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2018 March
Treasures in Bonsai

Placing bonsai at home does not only delights us, but also refines our temperament and adds touches of nature to the home. Each bonsai has its unique shape and mood. The selection, caring and appreciation of bonsai forms a body of knowledge in their own right.

 

As an enthusiastic collector of bonsai, Raymond Wong, Executive District Director of AIA International Limited, has quite a collection of exquisite bonsai at home, including a bonsai of Fukien Tea Tree that welcomes every guest at the entrance. “I bought my very first bonsai when I was 20 years old. I still remember I bought it from Guangzhou and I had to take a train to bring it back to Hong Kong. Later on, I bought other bonsai from various places. I now have a few dozen in my collection.” Years ago, he would stop at nothing to bring bonsai that were about 50cm tall and weighed several dozen pounds back to Hong Kong. His passion towards bonsai has always been very evident.

 

Living art calls for passion

“Bonsai is an art and art calls for passion.” Wong is not only a bonsai collector. He is also very knowledgeable about antiques and jades. His home is filled with different collections and looks like a mini-museum. “Comparing to porcelains and ancient jades, bonsai is a ‘living antique’ and a ‘living art’ because it keeps growing and changing. It shows different forms and features that change with time and seasons.”

 

He pointed out that bonsai are essentially transferring the views of nature into a pot; they are miniatures of nature. “Therefore, the views provided by a bonsai also change with seasons, just like the species does in nature. It brings nature to you even when you are indoors. You feel peaceful and learn to enjoy solitude.” He commented with a smile that appreciating bonsai is like appreciating other antiques – it offers solitary joy.

 

As the number of bonsai at home kept growing, Wong does not worry about not having enough time to take care of them, but he is anxious about the lack of space to display them. “Adequate sunlight and water are sufficient for planting bonsai. There is no need for frequent caring, and frequent trimming is inadvisable.” He explained that to avoid loss of nutrients, bonsai only need to be trimmed at appropriate times according to their species.

 

The “wow” way of appreciation

Knowing that the styling of bonsai presents different moods according to their species, how do we judge their aesthetic value? Wong frankly commented that bonsai must “wow” people. “If it fails to ‘wow’ you, or if it does not catch any attention, then it cannot be called a work of art.”

 

When a bonsai that captures the attention of others is identified, Wong suggested appreciating it from four directions. “First, look at its shape and colors, then appreciate the natural beauty and grandeur it exhibits.” He said that because of differences in geographical circumstances and natural conditions, there are different styles of bonsai. For example, commonly seen bonsai from the Jiangnan style (such as the Yangzhou style, the Shanghai style and the Suzhou style) feature more natural shapes and therefore have more diversified forms. Bonsai of the Northern style (such as the Sichuan style) are very particular about magnificence and show the grandeur of larger-than-life landscapes. Besides, there is also the Lingnan style represented by Guangzhou, and certain Taiwanese bonsai would make use of the method of cutting propagation so that the bonsai show unique shapes.

 

Certain deciduous species would flower and have their leaves fallen during different seasons. They look completely different in each season. Wong said, “Even when some species grow red flowers, they show different layers and are highly intriguing. That also fully demonstrates the value of bonsai as a ‘living art’.” He also mentioned that when appreciating the external beauty of bonsai, one could also pay attention on whether the shape of the bonsai matches that of its theme, how it can craft the appropriate state and sentiments, ie the mood, so that it could create a space for imagination for the viewers.

 

Difficult to value in monetary terms

Many items in Wong’s collection were purchased when he was traveling. “Most of the bonsai with artistic merits in Hong Kong belong to private collections and are difficult to purchase from the market. Therefore, many of the items in my collection are bought during my overseas trips or from auctions.” He pointed out that while personal preference and affordability are key factors when selecting bonsai, whether the species can adapt to Hong Kong’s climate is also very important.

 

At present, the price of bonsai in the market varies. On the low side, a few thousand dollars could close a deal, but higher-priced ones could go up to hundred thousands of dollars, just like most of the bonsai collected by Wong. For those who get in touch with bonsai for the first time, he suggested beginning from more common evergreen tree species such as Buddhist pine, or the lower-priced bonsai at a few thousand dollars as a start. However, he did not forget to stress, “It is really difficult to judge the value of bonsai in monetary terms.” He added that while a certain bonsai may have a higher price tag because of its species, age, history or style, there is no truly objective criteria to its price since this is a piece of art. And Wong is not collecting bonsai for investment or speculation. He said, “If a bonsai is planted properly, it could live for over 100 years. Therefore, I would see bonsai like any other antiques and artworks, and hope it could be passed down the generations in the family.”