The traditional bonsai according to Mr. Andô

[Toche]

Hello to all of you,

I open a post to share with you what I learned.
It is the traditional bonsai as it was done in the past that Mr. Andô taught me.
Don't get me wrong, I am not going to tell you that this is the way you should do it.
It is certainly not the only way to see things, it is just what I have learned, you take, it is very good, you do not take and it is very good too. So I have nothing to defend,

I'll start by telling you about the Shin Gyo, So.
This subject may not teach you much if you have been practicing bonsai for a long time.

The Shin, Gyo, So, comes from writing
It comes from calligraphy, from the way of writing or Shodo.
The picture shows you 3 times the same words written in Shin, Gyo or So.



Shin: Very square, "easy" to read... for Japanese people of course.
Shin = formal, knowledge, elaborate, regular. This script is used for administrative papers.

Gyo: A bit more distorted, written more quickly.
Gyo = informal, technical, partially simplified, semi-cursive.

So: A minimum of strokes.
So = free, sensitive, very simplified, cursive.



We can see it on these pictures, we go from one extreme, the Shin, to the other, the So.

For the trees, it is the same thing, the Shin, Gyo or So only classifies things logically.
It is a classification, or rather, categories taken from a classification.
It classifies things logically in a way that helps us in the Toriawase.

 

[Toche]

Toriawase ???
Toriawase is the art of assembling and matching the different elements of a display such as the tree, the pot, the shelf (Shoku) and the herb (shitakusa).
It is a work of matching, combination, agreement, balance.


Have you ever wondered why we consider some works of art to be beautiful or evocative while others are boring and uninteresting?
Why a piece of music may seem soothing and pleasant to listen to and another may seem chaotic or disturbing?
How can a piece of music evoke happiness or sadness?
Why are we drawn to a painting or part of a painting?
Why do we immediately grasp the artist's message when we look or listen to certain works?
Why does one presentation of a tree attract us while another leaves us indifferent?
What is it that gives art this power over the human psyche?
In other words, what gives art this power of feeling over our mind?
In fact, the arts, such as painting, drawing, music, sculpture and even literature follow certain conventions, certain rules.
These rules are useful, they allow us to feel emotions.
It is the same for the presentation of a bonsai.

Aesthetically speaking, the great masters of Japan have for many years experienced what works and what does not work when they build or present a tree.
Rules have been established almost naturally over time.
My bonsai teachers would tell me that you had to learn them, that you had to know them by heart, before you could forget them and come back to them when you had a problem.
The bonsaika uses these rules or rather conventions (I like this word better) to assemble the different elements of a presentation.
Not only does he compose with them, but he also composes with the space or rather the spaces available. Spaces are a recurrent theme in the world of bonsai, they are of paramount importance.

The composition of the bonsaika determines how the elements used relate to each other and how the work done by the bonsaika communicates with the viewer.
A successful presentation arouses our imagination, it evokes in us a landscape, a painting, a story, ...
It is the way in which the artist composes with these various elements that constitute a work of art or a flat and uninteresting presentation. This is the toriawase.


To facilitate this work of toriawase, the Japanese have invented a bonsai classification.
I looked for something similar in Japan to explain it to you and I found a simple example.
In fact, it is a bit like when you enter a clothing store.
Most of the time, a saleswoman comes up to us and asks us what we are looking for and we almost automatically answer:
"A man's garment, or a lady's garment, or a child's garment."
With this information, the saleswoman already knows what she needs to go to.
As you know, there are men's clothes, women's clothes and children's clothes.
Within these three categories of clothing, there are several sizes,
S, M, L, X, XL, XXL, ...
If you tell her what kind of clothes you want, the saleswoman will know exactly what kind of clothes she should offer you.

 

[Toche]

Let's start with trees, in Japan, conifers are considered masculine and deciduous trees as feminine. We classify them in three categories.

In the first category, the Shin category, we classify the male trees, that is to say the conifers to which we add the Prunus mume and the satsuki of male size and aspect.
In the second category, the Gyo category, we classify the deciduous trees, the flowering trees and the fruit trees.
In the third category, the So category, we classify the herbs and the accompanying plants.



The trees in the Shin category.
It includes conifers and Prunus for their longevity.
For us, as long as they have a masculine aspect, we could add Buxus and satsuki.
Male trees have a wide trunk and a powerful nebari, which increases this impression.
Deadwoods such as jin, ten-jin, shari, sabamiki, uromiki, ... further increase this impression of strength and power.
The left direction increases the impression of power, but we will come back to this later.

The Shin category is composed of three sub-categories:
Shin/shin = Big trunk
Shin/gyo = Medium trunk
Shin/so = Thin trunk


In the first of these subcategories Shin/shin we classify the conifers with thick trunk and Prunus mume and satsuki of masculine size and aspect.
Some examples of trees in this subcategory.






In the second subcategory Shin, we find trees with medium trunk, it is the subcategory Shin/gyo.
Some examples of trees in this subcategory.






In the third subcategory Shin, we find trees with thin trunk, it is the subcategory Shin/so.
Some examples of trees of this subcategory.

 

[Toche]

SHIN pots.

Generalities:
SHIN pots: They shall be raw, patinated, deep, massive, matte, unglazed terra cotta.
They will be of dark reddish brown earth color.
They will give an impression of great stability.
The feet will be thick, straight or flared and oriented towards the outside.
They will have a square edge, especially if the tree has a strong nebari.
The corners of SHIN pots are sharp, right-angled, the further away from this category you go, the softer the corners become.
Shin/shin pots: They are adapted to massive conifers.
They will be high, rough (unglazed clay).
They will have no rim or they will be "square" (straight sides).
Shin/gyo pots: They are adapted to conifers with a medium trunk.
They will have the same characteristics as the previous ones, but will be a little thinner, a little softer.
Shin/so pots: They are adapted to conifers with thin trunks.
They will have the same characteristics as the previous ones, but will be a little thinner, a little softer and more rounded and much less high than the Shin/so pots. (Ex.: plate)
The Prunus and Buxus the Shin azaleas receive a shin pot, therefore in clay, not glazed.



The Shin tablets.

Generalities:
The Shin shelf must be as simple as possible, massive and without any decoration, because the tree is the main object.
The emphasis is on the tree, the table must remain as discreet as possible.
Whether the shelf is Shin, Gyo or So, it always adapts to the tree and to the size of the pot it supports.
Shin shelves must be very sturdy, but are assembled without nails or screws.
The mirror should not be glued.
The legs facing outwards increase the stability effect.
They should not have any protrusions. (The top does not protrude beyond the legs).
Shin/shin shelves will be simple, square, will give an impression of sturdiness, solidity
They will have a less square shape, softer for the Shin/so shelves.
The color of the tables will be dark or very dark. The dark color accentuates the sobriety of the presentation and the impression of robustness, the solid aspect of the table.
A light table gives a "bland" presentation while a dark table gives character to the presentation. The appearance is almost matte.
The appearance should be patinated without fingerprints (white gloves).
Shelves for Shin/so trees (thin trunk) can be barred.






A clear table gives a "bland" presentation.



These trees are very beautiful, but the shelves are faulty.
Too flashy and not simple enough.

 

[Toche]

Trees in the Gyo category:
There are deciduous trees, flowering trees as well as fruit trees, these are feminine trees.
The deciduous trees are considered to be feminine, they have no jin, no shari in a word, no dead wood.
Dead wood is scars, a pretty lady has no scars.
An airy tree (light, elegant) a trunk with soft curves, delicate foliage increases this impression.
Flowers and fruits also increase this impression.
Coniferous forests are considered Gyo trees.

The Gyo category is also composed of three subcategories.
The subcategory Shin does not exist in Gyo, but the category of female trees with large trunks could be called Gyo/futo.
So we have:
Gyo/futo = Big trunk
Gyo/gyo or Gyo chu = Medium trunk
Gyo/so = thin trunk

Generally speaking, conifers are considered masculine and deciduous trees are considered feminine, but as you know, bonsai is a matter of nuances. That would be too simple.
For example, a conifer with a slender trunk and delicate branches will look feminine.
A deciduous tree with a large and powerful nebari, a big trunk, strong primary branches will have a masculine appearance.
Just like a female horse will have a masculine appearance, but she is still a woman.
Likewise, we meet effeminate men.
No matter what type of person you are, you need to be able to dress harmoniously.
It is the same for bonsai, you must be able to find a pot and a shelf that will be in harmony with your appearance.
There is one exception: coniferous forests are considered as Gyo trees.


In the first subcategory Gyo, we find trees with a fairly large trunk.
There is no Gyo/Shin category because we don't say "medium-large trunk trees."
But we could call this subcategory of large trunk hardwoods Gyo/futo.

Some trees in this subcategory.







In the second subcategory Gyo, we find trees with medium trunk.
This is the Gyo/gyo subcategory, also called Gyo/Chu (Chu = medium).

Some trees of this subcategory.









In the third subcategory Gyo, we find trees with thin trunks.
This is the Gyo/so subcategory.

Some trees of this subcategory.






An exception : Coniferous forests are considered Gyo trees.

 

[Toche]

Gyo pots.

Generalities:
GYO pots: The size of the pot is always according to the size of the trees.
The feet are straight or inward.
The corners of the Gyo pots are more rounded or inward.
They will have a rounded edge especially if the nebari is strong.
The further away from the Gyo/futo (big trunk) category, the softer and more rounded their shape and the softer the corners.
Gyo/futo pots: They are adapted to massive hardwoods.
They are preferably rectangular or oval in shape.
They will have a rounded rim if the tree has a strong nebari.
Gyo/gyo pots: : They are adapted to trees with medium trunks.
They will be thinner, more rounded than the previous category
Gyo/so pots: They are suitable for trees with thin trunks.
Again, they will be thinner than the previous category.
They will be less high than the Gyo/gyo pots, not very deep (Ex.: plate).
They will be very small, very light and sometimes even without feet.
Green color will be avoided for evergreen trees.





Gyo shelves.
Gyo shelves must be in relation with the tree and the pot they support.
The shelf should be as simple as possible, lighter, thinner than the Shin table and always without any decoration or carving, because the tree remains the main object.
Gyo shelves must be solid, but will look less massive than Shin shelves.
They are assembled without nails or screws.
The mirror should not be glued.
They should not have any protrusions (the top shelf does not extend beyond the legs).
Gyo shelves can have bars.
They are a little more rounded, and even softer for the So shelves.
The color of the tables is dark brown, almost black. The dark color accentuates the sobriety of the presentation and the impression of robustness, the heavy aspect of the table.
The appearance is almost matte.
The look should be patinated without fingerprints.








The bar table (SANJOKU) is safe and easy to use.
Conifers with thin trunks can be displayed with these shelves.




The shelves should be dark in color and never made of raw wood.
Not black, but dark brown, never light brown.
The dark color enhances the tree.

Thin feet accentuate the femininity of the shelf.

 

[Toche]

Third and last category SO.

I think this is where I will get the most feedback from you, some of you will want to throw stones at me, but again, I am talking about bonsai as it was done in the old days. Mr. Andô used to tell us this, "I teach you traditional bonsai, but if you open a catalog of the great Japanese exhibitions or visit them, you will see that things have changed over time."

Within this so category, there are two subcategories.
There are Shitakusa and Kusamono.

Do you know the difference between these two terms?

The Shitakusa.
A Shitakusa is a moss, a fern, an ophiopogon, a sedge, a horsetail, a dwarf bamboo or a grass.
It must be sober and discreet, no fat plant (sedums, houseleeks), no flowering plant, no berry or fruit plant.
Only one grass with fine and discreet foliage, no yellow or red variegated foliage.











The Kusamono.
A Kusamono is one or more plants presented in a pot.
The Kusamono does not accompany a bonsai, it is presented alone, it is sufficient on its own.
It can be presented in the garden, but also in the house, the living room, the bathroom...
Unlike Shitakusa, plants with flowers, berries or fruits can be included in this form of presentation.












Mr. Andô told us that in a presentation, the bonsai is the man (husband) and the Shitakusa (wife), like a couple, they must be in harmony.
The Shitakusa is secondary to the bonsai, but it is of paramount importance to the presentation. It is essential and contributes greatly to the success of the presentation, so the success of a presentation also depends on its beauty.
The key words are Sobriety and Discretion like the Japanese wife. What a wonderful country...
I am joking of course, but this is the spirit of the old Japanese generations.
Mr. Ando also told us this, "Woman is changeable like autumn sky." I thought this was nicely expressed, but I reassure you, when I went to his house, I found that he was very respectful of his wife.

 

[RJG2]

Very glad I had something interesting to read when my 1.5 year old woke me up at 4am.

Wonderful post, thank you @Toche !

 

[Toche]

The So pots.

The pots are patinated.
Enameled or not.
They will be of bright color or earth color.
They will be of refined form.
Small slate, slate or flat stone (slate), but will never be put on the floor of the tokonoma without a support. A shelf, Jita or Suiban will always be used.







So. shelves

The supports are always dark in color, identical to the table.
The tablets are always very thin.

So we have the :
Jita is a name that is mistakenly used as a generic term.

Jita : Which are slices of trunks.



Mizuita : Which are geometrical shaped boards.







Sunoko : Which are small bamboo mats. Their use is only allowed during spring, summer and early autumn.





Yatsuhashi : Which are composed of 3 or 5 planks, never in even number.



Do you know that it is the first of the Yatsuhashi boards, the one closest to you that indicates the directio.
Here, it is the right direction.

 

[Toche]

And that's it, ... it's over.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Now it is... According to your own sensibility.


All this may seem very complicated and even indigestible, but in fact, it is very simple
When you want to show a tree, you know if it is a conifer or a deciduous.
You also know the aspect of its trunk, is it wide and powerful, medium, or thin and airy.
It remains for you to see to which category it belongs and to follow the recommendations concerning the choice of the pot and that of the shelf.


To try to be clearer, I had done a lot of work in imagining and creating a table that has been copied many times since. I have translated it for you.
There are three main categories which are themselves divided into sub-categories.
I have summarized the information.
I don't talk about the rims or the feet of the pots so that it doesn't become indigestible.



It's up to you, but I think that if you want to break the rule, you have to know the rule.





Thanks to Mr. Andô for his teaching.



I'm sorry for the size of some pictures.
I don't know how to modify them anymore

End of the first part.

 

[Toche]

Wonderful post, thank you @Toche !

Thank you very much RJG2:

 

[PieterVE]

Thank you for the explanation @Toche !

 

[rockm]

Very thorough. haven't seen this kind of explanation that covers these important concepts. The thought of "returning to the rules" when you get stuck with a design is very useful (and no doubt controversial among the "I don't need no rules" crowd. using the "rules" is like using a map. They provide guidance, but it's up to the user to find their path.

 

[Colorado]

Wow, very impressive presentation of information! Great post, it is like reading a book.

 

[penumbra]

It's up to you, but I think that if you want to break the rule, you have to know the rule.

It is really a fabulous presentation my friend and though I am a bit of a Rebel, it seems it really hinges on your final words above.
Honestly, you could present all that you have here in a booklet that would be very well received.

 

[ShadyStump]

Very thorough. haven't seen this kind of explanation that covers these important concepts. The thought of "returning to the rules" when you get stuck with a design is very useful (and no doubt controversial among the "I don't need no rules" crowd. using the "rules" is like using a map. They provide guidance, but it's up to the user to find their path.

I tell me children, "I would rather live in a home with no rules, but until we've all learned to remember the consequences of our actions, we use rules to keep the peace and keep us safe."

 

[Hartinez]

This thread feels like a resource to me. Very impressive post and I really appreciate Toche taking the time to do this.

 

[ShadyStump]

This thread feels like a resource to me. Very impressive post and I really appreciate Toche taking the time to do this.

I hardily agree.
I'm not much of a traditionalist, but that comment about knowing the rules so you can fall back on them when you're having trouble with a decision really struck me. I'm going to print that table he drew up to hang in my shed.

 

[Clicio]

Should be on the resources pages, very impressive and thorough explanation.
Wow!

 

[penumbra]

I'm going to print that table he drew up to hang in my shed.

I tried but cannot copy it. I am not good with computers though.