Penjing

Penjing (Chinese: pinyin: pen jǐng; literal meaning tray scenery) or penzai (Chinese: pinyin: pen zai; meaning literally plant trays) is the ancient Chinese art of planting trees or plants that are made in order to remain stunted size by pruning to generate forms that meet the criteria of aesthetics and created illusions about the age of the plant. In general, penjing divided into three categories based on the subject: penjing tree (shumu penjing), penjing scenery / landscape (Shanshui penjing), and water and soil penjing (shuihan penjing). Japanese bonsai art originally came from penjing (bonsai is the Japanese pronunciation for penzai).

 

In general, the main visual difference between bonsai and penjing is on form. Bonsai tend to have the forms simpler (looks more "subtle"), a large proportion of branches exceeded, and planted in pots simple shape with a color or colors bleak land. Conversely, penjing designed in various shapes that looked "wild", and can be planted in brightly colored pots or other forms that are more creative. Fans of the mini plant outside of Asia often blur the distinction penjing and bonsai for the purpose of exploring the potential of plant pots and materials, and want to be free from the style and traditional techniques.