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Articles
Some
differences between bonsai and shohin-bonsai
What are the big
differences between a bonsai, and a shohin-bonsai? Well, there
are several differences to be taken into account, beside the
obvious difference in size.
Placing the Shohin-bonsai in the garden
A Shohin-bonsai is a
bit more demanding according to daily care. Because of its tiny
size it dries out earlier. Therefore care must be taken into a
proper position in the garden, which protects the small trees
from harmful sun and winds. A Shohin-bonsai can easily be
thrown down from the stand by a sudden wind or storm. Therefore
it needs to be placed where this will not happen. Furthermore
daily care has some differences.
At the same time care
must be taken into proper humid surroundings, that will prevent
the trees to dry out too fast. Placing the trees nearby bigger
bonsais is one positive effect, but the presence of vegetation
on the ground beneath the benches, is another important factor.
The steaming from the
plantings, scrubs and grasses i.e. on the ground, will make a
humid air around the tables, in benefit of the bonsais placed
there. So instead of making
the public mistake, where gravel is the ground cover, and I
have done this myself, plant some vegetation to improve the
humidity. It will make far more
pleasing surroundings as well.
Down with the big trees
The big fascination
of smaller trees than by “normal” sized Bonsais is another
aspect in evaluating differences. The fascinations of small
things have always been fascinating to most people. Exactly as
in the case of the way the power of very big things overwhelms
one. For some years there has been a fashion in Bonsai, to make
very big, and dramatic Bonsais.
But in the early
years of this millennium, people are increasingly searching for
the beauty of Shohin-bonsai. The overwhelming sizes shown at
exhibitions and demonstration, has over fluid the many shows
around Europe resent years. And now time seems to gather around
the beauty of the tiny trees. As in Japan, an increasing number
of people seek the simplicity, and harmoniously calmness of
Shohin.
Shohins make the
peace in mind, which is truly a need for humans living in a
modern fast spinning world.
A good Shohin-bonsai will truly show all the important signals that is essential in the art of
bonsai:
Peace - harmony - beauty - simplicity
A water colour painting
Shohin-bonsais
demands that viewers of them are able to use their imagination.
Because a Shohin is limited in its ability to show all of the
strokes when it paints a picture in the viewers mind. A
painting that shows the big mature tree in nature. It will
always be a suggestion, like a watercolour painting. This
painting misses some details because of its fluid blending
strokes, and will like the Shohin mostly give a fine hint of
the trees image. By this it will demand the minds of the viewer
to build up the rest of the picture.
Fantasy is much more
into Shohin-bonsai than to bigger Bonsais, that with their
volume is able to come closer to the picture of a tree.
Fantasy and
imagination is a very satisfying point in every kind of art,
where the lines is not drawn full, to let imagination come
true.
Size
The last big
difference in the art of Shohin is the fact that the tree is so
small, that you can hold it in one hand. One hand Bonsai,
Shohin is some times called. This makes them
especially suited for transport, and it is very easy to take a
tree into the kitchen table for instance, to observe it and
work with it.
It is alone a
challenge to the mind that you are able to hold a big old
living tree in your single hand. And the tree is big,
in more than one sense. Not alone can it reach an age that is
far beyond human strength. It is also big in size when it is
proportioned right, to give the vision of the many times bigger
tree standing in the mountains. Who are able to
receive these signals and interpret the lines of Shohin-bonsai
are blessed with great experiences.
Shohin-bonsai,
Crataegus laevigata
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