The Art of Bonsai Project

Robert Steven is currently organizing a Penjing Study Tour to China in conjunction with the Art of Bonsai Project. The following is a brief outline of the activities being prepared and are put forth as a means to gage interest as well as to receive input and suggestions before we finalize the plans.

The time of the tour will be around September 2009. The tour is planned for the southern part of China in order to specifically study and view the Lingnan style of Penjing.

Participants will meet in Hong Kong and from there go to Guangzhou where there is a very big complex with hundreds of huge nurseries of bonsai and Suiseki, so many in fact that it would take days to see them all. There is also a hotel and restaurant there. The participants would learn Penjing in the training facility, combining studies with a tour to Yellow
Mountain, which is a must see for any serious artist.

Robert will arrange to have a Lingnan master give lectures in addition to his own, he can also translate for the study group. There can also be lessons on Water & Land Penjing, Rock Penjing and do
the break with Chinese tea ceremony or calligraphy or even Chinese
instruments....

From this point on, I'll leave the discussion to Robert, please post your questions and suggestions here.

Yes,
This idea comes out :

- I read one of the post about Bonsai vs Penjing http://artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2322

- About my 3rd. book "The Five Main Schools Of Chinese Penjing" to be published next year.

- To build an AoB Community on bonsai art and friendship.

The concept of the tour is a friendship tour combining penjing study in China with a tour to Yellow Mountain, as a "must" visit palce for all bonsai lovers.

The study will be held in Sunde, Guangzhou, where the 2005 BCI Convention took place. It is a huge complex of bonsai nurseries and suiseki. The have the training facility in this complex with hotel and restaurant. These is a luxury bungalow complex to rent ONLY to rich people who have bonsai to display in theie front garden.

I can arrange a teaching lesson by the penjing master especially on Lingnan style with their distinct concept and the clip-and-grow technique.
Let's say a three-days lesson or so...

Then we can go to the Yellow Mountain to see the real "bonsai" in nature. We can stay at the hotel on the top of the mountain, enjoy "cloud ocean", the sun rise and sunset.

Since this tour might be participated by poeples from different countries, we can set a meeting point in Guangzhou or HongKong. We can arrange the pick up and start the fun..

Sound great ?

My question are :
- When should we do it ?
- How many days ?
- Maximum participants ?
- Reasonable cost. This will be a non profit project except might be some fund for AoB ?

Any thought or suggestion ?

This is the bungalow complex near the training center.

Some of the large bonsai at the public garden near a small lake...

You will need a whole week to visit all the nurseries...

This is Mr. Huang, one of the top Lingnan penjing masterwith his Elm.
He has hundreds of private collection to see...

And this is the scenery on the Yellow Mt.

Dang that bonsai is bigger than the trees (landscape) in my backyard. ONly one word come to mind. STUNNING!

That is one tour I would definitely be interested in participating. I will be following the development of this thread very closely to see what develops.

Great Richard,

Please let us know if you have thought, and please pass on this info to other friends.

Great idea Robert,

September is a good time, October is even better. That's because it is off-season (=cheaper rates) and the bonsai left at thome are easier to care for (due to fall season).

If I have the smallest chance to make this trip, I will. It sounds like a real treat, especially since I've never been in China. But at this point, of course, there are many unknowns.

Attila

That's great Attila. I will be going to China next month to check out the cost etc....Please let us know if you have any suggestion.

Keep in mind that America's first national exibit is in October of this year, it may be wise to see if the same time frame will be used in 2009



Will

I'd be interested in participating in this trip (price point permitting). I'd love to be introduced to penjing by masters of the art.

That's great Chris.

This thread seems to be extremely interesting!! Although only new to AoB I would love to attend such a tour....unless it has an outrageous price tag count me in.

Ashley Brown