閱讀筆記 R6008 Bonsai

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Bonsai
Have you ever seen miniature trees, or bonsai, at a nursery or a botanic garden?
1 In Japan, the word bonsai means tray plant. lt refers to the interesting combination of art and cultivation of miniature trees and plants. Bonsai originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. The tradition spread to Japan about 700 years ago, and it is still popular there today.
2 Some people believe that small, or dwarf, plants must be used in bonsai, but this is not true. Nearly any type of tree or plant can be used, as long as it is grown from a seed or small cutting. The owner must then prune, trim, and shape the plant as it grows so that it resembles, in miniature, a much larger tree. He or she must do this skillfully, however, because the plant must appear to have grown naturally, untouched by humans. lt takes a great deal of care and patience to achieve this balance.
3 A bonsai is more than just a plant. It holds a special and significant place in Japanese culture. According to Japanese tradition, three elements are necessary to create a successful bonsai: truth, goodness, and beauty. When these three elements come together, a bonsai can live for hundreds of years! It may be passed down from one generation of a family to the next as a prized possession.
4 In Japan, bonsais are grown in containers outdoors but are brought into the home for special occasions. Inside, they are placed in the tokonoma. This is a small area in traditional Japanese rooms intended for the display of artistic objects. In a Japanese garden, other items may be added to the bonsai. The addition of rocks, small buildings, and miniature people is called bon-kei. Sai-kei is a related art form in which entire landscapes are reproduced in miniature.
5 There are five basic styles of bonsai: the formal upright, informal upright, slanting, cascade, and semi-cascade. In the formal upright, the trunk of the tree should be perfectly straight, and the branches should be balanced. ln the informal upright, the trunk should bend slightly to one side, but never toward the viewer. The trunk of a slanting tree leans to one side and may look similar to the informal upright.
6 Cascade and semi-cascade are similar because in both styles the leaves and the branches cascade down toward the base of the plant. The main difference is that in the cascade style, the leaves actually extend below the bottom of the container.
7 lf you are interested in raising a bonsai of your own, there is no need to go all the way to Japan to find one. Today, bonsais are available in nurseries all over the United States. You will have to do a little research to make sure that you know how to properly care for your plant. You will also need to be prepared to spend time caring for your plant. But as any bonsai owner will tell you, your efforts are well worth the reward of being a part of this time-honored Asian tradition.