Chinese or Japanese, Who Does it Right?

ripsgreentree

You say potato, I say patato. Bell's Al it's a matter of personal taste.
I am drawn to both styles for diffrent reasons.
I like the strength and stability of a radial root structure.
I like the freedom of trunk movement and limb structure of the Chinese style. I also really like clip and grow to create limb structure.
Both the Chinese and Japanese do it right. By the way, we also do it right. The bald cypress, the golden cup oak, the california juniper. Trees that are designed to look like the bristel cone pine. Just to name a few instances.
I do not want to detract from either the Japanese or Chinese styles, nore do I want to give credit to our styles where it is not due. We are still young and growing and evolving a style of our own. I can say this with certainty, no one has a lock on artistic expression.

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ripsgreentree

It requires an open hand to give and to recieve.

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Tony

"Are the Chinese designs too loose, or are the Japanese designs too tight?"

Yes precisely! True on both counts. The Japanese styles don't allow enough freedom. They all turn out like bonsai icons. Chinese penjing kind of zig zag all over without any real style of there own. Frustrating hey? I'm shooting from something in the middle. A more natural type of bonsai icon, if you will. Maybe if I'm lucky.

Craig Cowing

I vote for all of them!

They all do it right. One option that was left out--European. I draw a lot of inspiration from people such as Walter Pall. Not exclusively, mind you, but I really like the vision he has for his trees.

It's important to recognize the emergence of continental or regional styles. There is truly an "American" style, based on the trees we have here. Same with the Europeans, Australians, and everyone else. They're all great!


Craig Cowing
Zone 5b+

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I'm not finished yet, neither are my trees.

Leesa

I voted Japanese - for the same reason Al gave before we got in to yet another "twig' discussion! I think I lean towards a more disciplined style as it offers more guidance to those of us still learning the discipline and it appeals more to my personal need to strive for perfection. Maybe the need to be more creative will come with more confidence in styling ability. For the most part - I have difficulty appreciating some of the Penjing trees. Although I do like the bunjin stylings that I have seen.

By the way - are we forging new frontiers with the "twig" discussions or what? If we keep talking about it - it may become a legitimate bonsai style. Or - maybe it is already?

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Respectfully, Lee Sanner

Carl_Bergstrom

Hey - why in the hell is this thread rated one star?

Someone (actually, two people unless someone is voting with two different names) doesn't like us talking about twigs in pots...



-OMC

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In love with trees

bnsaijim

Maybe it's only one star cus' it's one of those endless-debate- answerless question's... Opinion's only...

I admire the Japanese attention to detail and neatness.

The Chinese have a completely diferent approach. They are not concerned with the same elements - they'll turn a defect by Japanese standards into a primary feature...

I disagree that there is any thing resembling a Western or other regional school at this point in time. But I'll argue this elsewhere to keep this thread on -topic. If this debate interests you , I'll start a thread elsewhere!

I think neither is better, and Western contributions are no better or worse than the two acknowledged Schools. There are simply techniques and imagery.

For each tree there is a path leading to true "perfection", perhaps this will be only a fleeting moment of beauty; it is up to each bonsai artist or practioner to stumble upon that path.

Jim
TX