where can I learn about penjing?

[10-brink]

I'm really intrigued by penjing and penzai 盆景 / 盆栽, but most resources online focus on bonsai. I'm not sure I really understand the difference but I'd like to learn more about this art form.

 

[Anthony]

Books by Hu Yunhua, he has two, one I believe from the early 80's.
Ebay used to have, and the Chinese embassy, has a library, just call or write and ask for the cultural officer.
So Amazon for 2nd hand and Chinese publications or inter -library loans.

Also You-tube for Chinese exhibitions.

[ Very simplified ]
The South of China uses - grow and clip - Lingnan - for training - more influenced by painted ancient scrolls/
The North uses more wire training.

You can gain a great deal from looking at Chinese Ink paintings, especially those of the extreme past.
Then look at photos of Chinese landscapes, with the limestone mountains.

The Chinese tend to be more experimental in their efforts.
A great deal of work influenced by ideas, word play and tales / stories.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[DougB]

You should also investigate Saikei. Saikei Japanese for planted landscape and descends from bonsai and bonkei. Saikei was created after WWII by Toshio Kawamoto to provide an less expensive alternative to bonsai. His book is a foundation book on how to develop Saikei. Herb Gustafson also has a good book. Check out Wikipedia for Saikei and Bonkei and you might also look at the Vietnamese Hòn Non Bộe. And here is a link to get you started: Saikei Presentation. enjoy.

 

[10-brink]

thanks Anthony. 你会说中文吗？

DougB, I'm mostly interested in the chinese tradition as I'm a bit of a sinophile

 

[GGB]

I'm glad you asked this, I've been noticing I'm drawn toward Chinese penjing / literati style myself. It was brought up in another thread and dismissed as "there is no noticeable difference" so I didn't speak up. I'm a total beginner, but I imagine there is a reason I keep finding myself appreciating chinese works

 

[Potawatomi13]

I also believe myself to be drawn more to Penjing as I see more of the exaggerated unreality of over emphasizing perfection in Bonsai. So many following the Japanese styling are creating charicatures of trees and not real looking trees. Some few on this forum continue to insist on certain training techniques even on young and new trees far from being showable. If you do not follow THEIR advice you have no hope of being any kind of success as it is always the best way since they say so. Perhaps Penjing, certainly Literai, wild Yamadori and to lesser extent Cascades offer more freedom to have real looking trees.

 

[Anthony]

@10-brink

你会说中文吗 - Do I speak Chinese ?

Sadly, no,

just have a Chinese last name, my mum was English.
Have cousins in and around South China, but gramps left China around 1908 or so.
Due to brother-in-law [ friends from when were 10 or so ] I had a chance to read Chinese
History and Literature - some.

Are you looking for Tree Penjing or Water and Land Penjing ?
Good Day
Anthony

 

[GGB]

I guess that's it, I totally respect Japanese sumo bonsai, but it seems like more of a horticultural feat than a small tree in a pot. There's something for everyone, that's what makes the hobby great.

 

[Dav4]

I also believe myself to be drawn more to Penjing as I see more of the exaggerated unreality of over emphasizing perfection in Bonsai. So many following the Japanese styling are creating charicatures of trees and not real looking trees. Some few on this forum continue to insist on certain training techniques even on young and new trees far from being showable. If you do not follow THEIR advice you have no hope of being any kind of success as it is always the best way since they say so. Perhaps Penjing, certainly Literai, wild Yamadori and to lesser extent Cascades offer more freedom to have real looking trees.

Aaahhh, you caught us!! I guess the jig is up. I'll make sure to inform the rest of my conspirators to stop giving sound styling advice on this forum. By the way, we're all still waiting to see some of your creations...just one would be simply wonderful.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

From what I've seen Penjing can look extremely unnatural, not that it bother me at all. I love both, Penjing and Bonsai.

 

[10-brink]

@10-brink


Are you looking for Tree Penjing or Water and Land Penjing ?
Good Day
Anthony

mostly interested in tree penjing. I'll check out those books you recommended, thanks.

 

[Maloghurst]

Penjing is actually more like miniature landscape then just tree in a pot. It involves mountain, water, figures etc.

 

[Maloghurst]

Forget names just take everything you learn and grow something you like to look at! Call it bongping!

 

[10-brink]

as Anthony said there are different kinds of penjing. some are just trees in a pot

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Robert Stevens, of Indonesia has a book on Penjing, check his website. Check the Stone Lantern website for Penjing books. Penjing has at least 5 main ''schools'' each focusing on different techniques and styles of trees. Lingam is only one of the 5. Penjing is an older tradition and more complex tradition than bonsai, as the Japanese learned about trees in pots from Chinese penjing. One of the 5 schools of Penjing is a lot like Bonsai. Penjing comes from a different cultural context than Bonsai, they are different traditions.

That is everything I know about Penjing, sadly, not much really.

If you read chinese, search websites in mainland China for penjing forums. I don't know anything about China's version of internet, but I assume it is there.

 

[Bolero]

I'm really intrigued by penjing and penzai 盆景 / 盆栽, but most resources online focus on bonsai. I'm not sure I really understand the difference but I'd like to learn more about this art form.

Everything is on the Internet just search around...Also various books dedicated to Penjing, Try "Stone Lantern"

My take is to think of it, Penjing, as Bonsai Tray Landscape, Use at least a 18"x12"x 2 1/2" Tray or Slab...Tray preferred.
Take for instance 5 or 7 or 9 Japanese Maple starters of different height, Bonsai soil, Moss and various ground cover
items such as Rock, Stone, Tree limbs, etc, use your artistic imagination to develop a Landscape scene...
Here are a few examples that I have created and consider works in progress...
Picture #1 is Japanese Maple, Picture #2 is American Larch, Picture #3 is Shimpaku Juniper...
If you have any questions just ask...

 

[Anthony]

Chinese landscape and single tree penjing

And as you can see more inventive [ see 6:47 ]

Wu Yee Sun - Man lung potted plants [ Farmer Scholar ]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Yee-sun
.
and -
http://www.manlungpenjing.org/eng-main2.html

Good Day
Anthony

* The look and balance are different