Many of us know bonsai as a dwarf plant. However, the philosophy of bonsai is actually very interesting to study and bonsai can be a choice of types of plants to beautify a room.
Launching Houzz, there are several reasons why bonsai plants are interesting to maintain and can change our lives. The presence of bonsai can be a therapy for stress and teach us to be patient and stronger.
Bonsai and feng shui also have a lot in common. These plants are trained to grow in a form that represents the balance of nature, just as feng shui cultivates harmony through the forces of yin and yang in one environment.
Its unique shape can also be an element of art that enhances the aesthetics of your home.
History of Bonsai
According to the book “Bonsai Cultivation” written by Iswarta Bima (2019), the term bonsai refers to Japanese, namely bon which means pot and sai which means plant. Thus, bonsai can be interpreted as a plant that is dwarfed and grown in a pot. However, not all plants in pots can be called bonsai if they do not have bonsai criteria.
Dwarfs in the art of bonsai are plants that have a smaller appearance than the original plant. Therefore, herbaceous plants or shrubs, even though their height is less than one meter, cannot be categorized as a dwarf because their actual height is only about one meter.
But, even though the word bonsai is taken from Japanese, the pioneer of bonsai art is China. The art of bonsai first appeared in China during the reign of the Tsin dynasty (265-420).
During the Tang dynasty (618-907), the art of dwarfing plants became increasingly popular. That is why we see many bonsai plants in paintings made during the Tang dynasty. Chinese society at that time did not know the name of bonsai. Today, the art of pruning plants is commonly called penjing o and this art is very popular with royal officials.
Bonsai not only enhances aesthetics but also gives the impression of harmony in a room.
The development of penjing was carried out by Taoist monks, where this plant is considered to represent one of the main teachings of their religion, namely the creation of balance and harmony between humans and nature.
During the reign of the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368), many officials, students, and traders from Japan brought bonsai to their country, which then developed rapidly.
While the term bonsai itself appeared during the Kamakura government (1192-1333), which was recorded in the Kasuga Shrine. Since the Kamakura era, this dwarf plant has become increasingly popular, eventually covering all walks of life.
Bonsai plants became increasingly popular during the Edo period (1615-1867), especially after they appeared as a coloring agent in beautifying paintings and poetry in the form of southern sung (a kind of painting and literary art at the end of the Edo reign).
However, the ideals and philosophy of bonsai have changed a lot over the years. For the Japanese, bonsai is a combination of strong ancient beliefs with eastern philosophy, namely harmony between humans, soul and nature.
In 1914, the first bonsai exhibition was held in Japan. This aims to foster public attention to the art of bonsai. Since 1934 until now, an annual exhibition has been held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which prioritizes interesting bonsai works.
From here, bonsai spread to all corners of the world, including Indonesia. In fact, until now, the art of stunting trees does not only belong to the Chinese or Japanese, but belongs to all nations in the world.
What is a good bonsai like?
Bonsai is an ancient art form that is now practiced all over the world. But bonsai still follows its design principles, like painting. Therefore, someone who keeps bonsai must have a deep understanding of and engage with nature.
Then, what is a good bonsai like?
Launching QZ, Robert Steven in his book “Mission of Transformation” (2009) writes about the art and science of bonsai culture. He mentioned that a good bonsai design must be artistically beautiful, with convincing horticultural instructions and must convey a thematic message.
The components of a bonsai composition are roots, trunk, branches, leaf pads, crown, container and accessories (stones, grass, moss and others).
This composition is the unified arrangement of components in a work, which results in creations that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Not only that, the arrangement that feels unified also gives a sense of harmony to those who see it.
