Garden of Weedlessness

Penjing: A traditional Chinese art

The art of growing miniature trees (penjings) in containers originated in China over 1,700 years ago. It became especially popular during the Ming (1368-1643) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and made its way to Japan in the 11th century. It is thanks to Japan that growing miniature potted trees (bonsai in Japanese) now enjoys such tremendous international popularity.

Why do penjing stay so small?

Penjings are not genetically miniature trees. The earliest penjings were small trees collected from the wild, with their growth shaped over time by extreme weather and challenging environmental conditions. Under favorable growth conditions, these same trees would attain the typical size for their species.

In the art of Penjing, trees are transformed by humans and kept small through regular pruning of roots and branches. Frequent pinching of new shoots is also necessary to limit growth. This art involves not only maintaining the trees as miniatures but also shaping them into artistic forms.