The Art of Enjoying Bonsai: Only by Knowing How to Let Go Can You Find Peace

[Bonsai Enthusiast's Reflections]

Text by @Zhou Yingzhi, Xiamen, Fujian

If you can understand that gathering and parting, meeting and separation are the inevitability of life's cycle, why worry, why struggle? Cherish a simple sincerity in your heart, face the changes of time with calm, and hold fast to that composure within. When you love, cherish it. When it ends, let it go. Only by knowing how to let go can you find peace.

A remarkable passage......... Half a lifetime has passed, going...... stopping...... Who is capable and who is not? True feelings are revealed in adversity...... A snake is cold all over, a fish is fishy all over, deep water is silent, when you lose, people vanish, a bat that flies is still not a bird, no matter how nice new shoes are, they won't fit your feet...... Who understands your heart-wrenching pain? Who understands the myriad flavors of your life? Life is as unpredictable as a chess game, once the piece is placed on the board, there is no regret...... Never forget those who treat you well in your lifetime...... Never associate with those who take you for a fool, cherish every moment as you go, given to those who can understand! Remember, congee in the early morning tastes better than wine in the late night, and those who deceive you speak more sweetly than those who love you!

Early Autumn

 Distant Silence

Lin Hai 

00:00/03:21

Appreciation of Selected Works from the 2018 Anyang Golden Autumn Bonsai Exhibition

Text by | Anyang Daily reporter Shan Dandan, intern Chen Xinyue

Image recommendation | Longyu He

To promote the development of bonsai art in Anyang City, Henan Province, and enrich the cultural life of citizens, on September 12, 2018, the bonsai exhibition "Golden Autumn Bonsai Art, Beautifying Charming Anyang" opened at the Bonsai Garden of Anyang People's Park, and the exhibition will continue until October 8.

It is reported that this exhibition was jointly organized by Anyang People's Park, Sanjiaohu Park, Huanshui Park, the Park Management Station, and the Road Greening Management Station. A total of more than 200 bonsai of various styles were displayed, including tree stump bonsai, rock bonsai, fruit tree bonsai, and miniature bonsai combinations, covering more than 30 varieties. To complement this bonsai exhibition, more than 12,000 ornamental sunflowers were also planted in the exhibition area this year, setting each other off beautifully with the ingeniously crafted bonsai, welcoming visitors from all directions.

"Most of the bonsai displayed in this exhibition have been cultivated for about 40 years. Bonsai maintenance has relatively high requirements, such as water amount, fertilizer amount, and the direction of branches, all of which must be strictly controlled." Yang Wanxiang, a first-class technician in greening at Anyang People's Park, introduced that cultivating bonsai is a tedious and lengthy process requiring clever conception and meticulous care. Just "shaping the form" takes two to three years. "In Anyang, relatively few citizens cultivate bonsai at home. By holding this bonsai exhibition, we also hope to provide the general public with an opportunity to know bonsai, appreciate nature, and learn techniques." Yang Wanxiang said.

The bonsai displayed in this exhibition vary in size and form, some tall and resilient, others petite and delicate, attracting many citizens to stop and admire, and take photos as souvenirs. Citizen Aunt Zhang said: "I usually grow some flowers and plants at home too, but I always fail to grow them well. These bonsai are beautiful, with moss and rocks, and each plant has its own shape. This definitely takes a great deal of effort."

The bonsai varieties exhibited by Huanshui Park include Serissa japonica, Pyracantha fortuneana, and Ulmus parvifolia, totaling more than 30 pots. Su Yinlong, head of the greenhouse team, carefully prepared for this bonsai exhibition and created bonsai of various forms that are pleasing to the eye, showcasing Huanshui Park's exquisite bonsai skills at the Golden Autumn Bonsai Art event.

Highlights replay:

Chinese bonsai welcomes you!

Enjoy at any timeAdmirethe bonsai exhibition hall

Promote bonsai culture, exchange bonsai techniques!

Appreciate bonsai art, share a happy life!