Bonsai History

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Bonsai History Of an Artform
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The art of bonsai has its roots in China During
the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) There is a
legend that a Chinese Emperor created a miniature
landscape of his entire empire, complete with
hills rivers and lakes, he did this so that he
could gaze out over his entire empire from his
palace.
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The Chinese art form of miniature landscapes is
called Penjing.
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The first Documented Proof was discovered in the
tomb of Prince Zhang Huai, (706) during the Tang
dynasty. In one of the paintings a servant is
seen carrying a miniature landscape
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Many Chinese Monks kept a miniature landscape in
their quarters and one of them it is said
developed the ability to enter his miniature
landscape at will
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Bonsai is believed to have travelled from
Mainland China to Japan in the Heian period from
794-1191.
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During this time period in Japan ambassadors and
scholars were travelling back and forth to China
to study art, buddhism, literature, law, and
architecture.
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Bonsai, was brought over not only as an art but
also because of its close ties with Zen
Buddhism.
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http//www.ibiblio.org/zen/faq.html
The philosphy of Zen arose in around 500 BC in
what is now India At the age of 29 an Indian
Prince became disenfranchised with his priveleged
life and the suffering surrounding him he gave up
everything to seek understanding
Siddhartha Gautama
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http//www.ibiblio.org/zen/faq.html
By age 35 he became enlightened, and afterwards
was known as Buddha, one who is awake. He is
often depicted meditating under a tree.
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In Japan the ancient beliefs rooted in Eastern
Philosophies are represented in bonsai, showing
the harmony between nature, man and the soul
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Initially Bonsai was an art form that only the
Elite of Society could afford, but by the 1500s
people from any class in Japan could enjoy bonsai
together, this is the time when it developed into
the many forms we see today.
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Bonsai travelled to Western culture as early as
the 16th century with the spice trade, with
public exhibitions taking place in Paris in the
late 1800s.
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The art of Bonsai has proliferated since the
second world war and there are many societies
internationally which one can join to perfect
this art form.
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When we think of Art we think of.
Picasso
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Michelangelo
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The Group of Seven
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Bonsai too is an artform, living sculptures
Bonsai too is an artform, a living sculpture
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http//www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Palace/7574/bonsaih
istory.html http//bonsaisite.com/history1.html
http//www.celestialbonsai.com/history.html http
//www.crashbonsai.com http//www.andyrutledge.com
/book/contents/bonsaesthetics.htm