The true definition of a bonsai

ALDEVAUX

After having learnt the "hard way" what is a true bonsai from this forum and feel that the definition does not fit what the accepted concept of a bonsai is, why don't some experts in this forum try to formulate a good definition without any the ambiguities that exists in the official bonsaiwiki ?
From what I learnt, I think the definition should include the tree majors caracteristics of a true bonsai.
1 - That a bonsai is a living tree or group of living trees or shrubs. This would eliminate all what is artificial (plastic, ceramic, metal etc. bonsai)
2 - That a bonsai is artistically styled by man. This would proves that is is a work of art and not only craftmanship and eliminates natural bonsai styled by nature.
3 - That a bonsai is grown by man with special horticultural technics in man-made containers or natural slabs or rocks. This will eliminate nature-made pots and mention that the technics are different than the ordinary horticultural practices for growing a plant in a pot.

Such a definition should then be approved by the majority of the members of this forum and ,if possible, could be sent to the world-wide bonsai community(if it exists) in the hope that in the near future we get an official true definition of bonsai that can be put in dictionaries, encyclopedias, wiki etc...

Here is my try at it:
A bonsai is a dwarfed living tree or shrub or a group of them, artistically styled by man and grown with special horticultural technics in a man-made container or natural slab or rock.

Advertisement

rockm

Why don't you submit your suggestion to the Wiki:

http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthr...ight=bonsaiwiki

Will_Heath

A three dimensional, artistically idealized vision of a tree or trees, cultivated in a tray or pot.

pootsie

"Potted tree."


pootsie

__________________
p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

rockm

Aldeveaux,

Here's a link to one of the international bonsai groups:
http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/

Bonsai Barry

Great insight. My only suggestion, in respect for some excellent bonsai artist of the female gender, is to change the word "man" to "person"

__________________
Bonsai Barry

"Our talent lies in our choices."

hansvanmeer

Hi Aldeveaux,
In theory your pretty close, it would be ok to wright it in bonsaiwiki!
But, and here we go again, show a hondred bonsai to a bonsai artist or someone who works on a high level with bonsai, and you will see that only a few will actualy qualify as bonsai!
Because they use or give the word bonsai only to a certain standard of bonsai, even at last years Ginkgo Award not every bonsai showed there was up to this standart!
So you see Aldeveaux, bonsai actualy only means one thing, but to the world it means every small tree they see, but on a high bonsai level the word "bonsai" means something more!
I think some words outgrow their meaning and dont have to be breakdown to there excact meaning for people to understand it!
"BONSAI" isn't it a wonderful word!

Regards,
Hans van Meer.

carmi

Will, you forgot the fourth dimension - time.

__________________
Shalom (Peace),
Moshe.

Colors are an optic illusion of light – As viewers for the bonsai creation. M.S.C.

Victrinia_Ensor

Your so succinct Pootsie...

But let's take it one step further. Let's just let the word itself define it's meaning.

Bon = Tray
Sai = Planting

Which is in effect the most basic meaning. If you look at the use of grasses and small flowering species one has to take the meaning further than the trees themselves.




Yours,

__________________
Ms. Vic

Le belle cose prendono tempo...

www.elandangardens.com