Top 10: Chinese Penjing trees

Although Bonsai is a Japanese word, the art of growing these miniature trees originates in China, where it is called "Penjing" or "Penzai".

Penjing are usually miniature landscapes, displaying a combination of rocks, trees and figures - though increasingly single plants are shown in China these days. The main difference between Bonsai and Penjing is that Bonsai is a more refined, stylistic depiction of nature (often in single tree displays), whereas Penjing is more natural and wild (usually displayed in a landscape form).

With China's vast scale, several regional styles of Penjing were developed over the years, including the Lingnan style, Taiwan style (closer in resemblance to Japanese Bonsai), Shanghai style and the Yangzhou style.

Three main categories can be distinguished for Penjing:

樹木盆景 - Shumu Penjing: A landscape consisting of trees, planted in a container.
山水盆景 - Shanshui Penjing: A landscape usually formed around a rock, placed in a tray filled with water.
水旱盆景 - Shuihan Penjing: A landscape consisting of a rock and trees, possibly with miniature houses and figures.

In this article we list the ten most beautiful Chinese Penjing landscapes.

(#1) Ikadabuki (raft) style Penjing landscape, by Matyie Che Makhtar

Raft style Penjing

An ikadabuki (raft) style Penjing landscape, by Matyie Che Makhtar.

(#2) Casuarina Equisetifolia landscape by Eddy Sebayang

Chinese Penjing

Spectacular and very realistic Penjing landscape by Eddy Sebayang, made up from Casuarina Equisetifolia trees. Read more on Penjing and its Chinese roots in the Bonsai History article.