I had been reading online and like anything you look long enough and you will find what you want. Right or wrong it's out there. What I ran across was a site that said the Chinese had been the first to do the art of bonsai not the Japanese. I had always thought the art of bonsai was first done in Japan.

So, I wanted to know who started the art, Chinese or Japanese?

Thanks

chinese

The Egyptians.

Egyptians certainly had plants in pots, but the Chinese took the growing of trees and other plants further. I think that is fair to say. Bonsai has been practiced in Japan for a very log time, but even the Japanese admit that they did not start it.
It could be argued that the growing of plants in pots originated in India also, but I think China.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

Egyptians certainly had plants in pots, but the Chinese took the growing of trees and other plants further. I think that is fair to say.

It is - and the Japanese took it even further.

This site has some interesting info: www.artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=611

Please see the pages beginning here www.phoenixbonsai.com/BigPicture/Timeline.html for the ultimate timeline that we know of and the development of this art/these arts.

Technically, the Japanese were the first to use the term "bonsai" -- but that is derived from an older Chinese term "punsai" for an even older art. See also www.phoenixbonsai.com/TermOrigins.html .

My reply is who knows, it is such a long time ago, it could have been a random traveler.