RESOURCE PAPER - 14

Bonsai A Living Japanese ArtK. SivajiSuguna Ramamoorthy

This Resource Paper on 'Bonsai' is an effort to highlight the uniquenature of Bonsai, the Japanese art, among the Indian population. Theyear 2017 marks the 60th Year of Japan-India Friendship Exchangesand IJCCI has been showcasing a number of Japanese cultural aspects;one such effort was a two-day exhibition on Bonsai at IJCCI premisesrecently by Mr. K. Sivaji of Sivaji Bonsai, that attracted a large numberof audience. The Resource Paper is an outcome of an interview of theundersigned with Mr. Sivaji and we thank him for his cooperation.
The mushrooming of high rise buildings does not spare much of landarea and the present robotic life-style has no time to usher in greenerywithin the house environs. It is our earnest effort to take Bonsai intoevery house, to cultivate interest among people and to train as manystudents as possible. Establishing a Bonsai Club is also on the anvil.
There are a good number of dedicated Bonsai associations and teachersin India and IJCCI appreciates them and salutes them for theircontribution and, it is our earnest desire to establish this centuries-olddivine Japanese art firmly in Indian soil.
Mr. K. Sivaji, Founder of Sivaji Bonsai is a renowned Bonsai, Suseikiand Saikei Artist in Chennai and one of the leading Bonsai Masters inIndia dedicated to popularising the art. He has participated in severalworkshops, conferences and exhibitions all over India and has beentraining a good number of interested students. Mr. Sivaji has masteredthe art from world renowned Bonsai Masters from Japan, Vietnam,Indonesia, Philippines and England.
We hope that the readers not only find the resource material useful andinformative but also firmly believe that it would kindle an urge in themto learn and practice this art.

September 2017

Suguna RamamoorthySecretary-General

Bonsai A Living Japanese Art

Bonsai is a Japanese Art. It means a tree or a shrub grown in a flattray or a pot.“Bon” in Japanese means tray and “Sai” means plant together they make Bonsai, meaning a miniaturised tree with allits natural resemblance grown in a pot.
How the mini world of bonsai came into being is a question that isoften debated. There are two schools of thought in Japan - oneadvocates that Bonsai is a modification of a potted plant whichoriginated in India, cultivated by the sages who were themedicinal practitionersthen, and this art is referred to in theAyurveda as “Vamanathanu Vrishadi Vidya” - meaning thescience of dwarfing the plant. This art was taken to China by theDyan Buddhist Monks and travelled to Japan. But theundisputable fact is that the Japanese perfected the art of Bonsai tothe present day,in a matured state. Now Bonsai is almostsynonymous with Japan.
5The other school advocates that Bonsai is from Japan. The earliestreference of dwarf plants in pots is found in the scrolls of PriestHonen preserved with the Kasuga Shrine Records, dating back tothe military regime of Kamakura ( 1192 to 1333AD). The scrollsdepict trees in their natural form, planted in pots and displayedin shelves. Even though the scrolls were produced in theKamakura era, they depict the life in the earlier Heinen period(794 to 1191 AD).
There is the famous Noh- Play called “ Hachi No Hi” writtenduring the reign of YoshimitsuAshikaya (1358 - 1408),the playnarrates the incident from the life of ToshiyoriHojo , the fifth rulerof Kamakura.A poor soldier named Genzaemon Sano is visitedby the King disguised as a Priest. Unable to procure firewood tokeep the Priest warm at night in his cottage situated in thewilderness, Sano cut his collection of Apricot, Cherry and PineBonsai to make fire.
Bonsai in the earlier days remained as a hobby of Aristocrats.
Common people were not allowed to practice it and wereexecuted if they grew bonsai. However the technique of growingbonsai spread throughout Japan and during the late 19th century,bonsai became a common man's hobby and every house in Japanhad a bonsai. The dreadful Kato earthquake virtually decimatedthe bonsai promotion group which had come into being by then.
The bonsai artists who escaped the fury of the floods andearthquake moved to Omiya village, far away from Tokyo andstarted growing bonsai as a co-operative society. In 1923, theyconvened the First Bonsai Conference and formulated certainrules for Bonsai. Those are the basis of the rules being followedtill now throughout the world.
Bonsai is easy to grow if the technique of Bonsai is known and ifone has the love for plants and dedication, patience and time. All6the trees and shrubs with primary or tap root can be grown asBonsai. Yet some trees are very good for Bonsai. An interestingtrunk line with good arrangement of branches, attractive barkcolour, compact and fine textured foliage with small leaves,flowers and fruits in a Bonsai will make it look extremely good.
Size of BonsaiMini Bonsai ………….....upto 5 CMs ;Mame Bonsai……………5 to 15 CMsSmall Bonsai……………15 to 30 CMs ;Medium Bonsai……….....30 to 60 CMs andLarge or Big Bonsai…….60 to 100 CMsBasic Styles of BonsaiFormal Upright; Informal Upright; Slanting; Semi Cascade;Cascade and Literati. These are the six Bonsai styles approved atthe FIRST WORLD BONSAI CONFERENCE in Tokyo in 1923.
They continue to be the Basic Styles in Bonsai. Over a period oftime, many more styles have been introduced and approved.
Tools used in BonsaiTrimming shears; Concave branch cutter; Potting trowel;WireCutter; Root hook;Turn table; Small Saw; Wire mesh andSprayer. For a beginner, all these tools are not essential. A smallshear, cutter and wire will be enough.
Pots used in BonsaiThe pot is very important for Bonsai. Plant and pot shouldcomplement each other; neither one should dominate the other fora good Bonsai. There are several shapes of pots like rectangular,oval, round , square etc. The materials used for pots also differlike mud, cement, plastic, terracotta, ceramic and porcelainvarieties are available.
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Soil mixtureThe soil should be loose and should have a good drainage facility.
Small and nice soil should be sieved and removed as it will clogthe pot. Standard Bonsai soil will be 1/3 compost, 1/3 sand and1/3 garden soil, along with some organic fertilizer and leafmould. Soil can be prepared as per the nature and requirement ofthe plant. But it should have a good drainage facility andfertilizer. Another kind of soil mix would be one part loam, twoparts sphagnum moss and two parts granite grit. This will alsosuit most Bonsai.Another mixture that would be the best forplants is the one which does not require lime in soil and of thosewhich require moisture always, one part of loam, three partssphagnum moss and one part of granite grit is good.
PruningPruning is absolutely necessary to create an attractive bonsai.
Pruning enables light and air to circulate between the branchesand leaves. Sharp scissors should be used for pruning.
WiringWiring is the most important aspect in Bonsai to create the shapeof trunk and branches. Wire is wound at an angle of 45 degreesaround the branches and trunk to change the shape. It should beensured that the wire should not create a wound in the bark and atthe same time it should not be loose also. Generally the thicknessof wire can be 1/3 to ½ of the diameter of the branch. Correctwiring of a tree needs practice and experience.
WateringAll the plants need water throughout their life. Requirement ofwater for each plant differs with the size of the plant, pot andseason.
8FeedingAs the Bonsai is restricted in a pot, regular feeding is absolutelynecessary. Liquid and solid manure can be used. Strong fertilizersshould be avoided.
Pest controlLike other plants, Bonsai also is subject to pest attack. The rightpesticide would be organic ones, like neem oil in a diluted form.
Plants suitable for Bonsai in ChennaiBanyan, Peepal, All Ficus varieties, Bougainvillea, Casurina,Tamarind, Sapota, Guava, Malphigia, Carmona microphyla etc.
All trees and plants grown in Chennai which have long life can begrown as bonsai.
Benefits of BonsaiThere are a lot of benefits in growing Bonsai. The therapeuticvalue of Bonsai is indisputable. There are certain plants like Jadeand Ficusreligiosa that cure many diseases by sitting near it.
Bonsai is the best hobby in the world. It gives a lot of patience,imagination, concentration and the Japanese consider this as thehighest form of Meditation. By growing Bonsai, the plants whichface the threat of extinction can be saved. For example, Moringahildebrandtii is extinct in its native country, Madagascar. But ithas been saved and grown in many other countries byHorticulturists as Bonsai, potted plant and in nature. LikewiseBanyan and Peepal in India face a threat of extinction as nobody isgrowing it in the ground now-a- days as it occupies a lot of space.
The famous Adyar Banyan is no more as it was once. There areonly 3 big Banyans in India to be proud of, even though it is anational tree and a native of India. If it is not protected, theBanyan can be seen only as a Bonsai by the future generations if itis grown as a Bonsai or as a potted plant.
9In urban areas, the only way to grow plants to produce oxygen isby growing Bonsai. A small plant can generate oxygen sufficientfor one person. A three feet Tamarind Bonsai can give oxygen forfour persons.
Misconceptions about BonsaiMany people consider that there is an amount of cruelty to plantsin cutting and arresting its growth in a pot. Actually there is nocruelty to the plants in pruning and shaping. The plant needspruning for its well-being. From time immemorial, big trees havebeen pruned to give good growth. Only plants which grow welland tolerate pruning are used in Bonsai. Plants which cannottolerate pruning are not grown as a Bonsai. For example Coconut,Palms, Cycads etc. cannot be cut or pruned and so there are notused for Bonsai. Pruning a Bonsai is just like cutting our nail orhair which will grow again. In fact, Bonsai gives good air, purewater, sufficient food and above all a lot of love. Bonsai outgrowsthe life of a natural tree. Considering Bonsai Art as a cruelty isonly an ignorance of Horticulture and Civilization in general. NoBonsai Artist ever kills a Bonsai. Bonsai can be grown forpleasure as a hobby or for display in exhibitions. It is important tomaintain the Bonsai plants carefully and regularly. As the Bonsaimatures, it needs refining and pruning for making it look the best.
A mature Bonsai is a beauty and this beauty is a joy forever.
Suiseki and Saikei‘Suiseki' and 'Saikei' are the art forms that complement Bonsai.
While Suiseki is the Japanese art of stone appreciation, whichvalues aspects like stability, longevity and immortality, formedthrough time by wind and water, stones can take several sizes andshapes, reminding us of natural objects. Saikei refers to aJapanese ornamental miniature landscape.
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SuisekiThe art of Suiseki originated in Japan and the word 'Suiseki' isused for this art in all languages throughout the world. This Artis comparable to the great Art of Bonsai and are complimentaryto each other. 'Suiseki' represents a single stone that has manyfeatures like mountain, waterfalls in a mountain, a river, pond,animals etc. irrespective of the stone, the viewer can feel theartistic beauty of the things in nature. It is also an abridgedword which includes in itself the five elements like water,scene, stone, mountain and sentiment. The literal meaning ofSuiseki is 'Water Stone'. A Suiseki should be a single stone,should have specific characters for the viewer to imagine andshould be small. Only a single cut is permissible for display.
There are many kinds of stone viz. mountain, mountain withwater falls and rivers, distant mountain, mountain with lake,rock shaped stones, cave stones, stones resembling animals andhuman beings etc. It gives the viewer a lot of imagination, joyand peace of mind. Colours of the stones add to the beauty ofthe scenery. The Art of Suiseki is an eternal one and can bedisplayed separately or along with Bonsai.
Saikei'Saikei' is a Japanese word meaning 'Living Landscape'. “Sai”means a plant and “Kei” means a view or a scene. AdaptingBonsai techniques, the young nursery plants and stones are usedin flat trays to make Saikei. This is an instant art to create aminiature garden and landscape. Though many peoplethroughout Japan practiced this art for many years, the pioneeringeffort of establishing the School of Saikei was made by one MrToshio Kawamoto of Japan, a Bonsai artist during the 1950s.
Using small nursery plants and stones, he produced instantgardens, unlike Bonsai. Small plants can be grown or obtained11from nurseries. It has to be trimmed in the Bonsai way, and usingthe same kind of trees will add to the beauty.
Creating the miniature landscape and trees is to imitate nature.
For this, understanding nature, observation of growth andcharacter of the trees with patience, enables one to observe thebeauty of nature through Saikei and Bonsai. Small trees or plantsin small poly bags has to be grown or bought from the nurseriesand trained like Bonsai. Same species of trees will add beauty tothe landscape. Odd numbers of trees like 3, 5, 7 should be used.
Different heights, thicknesses are preferable. Stones and rockswith rough and rugged surface will be beautiful. Stones ofdifferent sizes and shapes should be used. Mountain like stoneswith waterfalls, colour, will add more beauty to the Saikei. Grassand small leaved plants, moss can be added as a ground cover.
Sphagnum moss can also be used as a ground cover.

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