Although the term "bonsai" - "tree on a tray" - belongs to the Japanese language, the root of the art of growing dwarf trees is in China. The origin of the technique took place in the Celestial Empire around the 7th-6th centuries BC. According to legend, one of the Chinese emperors wanted to recreate his state in miniature, for which he needed micro-trees. Later, the art began to spread to other territories, and in the 6th century AD. firmly settled in the Land of the Morning Sun.
The conditions in Japan are specific, they impose special requirements on the inhabitants and nature of the island, the main of which is asceticism. It was the Japanese, known for their sophisticated aesthetics, depth of immersion in symbolism and fortitude, who perfected the style of growing dwarf trees in a limited space and in harsh conditions. They managed to cultivate a system of requirements and rules that became canonical in the art of growing bonsai.
At the same time, the art of bonsai does not mean simple cutting of branches and the root system - it is an exquisite technique of balancing between creating difficult, deadly conditions for the plant to survive and taking care of its full development. Eastern philosophy always assumes the presence of deep spiritual meanings, accessible only to the initiated, under the external, obvious for everyone semantic load. And in this balance between intolerable conditions and careful feeding and withdrawal, the philosophy of unwavering spiritual growth and personal evolution is hidden.
Expansion into Europe
In the second half of the 20th century, wonderful technology moved to the West from Eastern countries, winning the hearts of Europeans. Each country imposed its own philosophy on the process, therefore the materialistic Western mentality, focused on external aesthetics, not really understanding the intricacies of technology, included bonsai and niwaki - the cultivation of trees in their full extent, calling this direction garden bonsai. This is how the niwaki technique has taken root in private homes and parks and is currently rapidly winning the hearts of new fans.
This is not surprising - careful, careful care for a growing tree does not tolerate fuss. Such an activity is like meditation, immersing in nature, merging with it and its creation, acquiring deep peace, understanding, empathy, characteristic of a true creator. In our man-made age, full of haste, worries and worries, the art of niwaki becomes a ritual that is better than any drugs and doping to bring a person into balance and endow him with wisdom and harmony.