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FredL,

I think it's a moving target. Your standards will continue to evolve as your skill and eye improve. I have heard a lot of enthusiasts who visit gardens in Japan return wanting to throw away all their plants when they get home, dismissing them as rubbish. Few people actually give up because of that, but it is an eye opener.

If you can't make the trip to Japan, get yourself an exhibition book (they scroll through from time to time on the ebay list on the homepage here) Kokufu, Sakufu, Taikan-ten, etc. In the pages there you will get a sense of what excellent bonsai can be. Seeing them in person, however, is epiphanic!

Bonsai is popular in zen meditation because it incorporates so well some of the principles of zen. Like zen, bonsai can't be explained fully in words, but it can be experienced. Trying to talk about it in a rational way can drive you into fits:

You could say, for example, "Bonsai is truth" and be correct, that perhaps it speaks to the fundamental relationships of man and nature, or you could say the opposite: "Bonsai is an illusion" (a plant appearing to be a mature tree in a pot) and be correct too. You could say "Bonsai is happiness" because that is how you feel when you work with a tree or enjoy a display, or you could say "Bonsai is loneliness" for the same reason.

Regards,

Matt

16-Sep-2003	#5
TreeBay Tips:5¢ Advice:Free *MODERATOR GROUP* Join Date: Aug-2001 Location: Silicon Valley Country: USA USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: 4 Posts: 9,737	FredL, I think it's a moving target. Your standards will continue to evolve as your skill and eye improve. I have heard a lot of enthusiasts who visit gardens in Japan return wanting to throw away all their plants when they get home, dismissing them as rubbish. Few people actually give up because of that, but it is an eye opener. If you can't make the trip to Japan, get yourself an exhibition book (they scroll through from time to time on the ebay list on the homepage here) Kokufu, Sakufu, Taikan-ten, etc. In the pages there you will get a sense of what excellent bonsai can be. Seeing them in person, however, is epiphanic! Bonsai is popular in zen meditation because it incorporates so well some of the principles of zen. Like zen, bonsai can't be explained fully in words, but it can be experienced. Trying to talk about it in a rational way can drive you into fits: You could say, for example, "Bonsai is truth" and be correct, that perhaps it speaks to the fundamental relationships of man and nature, or you could say the opposite: "Bonsai is an illusion" (a plant appearing to be a mature tree in a pot) and be correct too. You could say "Bonsai is happiness" because that is how you feel when you work with a tree or enjoy a display, or you could say "Bonsai is loneliness" for the same reason. Regards, Matt __________________ Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today! bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!