Mother Nature is a harsh parent. As she tends to her children with fertile soil, sunshine and water, so does she equally mete out harsh discipline from time to time. Droughts, heat waves and other harsh climactic conditions leave giant trees stunted in their natural environment. The regular shape of such trees in their natural environment is often distorted – their branches ripped away or twisted. But, for centuries, in this very deformity has the contemplative mind found beauty and inspiration. This is the philosophy behind the ancient art of bonsai.
Literally translated as a ‘tree in a pot,’ bonsai is possibly the only human pursuit that offers us a glimpse of our world from Mother Nature’s point of view – not only from above, or below, or afar, but in totality. The definition of bonsai is to reproduce that which takes nature a very long time to accomplish and the perfect bonsai is said to hold the universe within its branches.
The art of bonsai is said to have initiated in China, its exact origin obscured in antiquity. General consensus is that the art form is probably more than two thousand years old, although the earliest documented proof dates back only to the eighth century. Myth and fable abound amongst these small trees. One such legend tells that the emperor of the Han Dynasty (around the start of our common era) created a landscape in his courtyard representative of his entire kingdom. The landscape was complete with hills, valleys, rivers and trees. It was said that he proclaimed the right to create such a miniature landscape the sole preserve of himself, the emperor, and that anyone else who attempted this was put to death.
Early bonsai certainly was the preserve of the wealthy or the religious: those with time for contemplation, travel and beauty. Historically the trees were naturally stunted and difficult to find. Only those who would brave harsh and often mountainous landscapes on their journeys could hope to chance upon a crevasse sprouting such a naturally stunted little tree. Thus it was that early monks found these trees, gently uprooted them, potted them, and brought them back to their monasteries or as gifts to the nobility. There they were lovingly tended and greatly prized.
It was only with the establishment of diplomatic ties with Japan that the art found its way across the borders of China. The spread of Buddhism also carried the little trees to foreign climes. As the popularity of the art form grew, demand already then outstripping natural supply, aficionados experimented with carefully trimming and pruning the branches and roots of normal sized saplings, training the shoots to confine themselves to the proportions of the typical small, shallow bonsai pot.
The modern centre of the bonsai world is the Japanese town of Omiya where thirty families of professional bonsai growers from downtown Tokyo established themselves following the great earthquake that hit Tokyo in 1923. Students flock from all over the world to the village of Omiya to learn from the teachers there and to study the Omiya plants.
Most plants range in height from thirty centimetres to one metre and the art has sprouted several speciality branches. An example of such a speciality branch is mame or ‘bean’ bonsai, where minute but perfectly formed little trees are grown in thimble-sized pots. These little plants average a height of five centimetres, certainly a representation of the universe that could be comfortably held in the palm of one’s hand.
The main ingredients for growing bonsai are love and abundant patience. Properly cared for, these miniatures will outlive their full-sized counterparts by far. Proper care requires many hours spent studying the tree in order to identify its essence, according to which it should be pruned and shaped. Branches are then coaxed in particular directions with infinite tenderness. During its lifetime the plant will also require to be re-potted and have its roots trimmed several times. This can be likened to surgery on the most vulnerable part of its body.
With the proliferation of bonsai trees at flea markets and garden centres, the art form is in danger of being considered commonplace. Truly, much of what is on sale today is mass produced and bears little resemblance in its essence to the inherent spirituality of the art form. Modern living also leaves little time for the contemplation and reflection that keeping and caring for the little trees requires.
Ironically, many people rush dismissively past bonsai displays, intent on some or other mission of modern living while their souls cry out to be captured once again by beauty and timelessness. But maybe, just maybe, the next time you’re at the flea market, a little tree will catch your eye and lift your spirit. Maybe, just maybe, it will offer you the chance to hold the universe in the palm of your hand.