Selected works of Zhao Qingquan bonsai master made by literati tree

Scene name: dust

Tree species: black pine

Tree height: 106 cm

Tree age: 25 years

Author: Zhao Qingquan

The creation of "Dust" began in early 2004. The material is a mountain-picked black pine (Fig. 1, 2). It was examined repeatedly before starting, and finally the front and back were selected (Fig. 1, Fig. 2). The main principles for selecting the front and back are: from the front, the trunk does not protrude; the root and the main branch extend longer to both sides and shorter to the front and back; if there is a bend in the trunk, the main branch should protrude from the convex part of the arc, but not from the arc.

Figure 1. The front of the selected material

Figure 2. The back of the selected material

When you start, cut off some unwanted branches, such as opposite branches, overlapping branches, and overdense branches (figure 3). The branches that are not yet certain can be retained for the time being and will be decided later.

Figure 3. Preliminary pruning

In order to facilitate orthopaedics, close to the trunk lining with two thick wire, and then wrap the trunk with hemp skin to protect the bark from injury during orthopaedics (Fig. 4, Fig. 5).

Figure 4. Wrap the trunk with hemp skin and lined with thick wire

Figure 5. Finish wrapping the hemp skin

Then adjust the lower part of the trunk with flower basket bolts and sticks to make it slightly curved (figure 6).

Figure 6. Bend the lower part of the trunk with flower basket bolts and sticks

Finally, climb the upper part of the trunk with wire, bend moderately, and make the side branches protrude from the convex part of the arc as far as possible (figure 7).

Figure 7. Climbing the upper part of the trunk

After cultivation, the branches were initially shaped at the end of 2005, and the branches and leaves began to be plump (figure 8).

Figure 8. At the end of 2005, the branches were initially shaped.

In the following year, two big branches in the middle of the trunk were cut off and clamped with wire again, showing the shape of the literati tree (figure 9).

Figure 9. Climbing again, showing the shape of the literati tree.

Feeling that the personality of the work is not yet distinct, the top branches were cut off in 2011, so that the position of the largest drooping branch moved up relatively, and the trees appeared to be more tall. Only one twig is retained in the middle and lower part of the trunk to serve as a connecting link between the preceding and the following (figure 10).

Figure 10. Cut off the top branch

In 2014, the modeling was basically completed and replaced with irregularly shaped pottery basins (figure 11, figure 12).

Figure 11. Figure 12, taken in June 2014, back of the work.

In the process of the creation of "out of the Dust", while making it fuller by means of cultivation, it is constantly reducing its branches and leaves until it can no longer be reduced. Not only the middle and lower part of the trunk rarely branches, even the top, but also as sparse as possible, and finally the top branch will be removed in order to "spotless" taste. This extremely simple aesthetic pursuit is in fact consistent with the Taoist "simplicity of the road" and Buddhism's "one flower, one world, one leaf, one bodhi". Incomplete forms often express the inner spirit more fully. "calmly join the WTO, light out of dust", the heart is at peace.

Selection of Zhao Qingquan bonsai master literati tree

"gazing" (black pine, 105 cm high, about 30 years old)

"Duxiu" (five-needle pine, 70 cm high, about 35 years old)

"Feng Gui" (true cypress, 115 cm high, about 30 years old)

"Yaji" (true cypress, 100 cm high, about 35 years old)

"Gao Feng Liangjie" (juniper, 115 cm high, about 90 years old)

"running to the moon" (real cypress, 85 cm high, about 30 years old)

"into the cloud" (true cypress, 132 cm high, 30 years old)

"Qingying" (black pine, 84 cm high, about 25 years old)

"Watch" (five-needle pine, 85 cm high, about 25 years old)

"Ancient style" (Huangshan pine, 85 cm tall, about 80 years old)

"Qingqiu" (Laoya persimmon, 85 cm tall, about 10 years old)

"dependent" (true cypress, 110 cm high, about 30 years old)

"Gaoshi Tu" (five-needle pine, 95 cm high, about 30 years old)

"invite the moon" (real cypress, 85 cm high, about 30 years old)

"sparse Shadow" (plum blossom, 85 cm high, about 15 years old)

"sparse Shadow" (plum blossom, 85 cm high, about 15 years old) snow close-up

"Tianzi" (real cypress, 65 cm high, about 25 years old)

"Linxu" (real cypress, 86 cm high, 30 years old)

Zhao Qingquan: it has a long history to have a special affection for literati trees. At first, when I was reading the score of painting, I found that in the ancient Chinese painting, especially in the literati painting, most of the trees were lean in trunk, with sparse branches and leaves, and few short, sturdy and plump trees. For a long time later, I have been thinking about this question, that is, painting is different from bonsai, there is no difference in the cost of painting what kind of tree, rough painting is the same as fine painting, but why painters seldom draw thick trees? Finally, I finally understand that, in fact, this is entirely due to the aesthetic orientation of the Chinese literati, because there is more style in thinness, more spirit in thinness, and the lean and concise tree shape can better express the author's feelings. It is said that bonsai should be poetic and picturesque, and to achieve both form and spirit, in fact, literati trees are the best example.

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