pottedexotics.com
pottedexotics.com
In a botanical and traditional nutshell, bonsai is a Japanese term that means “potted in a container.” However, the first bonsai culture seen by the world emerged from ancient China.
The Chinese “pun-sai” was the first historical record of a special botanical technique used to plant dwarf trees in shallow containers. Back in 700 AD, Chinese immigrants gifted the Japanese people with bonsai.
The earliest traces of the oldest bonsai trees come from parts of Asia, including ancient China and Japan. Back then, these empires sprawled all over Asia, which is why the continent is so rich in these bonsai pots' cultural and socioeconomic essence.
During the Chinese Bronze Age, Chinese monks grew fascinated with creating miniature replicas of wild landscapes, for example, a mountain range created with viewing stones. This way, the creator could gain the landscape’s unique characteristics, such as magical properties.
The Chinese introduced the art of bonsai to Japan, and the Japanese took it to unprecedented heights, developing it into a worldwide phenomenon. Bonsai symbolized a way of life full of patience and gratitude, which was quickly adopted by young people back then and to this day.
Every indoor bonsai planted today is a memoir of the great ancient civilizations of China and Japan. It is incredible how a botanical tradition dating back to the start of time is still fresh.
Click the link to learn more about the history of bonsai. 👇