Bonsai tree

Although the word ‘Bon-sai’ is Japanese, the art it describes originated in the Chinese empire.  By the year 700 AD the Chinese had started the art of ‘pun-sai’ using special techniques to grow dwarf trees in containers.  Originally only the elite of the society practiced pun-tsai with native-collected specimens and the trees where spread throughout China as luxurious gifts. During the Kamakura period, the period in which Japan adopted most of China’s cultural trademarks, the art of growing trees in containers was introduced into Japan. The Japanese developed Bonsai along certain lines due to the influence of Zen Buddhism and the fact that Japan is only 4% the size of mainland China.  The range of landscape forms was thus much more limited.  Many well-known techniques, styles and tools were developed in Japan from Chinese originals.  Although known to a limited extent outside Asia for three centuries, only recently has Bonsai truly been spread outside its homelands.