The true definition of a bonsai

Victrinia_Ensor

Ack... Isn't that a scary thought. It would knock out a lot of trees which have contributed to the betterment of the art.

Yours,

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Ms. Vic

Le belle cose prendono tempo...

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Will_Heath

There are many meanings for the word bon in Japanese, one of which is "mediocrity". The use of the word "bon" with "sai" usually dictates the meaning "Tray, as you said."

The many meanings of the word "sai" also includes "disparity" but when used with "bon" usually dictates the meaning "planting" as you said.

Better than "mediocrity disparity," but together, as the word Bonsai is used, bonsai could mean "mediocrity, ordinary ability" or "Buddhist priest's wife" or even just "bonsai."

BUT, the word bonsai has come to mean much more than the sum of it's parts. Which is why we do not call a houseplant or a small pot of herbs on our kitchen window "bonsai" even though, by breaking down the word "bonsai" into it's two parts, technically they are. The Japanese have words other than bonsai to describe other types of plantings such as kusamono which translates into something like "Grass Thing."

The word bonsai has a much deeper meaning than the parts suggest, this is easily understood in the east but it is hard for our culture to grasp this. This is why we look for better definitions of the word, we look for something to define all that a bonsai is, we look to define what is in our soul.

zenwarrior

Better watch out there Will, I seem to remember trying to make this point in another thread where I was stoned and ridiculed for it. I was accused of regarding the Japanese as "superior".

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pootsie

For further confusion:
http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthread.php?t=9164

pootsie

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Candy_J_Shirey

Will_Heath

LMAO! I forgot about that thread.....pick one, any one.

zen

I have seen ,though in some older texts, that some of the most highly regarded bonsai in Japan, and elsewhere were actually 100% yamadori, not having been "styled " or worked at all by man ,but potted into a bonsai pot, or onto a stone slab, or into a pocket in a decorative stone to be veiwed and appreciated as bonsai.Having not been styled "by man" can these trees just automatically not be considered bonsai at all ?

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Victrinia_Ensor

Very well put Will.... I especially like the idea of defining what burns in the heart of each of us who will put in the time, and hopefully lifetime of effort and care. It is worthy that we who devote so much of our attention and our lives to this will search for a definition we can wrap our minds around.

Maybe a good question to ask is if we are defining bonsai as westerners see it. Because your point about our overall ability to grasp the eastern meaning has merit. If it's a western definition, then I certinally agree with your thoughts and Moshe's contribution of time.

But if it is a matter of grasping the eastern mind in how they see it, maybe the first thing to remember is how they view artistic endevours to start out with. Taking their efforts to it's most simplistic form, finding it's virtue in the essence of the subject. A few well placed strokes of a brush to imply a whole mountain. In which case I will allow the fundamental definition of "tray planting" to reveal itself to me in the same way I believe they have. By long contemplation and experiance.

Each day I am here I learn to see the trees differently. I hope to laugh at myself greatly someday when I compare how I see them now, to how I will see them in the far off future.

In any case I shall go joyfully fourth, savoring all the delights of the mind and heart that something as simple as bonsai, has imparted to my life.

Yours,

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Ms. Vic

Le belle cose prendono tempo...

www.elandangardens.com

hansvanmeer

Yes Will,
And thats where the whole discusion on an other thread went wrong as well.
Not everybody in bonsai is looking for a deeper meaning in the word bonsai, but is never the less deeply devoted to the art of bonsai!
I for one think it is absolutly not true that we shout have any problem to untherstand the meaning of bonsai even though we are not from the east.
" TO DEFINE WHAT IS IN YOUR SOUL : YOU SHOULD MAKE A BONSAI " thats all!
Regards,
Hans van Meer.