Time 1990

China, Guo Jia

Guangxi

Simple bonsai is a kind of garden art treasure with a long history in China, and Lingnan bonsai is one of the five schools of bonsai art in China (Su School, Yang School, Sichuan School, Hui School and Lingnan School). In the creation of Lingnan bonsai, local materials are mostly used, and subtropical and tropical evergreen broad-leaved trees are selected. Generally speaking, there are more than 30 kinds of stumps called "Shuzaitou" in Guangzhou, such as Murraya murraya (orange), Ficus, Fujian tea, Pinus tabulaeformis, Cypress, Elm, Mantianxing, Boxwood, Podocarpus, Rhododendron, Pineapple and Mountain. The composition forms of Lingnan bonsai are single-stem big tree type, or double-stem type, cliff type, Shui Ying type, multi-stem type at one end, attached stone type and combined type. In addition to the stump bonsai, there are also stone mountain bonsai. The materials of Shishan bonsai are Shi Ying, calcite, coral stone, sand stone and so on. Among them, Shi Ying is a special product of Guangdong Yingde, which is wrinkled, thin and transparent, so it is often selected as the production of Shishan bonsai. In recent years, Guangzhou bonsai artists have developed magnificent tree shapes, tall and straight shapes, jade-like beads and wild natural shapes.

Characteristics of Techniques There are three characteristics of Lingnan School bonsai that are different from other schools.

First, the creative technique is unique, the imitation is natural, the branch skills are highlighted, the shape or composition layout comes from nature and is higher than nature, and the organic combination of natural beauty and artificial beauty is sought, so Lingnan bonsai is known as "living Chinese painting".

Second, pay attention to the modeling and selection of landscape and basin, and strive for the harmony between basin and landscape.

Third, make good use of pruning, without revealing the traces of knife and scissors. This technique is the biggest feature of Lingnan bonsai, so it is generally believed that Lingnan bonsai is cut with a knife and scissors. By pruning and cutting leaves, plants can grow and develop according to human will. With the passage of time, the traces of manual cutting gradually disappear, and various shapes are as natural as nature.