What are the key points to note in the styling of lingzhi (Ganoderma) bonsai?

1. Proceed step by step, and treat every bonsai as a masterpiece. In addition to the quick wit and clever ideas needed when cultivating and shaping lingzhi, the later assembly stage demands even more patience and care: the first step is to dry and tidy the shaped lingzhi, and to select the rocks, coarse sand grains, tree stumps, and sun-dried companion materials such as moss, branched ground cover and Selaginella (spikemoss), the raw gypsum powder used for fixing, and small accessories such as pavilions and towers; the second step is the actual shaping work, starting with the imagery of a single lingzhi such as "a single branch standing out in beauty", "auspicious herb bringing good fortune" and "good luck and happiness", then moving on to two-lingzhi compositions such as "two hearts beating as one" and "purple air coming from the east", then to multi-lingzhi themes such as "three rams bringing prosperity", "spring all year round", "an abundant harvest of all grains" and "all six domestic animals thriving", and only finally can one take on large-scale themed bonsai such as "a hundred flowers contending" and "a thousand mountains in red". This step-by-step process is not only a process of improving one's skills, but also a process of raising one's cultural literacy and cultivating one's personal character. Any impatient, restless mindset that is eager for quick success will never produce good work.

2. The pairing of lingzhi material with the pot base, the harmony of colors, and the rationality of the layout must all be closely tied to the cultural connotations of lingzhi. Generally speaking, dark-colored lingzhi is paired with a light-colored pot base to create a strong contrast, thereby highlighting the elegant luster and posture of the dark lingzhi; while when using red lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) and pine-fir lingzhi (Ganoderma tsugae) as material, it is better to choose pot bases in brown or purple-clay colors, to bring out a quaint and elegant charm. At a deeper level of design, one may consider using materials representing Chinese characteristics, such as porcelain, as the base. There are four grades in total: the popular grade is mainly round porcelain, with "auspicious herb bringing good fortune" printed on the porcelain (in imitation Song typeface); the improved grade is mainly elongated porcelain, with "purple air coming from the east" written in seal script on one side, leaving the other side blank for later use; the high-grade type is mainly porcelain in the shape of a square ding vessel, with auspicious phrases written in bell-and-cauldron script; the supreme grade may use specially shaped porcelain bases, set off with a rosewood underframe. Choose wild lingzhi for shaping, to facilitate large-scale production.

3. Fixing and preserving the bonsai: after the lingzhi is cut and shaped, it and the companion materials all need to be fixed firmly, and can be fixed in the pot using latex, glass glue, quartz sand, rocks or gypsum. For large bonsai, it is best to buy coarse-mesh netting or weave your own wire netting and place it in the pot, insert the shaped lingzhi into the mesh openings, and then fix it with raw gypsum. Whichever fixing method is used, it is advisable to bury a few mothballs or other insecticide pellets in the filling material to prevent insect damage. For supreme-grade lingzhi bonsai, a glass cover or a polyester plastic cover with excellent transparency should also be placed over the outside, with replaceable silica gel desiccant placed inside. During transport, plastic foam should be used as padding to prevent damage. Every supreme-grade lingzhi bonsai should have color photographs and files kept on record, to serve as material for publicity and display.