| Bonsai-History
and Origin
 A professor
from the Society of Bonsai and of Penjing of Montreal provided
me with the following history on the origin of Bonsai trees.
This information was revealed to him by an old Chinese citizen
on one of his trips to China
As you may
have noticed, the climate on mountain tops is a lot more
violent then at the base (intense cold, brisk winds, snow,...)
. Therefore, the period ofgrowth for vegetation is
considerably reduced. That is the reason why trees on mountain
tops are smaller than the average even ifthey are quite old.
Only the strongest trees survive in such a cold climate. They
become stronger exposed to the cold, the snow and violent
winds.
One day, while
walking on a mountain, a Chinese had a brilliant idea. He
thought:
- "If
these trees can survive in such a climate,
- they
must possess magical powers ...".
 He brought back
with him a small tree. He planted it in a pot and placed it
inside his home. For him the tree was a symbol of endurance
and long life.
He believed that perhaps exposed to the magical
power of this tree he also could live a healthy and long life.
History does
not reveal just up to what age this Chinese lived, but it is
possible that Bonsai devotees live longer than the average!
 Bonsai
cultivation appeared in China around 200 BC. But it is only in
the 10'' century that it spread to Japan. It is believed that
a Chinese Buddhist brought the first bonsai to Japan and
offered it as a gift to a localresident.
The Japanese
quickly developed a fascination for this hobby and they
improved the growing techniques. There is no doubt that Bonsai
cuitivation is very popular in Japan.
In 1878,
bonsai trees finally made their first appearance in Europe
during a universal exposition in Paris. But it is not till the
early 19' century that it finally gained global popularity.
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