Saikei or Penjing? A Review of Miniature Landscapes, Part 1 Milo Mietzner

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1 Saikei or Penjing? A Review of Miniature Landscapes, Part 1 Milo Mietzner This year the Minnesota Bonsai Society is adding two new categories to its judged show at the State Fair: Suiseki and Landscapes. The first is an artful presentation and appreciation of viewing stones and has its origins as garden stones in China, where abstract shapes or those representing mountains, people, animals, or architecture were mounted and displayed. The other broad category features miniature landscapes composed of trees trained with bonsai or penjing techniques, rocks, and accessory plants placed in shallow trays or on slabs. But not all miniature landscapes are the same, and the artist should be aware of the deep tradition, and differences, between Chinese penjing and Japanese saikei. To understand what the terms bonsai, saikei, and penjing mean in relation to miniature tray landscapes, we need to review the history and development of these arts. Craig Coussins writes, I came to realize that bonsai, penjing, Oriental gardens, landscapes in miniature, and the appreciation of viewing stones, were inextricably linked over the centuries that predate our modern understanding of bonsai. Placing a tree in a pot originated in the spiritual and medicinal practices of traveling shamans and Buddhist monks in China who carried herbs planted in containers. Practitioners no doubt observed the dwarfing effects of pruning a plant and the techniques were refined and applied to other trees and shrubs. References to designing and arranging plants and stones are found in China as early as 1800 years ago, and these creations are known as penjing. Early evidence of penjing include two paintings, found in the tomb of the Prince Zhang Huai who died in 706 BCE (before common era), depicting servants carrying a miniature landscape and a tree in a pot. Historically, miniature landscapes and mountains created in trays or in gardens were used as places to burn incense and to invite spirits to inhabit. These tiny representations of nature were also used by Buddhists as channels for the meditator s devotion and focus. Many of us can relate to the meditative qualities of working on our trees as time and care slip away. Chinese penjing can be classified into two major categories that reflect the deep traditions of creating both miniature trees and landscapes. Shansui, mountain and water, are landscapes featuring mainly stones depicting panoramic mountain vistas and may or may not include trees. If used, they serve more as a foil to the rocks or as embellishments. Shumu are tree penjing, also known as pentsai, and feature a tree or trees. However, both are called penjing. Rocks and figures are sometimes included in shumu penjing to evoke a feeling to complement the tree s style and attitude, but are not landscapes they seem to me like a moment of meditation focused on the characteristics of a single tree. For example, several tree penjing depicted in Coussins book depict a clay or ceramic figure of a scholar contemplating a tree clasping a rock formation he has just chanced upon.

2 During the 1970 s, Qingquan Zhao, developed a third category, shuihan ( waterand-land style) based on gardens, landscape paintings and descriptions found in old writings. Shuihan artists link trees, stones, soil, and water together in very shallow containers or on marble slabs, and are a combination of shumu and shansui penjing. Unlike shansui that uses rocks to represent distant mountains, water-and-land penjing uses stones to represent stones and boulders in a near view. These compositions seem to extend the chance moments with an imposing individual tree, as described above, into the meditation of an entire landscape or garden, as suggested by this inherently limited portal. In penjing the hidden or what is left out of the scene is just as important as what can be seen. Karin Albert, Zhao s translator writes, A superior piece of art possesses the quality to transmit life, to convey the very spirit inherent in Nature. In pursuit of this goal, the artist concentrates on the essential, leaves out all superfluous detail, eliminates anything that would distract the viewer's attention. Water-and-land penjing are inspired by natural scenes yet convey the enchantment of nature poetry while capturing the spirit of landscape paintings. Indeed, Mr. Zhao likens penjing to 3-dimensional landscape paintings or wordless poems. All three arts, along with garden-making, matured together in China and cannot be separated. Written descriptions of water-and-land penjing date from the early 15 th century. Since Chinese landscape paintings, poems, and gardens hardly ever depict individual mountains, single water scenes, or individual trees, but instead show combinations of these features, it is rather natural in penjing, too, tree penjing and landscape penjing should combine to form water-and-land penjing. And since Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, which combined to shape the metaphysics of Chinese culture, emphasize communion with nature, it is only natural that humans are inherently present in miniature landscapes whether as actual ornaments or as viewers and designers. An essential ingredient in penjing is the artist and his/her emotions, imparting a spirit to each piece while practicing sound horticulture and a thoughtful balance of dualities: dominant/subordinate, light/heavy, soft/hard, solid/void, dense/sparse, etc. (see Zhao, 1997, for more detail). The styles of penjing relate directly to China s geography. China spans an enormous range of growing conditions and regional geologies, and several major schools have developed regional styles some more naturalistic and others more symbolic. Each school specializes in local species and incorporates local stones into shansui landscapes inspired by the often bizarre and beautiful geology of each region. Pinnacles of rock reach toward the sky, and jagged formations overhang water features. Artists from the Shanghai School, one of the major schools, create two types of landscapes. The first uses local hard rocks, often cutting them to create flat bases, arranged in near views of peaks dotted with trees and the bases with lush plantings.

3 The second uses soft rocks carved into flat or deep distance views of mountains, small grasses, and ample water space reminiscent of the lake and river landscape south of the Yangtze River. Regardless of the type of penjing or style employed, the penijing artist should ultimately draw from a personal intimacy with real landscapes. Miniature Landscapes in Japan The art of bonsai (from the Chinese word pentsai, another name for tree penjing) and other arts were introduced to Japan from China around 900 years ago. The Japanese were into everything Chinese at the time yet made bonsai their own by drawing on their indigenous traditions and then developed it to its current level of sophistication. A related art form, bonkei, uses rocks, artificial materials, and paint to create miniature landscapes, that last a short time and may or may not have living plants in them. Another development went in the opposite direction. Interestingly, miniature landscapes were modeled on the less diverse geography of Japan when compared to China, and as result tended to be more plant oriented. Couple this tendency with the beauty in severe austerity of Zen Buddhism, a development from the native naturehonoring Shinto religion, and you get a bonsai tradition that focuses on a single tree or trees in classical styles without rocks and ornaments. In Japan, the epitome of dwarfpotted landscapes representing the interplay of the natural with the supernatural became those that were distilled into a single, ideal tree. And that is the current export idea of what a bonsai is, and yet its roots lie in the recreation of entire landscapes. Through the centuries, however, abstract and grotesque forms of the single, ideal tree came to dominate until the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries when enthusiasts went back to nature and Chinese tradition. Classical styles based on natural forms are a relatively new re-development, as is the word bonsai, which was adapted from the Chinese characters for pentsai. Yes, what we think of and call bonsai in its modern form is a little over a hundred years old. Soon afterwards, American GIs in Japan Courtesy Kodansha Intl. experimenting with applying bonsai techniques to young seedlings and immature material and incorporating them into landscapes that he called saikei, ( living landscapes ). He took the techniques of short-lived, artificial bonkei and applied them to his living landscapes. In addition, group plantings and rock-grown bonsai were becoming popular at the time, and saikei was based on those two styles. He encouraged the popularization of bonsai in this way as following WWII were embracing bonsai and bringing the art home, and a resurgence of creating miniature landscapes was born of necessity. Following the ravages of war and the post-war economic depression, mature plant material was difficult to find in Japan. Toshio Kawamoto, the son of a bonsai expert, began Courtesy Kodansha Intl.

4 something that everyone can do, not just the wealthy, sons of masters, or the retired scholar, and these small worlds could sit on the balcony of a city apartment. Although the use of symbolism is employed to a lesser extent than in penjing, saikei are more realistic representations faithful to actual landscapes. Kawamoto stressed the importance of creating a perspective to give the landscape realistic depth and to integrate the four essential components: primary tree(s), rocks, secondary plants (grasses, moss, etc.), and water, usually represented as sand or fine pebbles. The root crowns of the trees also had to be above the rim of the container. Regarding clay figures, Kawamoto writes, In saikei we are attempting to express natural landscapes, so it is permissible to include human figures, animals or buildings. Use ornaments of this nature sparingly and only when you feel they would help to stress the theme of your saikei. They should also be small and in proportion to the rest of the scene. The landscapes, while true to nature, are also artistic compositions. The Japanese versions of the Chinese dualities mentioned above are also employed to create a pleasing, balanced saikei. The creations entice the viewer to enter and explore them for themselves, just as a real scene entices us into them to experience nature. Penjing, on the other hand, entice the viewer in with a mysticism, mystery, and sense of wonder beyond the physicality of nature. Penjing or Saikei? The landscape artist has much to draw on when composing a piece nature, available plant and rock material, his or her own inspiration, and a deep tradition of different styles in China and Japan. In part 2 of this article, I will introduce other styles, old and new, from different parts of the world, as well as changing tastes and hybrid forms that push the boundaries, such as Su Chin Ee s work. (And how else can you categorize Nick Lenz s creations?!) As you experiment with landscapes, how do you know what your landscape should be called? The easiest way to answer is to know the differences and reasons behind making a saikei, water-and-land penjing (shuihan), or landscape penjing (shansui). To distinguish between them, I found it useful to emulate the works, found in books by experts, that are explicitly called saikei or penjing. In addition to the histories above, I have included a chart showing the basic differences and characteristics of these arts distilled from my research for this article. Any omissions or errors are my own. Aside from a list of technical differences, perhaps the best explanation comes from Herb Gustafson: The most important distinguishing characteristic that separates [penjing] from its Japanese counterparts is found in its spirit or intent. Penjing exists in the minds of its creators. It is not a reproduction or a photographic image. Each portrays a mystical, wonderful land where one might want to go.more impressionistic than still life, the penjing moves one s emotions somehow. The cliffs are somehow more precarious, the rock ledges narrower, and gorge walls more precipitous than in actual life. Penjing are larger than life, even in their miniature size; actual container sizes range between three and five feet. In saikei, capturing a

5 moonlit, starry sky on distant mountain peaks might be comparable to a photograph by Ansel Adams or Ray Atkeson. A penjing of the same scene might capture a spirit more like Van Gogh s Starry Night. References Adams, Peter Bonsai Landscapes. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Albert, Karin. Mountains and Water in Chinese Art. Bonsai Clubs International, Sept/Oct Behme, Robert Lee Bonsai, Saikei, and Bonkei: Japanese Dwarf Trees and Tray Landscapes. New York: William Morrow and Co. Buller, Lew Saikei and Art: Miniature Landscapes. Self published. Coussins, Craig Bonsai School: The Complete Course in Care, Training and Maintenance. New York: Sterling Publishing Company. Ee, Su Chin Creating Bonsai Landscapes: 18 Miniature Garden Projects. North Adams, MA: Story Publishing. Gustafson, Herb L Miniature Living Bonsai Landscapes: The Art of Saikei. New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Kawamoto, Toshio Saikei: Living Landscapes in Miniature. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd. Yoshimura, Yuji and Halford, Giovanna M The Japanese Art of Miniature Trees and Landscapes. Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle and Co. Zhao, Qingquan Penjing: Worlds of Wonderment. Athens, GA: Venus Communications. For further information: Saikei Penjing

6 Miniature Landscapes Compare and Contrast Courtesy Kodansha Intl. Philosophy or Intent Tree material Secondary plants Rocks Water Trays Ornaments Water-and-land Penjing (shuihan) Realistic yet poetic near view of stream, lakeshore, or island. Sense of the mystical. Medium to large, usually mature with immature for perspective. Near perfect tree for single, tree piece. Double, triple, and Multiple tree piece can use trees w/ flaws hidden. Small and in scale. Moss prevalent. Other tree species can be combined with main trees. Represent stones and boulders. Plain stones suffice; flaws can be buried. Stones often cut to sit flush on trays and cemented down. Actual, or represented by bottom of container. Marble trays or infrequently shallow suiban (waterholding, shallow pots). Long oval or rectangular. Rarer, short oval. Frequent. If present, minimal or moderate and in perspective. Landscape Penjing (shansui) Panoramic vista of mountains and/or seashore; based on Chinese geography and paintings. Sense of the mystical. Optional, as foil or embellishment. Small, usually immature to emphasize size of mountains. Same as above. Represent mountains. Interesting, near perfect stones, cut flat, if needed. Several can be cemented together and to tray. Actual, or represented by bottom of container. Marble trays or infrequently shallow suiban (waterholding, shallow pots). Long oval or rectangular Frequent. If present, minimal or moderate and in perspective. Saikei Realistic near view of stream, lakeshore, or island. Small to medium sized, immature. Often 3-5 years up to 20. Flowering trees rare (except azaleas) due to perspective. Multiple trees are the norm. Flaws can be hidden. Small and in scale. Moss prevalent. Other tree species often combined with main trees. Represent either mountains (single far stone) or stones and boulders. Plain stones suffice; flaws can be buried. Represented by sand or fine pebbles. Shallow pots with holes for drainage; specialty halfsuiban half pot w/ holes. Short oval, rounded rectangular or angled rectangular Very rare. If present, minimal and in perspective.