Bonsai started in China? Maybe Not!!

[Jester]

Hey Guys, saw this on a website. Thought it was very interesting.

The history of bonsai goes back countless ages, with the first evidence of small potted trees showing up in Egyptian tombs over 2000 years ago.

Records show Indian herbalists keeping prized plants dwarfed in containers to increase their mobility 1500 years back. But bonsai as we know it shows up in Chinese history around 700AD in the Tang dynasty (again in tomb paintings). This was also a period of great cultural learning for the Japanese, who sent emissaries to China and were borrowing much of its culture, especially the arts.

The Chinese pen tsai (pot tree) became the Japanese bon sai (same translation). During the 14th century, as east-west trade became established there was a brief interest in miniature trees, which rekindled again in the 17th century when Japan again opened to trade. But the reports of the time refer to “oriental magics” that western collectors were blaming for the demise of their trees, and the thread broke off again.

It wasn’t until Japan exhibited at the 1878 World Exhibition in Paris that bonsai resurfaced on the international stage, along with a clearer knowledge of the process. Today bonsai is a world wide art form with clubs in nearly every country on the globe.

[Jamie]

could you give us a link to the site please mate. would love the read

jamie

[aaron_tas]

i think it started as an artform in china...

i've heard stories of the ancient egyptians travelling super far for plants that they needed, and potting them up so they didn't have to go chasing again.

[Jester]

Unfortunately I don't remember Jamie, only because I was looking for photos of Bonsai Specimens and probably went through 30 or 40 sites.

Sorry mate

[kvan64]

Hey Guys, saw this on a website. Thought it was very interesting.

The history of bonsai goes back countless ages, with the first evidence of
small potted trees showing up in Egyptian tombs over 2000 years ago.

There is a HUGE difference between a potted tree and a bonsai. Anyone can pot a tree but training a bonsai requires heaps of learning. Potting a tree is performing an ACT and training a bonsai is performing an ART.

[Jester]

I agree with you Kvan, no arguments from me. Quick question though and maybe you can help me out here. How do you know whether they did or in fact did not incorporate art in what they were doing?

[Bretts]

My understanding is that the Egyptians and or others started potting similar to what Aaron stated except it was because they where nomads and it allowed them to take the useful trees with them. Apricots is one I believed mentioned. As time progressed they started to appreciate the look of the trees and started to style the look of them as well. I believe the first proof of this is in Chinese history which comes from the way they where displayed in the paintings.
I think the Eygypt paintings had them in a more productive setting when painted. ie being carried?

[aaron_tas]

also i might add that the tales say...

that the 'nomads' collecting these rare plants and medicinal herbs to bring back to a society, were in fact to become some of the earliest forms of doctors also.

[LLK]

could you give us a link to the site please mate. would love the read

jamie

A "must have" for the Bookmarks: http://www.phoenixbonsai.com/bonsaihistory.html

[kvan64]

I agree with you Kvan, no arguments from me. Quick question though and maybe you can help me out here. How do you know whether they did or in fact did not incorporate art in what they were doing?

Hi Jester, I'm not chinese nor egyptian and don't know much about their history so I may have to do extensive research to answer your question I actually only commented on the terms "potted trees" from your original post.
Cheers,
DK

[Robert J. Baran]

Please see the history portion of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penjing which I recently added. I'm working on a Japanese history for their Bonsai article.

For a L A R G E R and much more detailed version resulting from 23 years of extensive research that might answer more questions, please see http://www.phoenixbonsai.com/BigPicture/Timeline.html



Cordially,

Robert J. Baran
Bonsai Historian and Researcher