsai, the Hui school takes the roaming-dragon plum bonsai as its main type, and the Chuan school takes the close-stem bonsai and the six-month snow bonsai, etc. as its main types; although other styles and schools of tree bonsai do not take the flower-appreciation category as their main type, they all have flower-appreciation tree bonsai with their own local characteristics. For example: Yangzhou's knot plum bonsai, basket-carrying plum bonsai, ornamental peach bonsai, and winter jasmine bonsai, etc.; Suzhou's split plum bonsai, wintersweet bonsai, crape myrtle bonsai, and winter jasmine bonsai, etc.; Nantong's six-month snow bonsai and azalea bonsai, etc.
Fruit-appreciation category: tree bonsai appreciated for the form and color of plant fruits and their changes through the fruiting period, as well as the ever-changing spirit and appearance of leaves, branches, stems, and roots.
For fruit-appreciation tree bonsai, the Chuan school takes the golden bullet tree bonsai as its main type, and Xuzhou fruit-tree bonsai takes apple, pear, and hawthorn bonsai, etc. as its main types; although other styles and schools of tree bonsai do not take the fruit-appreciation category as their main type, they likewise all have fruit-appreciation tree bonsai with their own local characteristics. "Yangzhou's citron bonsai, etc.; Suzhou's pomegranate bonsai, etc.; Shanghai's sea pomegranate bonsai and oleaster bonsai; Nantong's tiger-thorn bonsai and goji bonsai, etc.; Guizhou and Hubei's pyracantha bonsai, etc.; Bengbu's nandina bonsai, etc.; Beijing's grape bonsai, etc.; Jinhua's finger citron bonsai, etc.; Guangzhou's kumquat and mountain orange bonsai, etc.
Because of different shaping techniques, tree bonsai are usually divided into three types: regular type, pictographic type, and natural type. Judging from the development trend, the natural type is dominant.
1. Regular type: mostly traditional forms, with certain standard formulas, neat and rigorous shaping, suitable for symmetrical arrangement in halls or gate courtyards; the atmosphere is solemn and luxurious. Apart from the Yang school, Chuan school, Tong school, Hui school, and others that still retain traditional forms, other schools have innovated on the basis of inheritance. For example, the Yang school's "table style" and "clever cloud style" bonsai; the Chuan school's "rolling dragon embracing pearl", "opposite bend", "square bend", "dropping bend", "three bends and nine reverse bends", "large bend with hanging branches", "straight body with coronation", "joined bend and dropping bend", "old woman combing her hair", and "comprehensive style" bonsai; the Tong school's two-and-a-half-bend "civil tree" and "martial tree" bonsai; the Hui school's "roaming dragon bend" bonsai, etc.
2. Pictographic type: using conifers or flowering plants pruned and wired into dragons, phoenixes, lions, tigers, elephants, eagles, and other birds and beasts, as well as figures and patterns, and inscribed with auspicious phrases such as "dragon and phoenix bringing prosperity", "two dragons playing with a pearl", "all things renewed", and "grand prospects unfolding", for congratulations, celebrations, and festivals.
As times advance, pictographic bonsai are no longer commonly seen. Kaifeng Dragon Pavilion Park has applied pictographic bonsai pruning and wiring techniques in combination with plant shaping, pruning and wiring ground-planted Chinese junipers into dragons, phoenixes, pagodas and pavilions, as well as giant pandas, Donald Duck, trains, helicopters, and other shapes, forming the Dragon Pavilion Plant Sculpture Garden, opening up a fresh and distinctive scene.
3. Natural type: simulating the spirit and appearance of solitary trees and forests in nature, with varied shapes and myriad postures.
Its shaping can be summarized into 12 forms.
Straight-trunk style: the tree stands upright, with the imposing manner of an ancient tree reaching the sky and standing towering and firm; in Guangzhou it is also called the large-tree type.
Slanting-trunk style: the trunk lies across the soil surface, while the branches and crown spread flat beyond the pot, like an ancient tree by the water, so it is also called the waterside style.
Cliff-hanging style: the trunk hangs outward and downward, resembling an ancient pine on a green cliff. If the trunk hangs no lower than the bottom of the pot, it is called semi-cliff-hanging; if lower than the bottom of the pot, it is called full cliff-hanging. In Yangzhou it is also called "hanging mouth".
Lying-trunk style: the trunk lies across the soil surface, while the branches and crown rise and extend, like the posture of a tree struck by lightning or blown down by wind.
Curved-trunk style: the trunk is twisted and coiled like a dragon, mostly seen in traditional forms.
Multi-trunk style: the trunks grow in clusters, uneven in height, with twisted branches extending in all directions. Among these, there are further distinctions of double-trunk style, three-trunk style, or single-root multi-trunk style.
Withered-trunk style: the trunk is mottled and hollowed through by erosion, extremely rich in an antique air.
Weeping-branch style: branches and leaves droop and spread down, like a willow hanging over green waves.
Wind-blown style: branches and leaves drift to one side in the wind, full of dynamism, like strong grass in a fierce wind.
Connected-root style: thick roots are exposed and linked together, stems and trunks are uneven in height, arranged in a pleasing scattered manner. In Yangzhou it is commonly called "crossing the bridge", and in Guangdong and Guangxi it is called "joined-espalier tree".
Raised-root style: through cultivation techniques and shaping methods, the coiled and winding root form is transformed, presenting an antique and vigorous manner.
Forest style: multiple plants grown in a cluster, just like open country, with clumps of sparse woods growing in the mountains.
According to a research decision by the judging committee of the "China Bonsai Evaluation Exhibition", Chinese bonsai are divided into five specifications: extra-large, large, medium, small, and miniature.
The specification of tree bonsai is measured by the length from the root neck of the tree to the tip of the tree. Landscape bonsai and tree-stone bonsai are measured by the length of the pot. Bamboo-and-grass bonsai are similar to tree bonsai, and miniature bonsai are respectively similar to tree bonsai and landscape bonsai.