Story of Kinmen Bonsai

"Three bonsais were sitting in a coffee house. A Hinoki Cypress—a species of cypress native to central Japan in East Asia, and widely cultivated in the temperate northern hemisphere for its high-quality timber and ornamental qualities, a slow growing tree with many cultivars commercially available; a Trident Maple—a species of maple native to eastern China, it is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree; and an American Beech—fagus grandifolia, a large deciduous tree, a species of beech tree native to the eastern United States.

Fagus complained, 'I really want out of my pot. I feel cramped and my owner keeps trying to get my leaves to grower closer together and to grow smaller. I can't live like this.'

Maple commented, 'I think that is great Fagus. Living in wide open spaces will really let you thrive. Let me know if you need help with your plan.'

Hinoki said, 'I think that is a rotten idea Fagus. You get fed and watered regularly. You get brought in when it is cold. I can't believe you support him Maple. You drop your leaves every year and get fat way too fast.'

Maple replied, 'Well Hinoki, at least I don't cry about too little sun and drop my leaves. And besides, at least, I back Fagus,' said Wulandari as started to tell a story,'" said Kinmen, a ficus fig bonsai, to begin a talk with Wulandari. Kinmen, Ficus microcarpa, known as Chinese Banyan or Gajumari, one of plantation loved by bonsai collector, because it has a very beautiful shape, and the older it is, the more expensive it is. Generally, kinmen bonsai are planted in fairly shallow bowls. For this reason, the planting medium needs to be replaced periodically. There is something interesting in the land of Konoha, because getting a large kinmen bonsai is not easy, it takes quite a long time, so to make a large kinmen bonsai, it is done by combining several trees into one. This method is quite effective, the desired tree size can be obtained in a not too long periode. Yea, just like the parties in the land of Konoha, forming a coalition to pass the 20% presidential threshold.

"Bonsai is actually the Japanese translation for 'tree in a pot'," Kinmen went on. "However, the art of bonsai originated in China. In twelfth-century China, trees and stones were placed on plate-like earthenware and were called bonsan or bonkariyama. It was said that a few old gentlemen were sitting in a Chinese restaurant they trusted, eating delicious duck 'sweet and sour' and thinking about what to do after the meal. Internet didn't exist yet, so they had to find another hobby. That's how they came up with the idea of burying trees in pots. After realising that there were some problems squeezing the trees into pots in their original size, they started to try it as a miniature version. This worked quite well and the trees found more and more fans. However, most of the time these were not individual trees, but miniature versions of landscapes that were attempted to be authentically recreated.

Later, when this art of 'tree on plate or tray' was introduced to Japan, it evolved into the form we call 'bonsai,' and it became a common horticultural practice throughout the Edo or Tokugawa period, the final period of traditional Japan, a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the shogunate (military dictatorship) founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu. What the Japanese generally did differently from the Chinese was perfection itself. The Japanese refined the trees more and more and developed special style forms.

The art of container gardening is enjoyed around the world, but bonsai brings plants and containers into a 'oneness' that allows us to appreciate the beauty of a landscape that is complete, yet contained. It is impossible to bring the splendors of nature indoors on a grand scale, but it is possible to grace our homes with the sense of solemnity, elegance and solitude that are the essential charm of a bonsai tree. Imitating trees that have withstood many years of wind, rain and snow, the bonsai—with its winding branches, thick roots, rough bark, and white 'bones' that come from season after season of death and rebirt—is a unique and self-contained natural world. It embodies a philosophy and a skill set that the Japanese have long cherished. It is an act of 'nature worship' that harmoniously corresponds to all the characteristics of the four seasons.

A traditional Japanese way to display bonsai is to create a harmonious arrangement in a confined space such as an alcove. The decoration of the alcove is called tokokazari. Sekikazari, which literally means 'decorating a seat,' pertains to the arrangement of bonsai in an area specifically for bonsai display.

Alcove decoration consists of three elements: the main tree, an accompanying bonsai (the accent), and a hanging scroll. When the main tree is a conifer, the flowers and grasses accompanying it should represent the season. The main tree is placed in such a way that it flows toward the hanging scroll, and a high table and a ground plate are laid beneath the bonsai. Choose a hanging scroll (or other wall hanging in a less traditional space) that complements the main tree well. The sekikazari is a two-part arrangement consisting of main tree and accent.

For the background, there are principles of harmony that have been in use for many generations. On the other hand, there are a variety of arrangements tailored to modern living spaces, such as apartments. You get beautiful results when you keep the basic principles in mind, but how you incorporate those ideas, is up to you.

Now, why do you want to have one or more bonsais? The answer is, desire. But first of all, you have to be aware that a tree, even a bonsai, is a living being. Whether the tree has feelings or not, is not really scientifically proven lately. In any case, I have never seen a tree cry when it had to listen to an artist who sang a sad songs. Nevertheless, a tree is a living being. If we don't take care of it, it dies. If it doesn't get water from us, the bonsai will die. If we don't give it fertiliser, it will certainly not develop into what we think of as a great bonsai.

Before we get into the small trees, let's start with its big brothers and sisters. We must never forget that a bonsai is really nothing other than its big brother. In a bonsai, everything is smaller in proportion, but ideally it should not be inferior to the big tree in any way. We now come to an important aspect of bonsai gardening. The gift of observing details and, if necessary, implementing them on your own tree. You will know from experience that you would certainly not have become a tree mass murderer if you had had this one tip: Look closely at the trees in nature and then do everything the same way on a small scale in bonsai.

As a man, you are going to to start out more like a digger. You buy some plant cheaply and then cut it diligently. Until you understand that you should first watch the big trees and only then start on the small ones. Before we chop something to death, we should first go out into nature and see how things are done there.

When you walk into the forest to to look at some trees, you will think that all trees, whether coniferous or deciduous, grow pretty much the same and are only different sizes. But if you look more closely, you will see that the trees have a plan. They are not so different in their growth form, but always try to catch the maximum amount of light. In the art of bonsai, these growth forms are called 'styles' and describe nothing other than what you notice at the moment.

Nature is ingenious by itself and you only have to observe carefully to understand what is best for the tree. Now you have found out that trees follow a 'style' in order to get the most benefit for themselves in the form of nutrients and light. And yes, there will be trees in your bonsai design life that just don't want to grow the way you think they should. However, imperfection can also be very beautiful, it is always in the eye of the observer. What else do you hear when you simply look at a tree? Probably nothing, correct? Exactly, this aspect is important for your snipping art on the small trees. You want to transport the same relaxing 'nothing' into the bowl and into the tree. The better you succeed, the more perfect the tree will be. This hobby is not about big egos, loud engines or testosterone-fuelled boxing matches, but the person who manages to create a bonsai that brings you very close to the place you yearn for. The forest and the peace that goes with it. Now let's do a good exercise to get a feeling for the perspectives of bonsai. Sit in front of a tree of your choice, to get a feeling for the perspectives in bonsai. You can now see the trunk, the leaves, the roots and the branches in front of you? Very good, and now you have to think about what kind of bowl this huge forest dweller would fit into. The exercise is not about the tree and how you would have to cut it, but now it is first about recognising what kind of bowl you might identify with.

Now, let your brain to learn in relation to bonsai. The mini tree is supposed to trigger the same feeling in you as when you are sitting under its big brother. This means that it is basically like a model railway. You try to reproduce what is there in a different, smaller scale as detailed and accurate as possible. However, the contrast to a model railway is that your future model is a living being and is constantly evolving. You cannot say 'Oh, my tree is finished, I'll leave it like this'. The tree continues to grow and flourish under your care, and if you do nothing or intervene, nature will come back and let the tree grow wild and crosswise very quickly. You do not have to fertilise the model railway or water it daily. Quick and simple, with the hobby you are about to discover, many things will be different. You will get to know a new feeling for nature and its processes, and you will notice that you are becoming a tree junkie.

The small trees and the wire usually go together very closely, especially when it comes to shaping branches or trunks. But let's start at the beginning with the explanation. Why is a bonsai tree wired at all? As a bonsai tree is a living being that loves the sun, it often happens that branches grow at an unfavourable angle or simply get out of shape. If you can't bring the tree back into line with various special pruning techniques, you have little choice but to use wire. The bonsai wire that can be bought in specialist shops is usually made of aluminium or copper. The clear advantages of these types of wire are certainly the ease with which they can be bent and worked. There was or is sometimes also wire made of steel, but this is practically never used. Steel has the disadvantage of being quite difficult to bend and the much bigger disadvantage of rust. It takes quite a long time for rust to disappear from the branches or trunk and it also looks stupid when you have a rusting bonsai. There is a lot of literature on the market on the subject of how to properly wire a tree. But theory is always one thing, the other thing is to learn how to wire correctly in a bonsai club near you. It is not particularly difficult, but it does require practice and an instructor who can show you how to fit the wire correctly. If the wire is too tight, for example, you will have a problem after a while.

The ultimate goal of growing a Bonsai is to create a miniaturized but realistic representation of nature in the form of a tree. The ultimate goal of Bonsai is to create a realistic depiction of nature. As a Bonsai gets smaller (even down to a few inches/centimeters) it increasingly becomes abstract, as opposed to resembling nature in a more precise way. Bonsai are not genetically dwarfed plants, in fact, any tree species can be used to grow one. The best Bonsai—whether a single tree or a multi-plant or rock landscape composition—touch us, make us take notice, stop us as they catch our experience and imaginations to show us something new.

Thick trunks, textured bark, an interplay of twisting live wood and deadwood, surface roots, fine branch and twig ramification, foliage pads, relatively small leaves or needles, a complementary and relatively shallow container, tiny fruit or cones or flowers - these are just a few of the features that can be used to help portray a miniature landscape.

They are not all needed or possible in any one given composition, and they cannot simply be included "just because". A true master artisan knows, feels what is needed. And his or her creation touches us, also. Those true masterpieces are the ones which, when you first look at them, can momentarily take your breath away and raise a smile."

"I think, I'm not going any deeper to bonsai, " said Kinmen, "what I'm going to say that the philosophy of Bonsai Tree throws light on the importance of the retention of its unique character. A character that emerges despite undergoing the guiding process of its gardener. The success of a Bonsai Tree lies in its seeming naturalness. Human involvement in bonsai can be seen as an attempt to capture the nature's force of the gigantic trees and to encapsulate it into little plants, still maintaining their natural beauty.

So, when viewing a bonsai, stand in front of it and first take in the whole setting, including the pots and table, before moving on to the details. Then, scrutinize the middle of the tree height, and each part from the roots, the rise, the trunk, up to the branches, leaves and the flowers.

The illustration I've mentioned, suggests a large, old tree. The rise from the base to the first branch is a gentle curve that appears to have weathered many windy storms, the rough bark gives the impression of advanced age and the leaves convey a sense of vitality. The shape from the root to the rise is like a mountain ridge.

Bonsai are carefully cultivated and managed by human hands, and some have been trained for hundreds of years. The feeling of antiquity, sense of vitality and the skill that has gone into creating these things are already evident. If you have a young tree, you can visualize how, with care, its features will evolve. Bonsai is ideal when the tree is in its completed form (full season), so fall and winter are important times. Thus, the venerable bonsai is like an elderly person who feels long settled into the rhythms of life. And Allah knows best."

The dawn gave a signal, she brought a complete bonsai package, bonsai bowl, pebbles and moss, and mini Sakura. Wulandari left while singing Sukiyaki song by Kyu Sakamoto,

上を向いて歩こう

ue o muite arukou

[I look up as I walk]

にじんだ星をかぞえて

nijinda hosi o kazoete

[Counting the blurred stars]

思い出だす 夏の日

omoidasu natsunohi

[I remember those summer days]

一人ひとりぽっちの

hitoribotchi no yoru

[But I am all alone tonight]

幸せは 雲くもの上に

shiawase wa kumo no ueni

[Happiness lies beyond the clouds]

幸せは 空の上に

shiawase wa sora no ueni

[Happiness lies beyond the sky] *)

Citations & References:
- Gilles Kroeger, The Ultimate Bonsai Book for Men, 2021, Amazon Europe
- Bonsai Sekai Magazine, Introduction to Bonsai: The Complete Illustrated Guide for Beginners, 2015, Tuttle Publishing
- Michael Tran, Happy Bonsai: Chose It, Shape It, Love It, 2020, Penguin
*) 上を向いて歩こう, Ue o Muite Arukō (I Look Up as I Walk alternatively titled "Sukiyaki") written by lyricist Rokusuke Ei and composer Hachidai Nakamura.

Bahasa