Month: November 2009

Since my first bonsai class, I have learned that there are two distinct regional variations in Chinese bonsai (penjing) – the Southern style and the Northern style. My teacher kept telling us that the Southern style is the better one, and I always thought what he said was a bias statement that purely based on personal taste. Yet, after I learned more about bonsai, I have to agree with what my teacher said.

What Have Caused the Differences?

Cultural differences account for some of the variation, but the main factor, really, is the difference in the natural environment and climate. China’s South has high temperatures and high levels of humidity most of the year. Along the Yangtze River, the growing season is much shorter. There, establishing a tree’s shape without wiring would be difficult, if not impossible.

As said earlier in another post – Chinese Penjing & Japanese Bonsai, the main difference between bonsai and penjing (or Chinese bonsai) is one of scope. While Japanese bonsai is about perfecting a miniature tree in the container, Chinese penjing is about creating natural scenes using different elements of nature like rocks, stones, water, sand, and of course, trees.

Here, let me introduce you to three main categories of penjing.

Shumu Penjing (樹木盆景)

Shumu penjing (or tree penjing) depicts the image of one or several trees. Trees are the main material and form the dominant element in the composition. What’s called “shumu penjing” in China and “bonsai” in Japan and today in the west are actually rooted in the same concept. This concept has manifested itself in different styles, yet, the underlying idea remains the same. Here are some examples of bonsai styles: Informal Upright, Twin or Multi-Trunk, Slanting, Semi-Cascade, Cascade Literati, Driftwood.

Examples of Shumu Penjing (tree penjing) found in 2009 Guangzhou Penjing (Bonsai) Exhibition