The History of Bonsai Trees
Bonsai trees have been an important part of oriental culture for centuries. Today, people from all over the world decorate their homes with bonsai trees. They are aesthetically pleasing and small enough to put anywhere, making them a great addition to any home.
If you are interested in bonsai trees and have been wanting to buy bonsai pots on Amazon for your home, then you should know the history behind the trees as well. This blog will help you with that, by providing a brief history of bonsai trees and their popularity.
The Early History of Bonsai Trees
While today we generally think of bonsai trees as a Japanese tradition, they were being grown in China years before. In fact, while bonsai trees entered Japan in the 12th century, they were being grown in China as far back as 600 AD.
Chinese monks first started growing bonsai trees when they wished to bring natural elements into their temples, using small ceramic pots to house the miniature trees. In fact, the word ‘bonsai’ literally means ‘tree in a tray.’ As such, the tree must be appropriate for the pot, and vise versa, in order for the complete aesthetic of the bonsai tree to work. That is important to remember when you buy bonsai pots on Amazon for your bonsai tree!
The Japanese Adoption of Bonsai Tress
As mentioned, bonsai trees started to become popular in Japan in the 12th century. Sadly, there is little known about how exactly bonsai trees came to Japan, other than assumptions by scholars that they were likely brought over as religious souvenirs.
While Japanese bonsai trees are in many ways more natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing than those from the Chinese tradition, Chinese bonsai pots are still the most sought after of bonsai pots. For example, if you were to buy bonsai pots on Amazon, the most popular ones would most likely be of the Chinese style. So, while the Japanese changed aspects of the bonsai tree aesthetic, the Chinese bonsai pot style remained prominent.
After being adopted by the Japanese, bonsai trees became incredibly popular in their country. No longer were they merely a religious souvenir found mostly in temples, but a common item in many homes. Everyone from members of the elite to peasants grew trees in pots to decorate their homes. For example, if the Japanese people of the time had been able to buy bonsai pots on Amazon, it is fair to say they would have sold very well, considering their widespread cultural adoption of bonsai trees.
Bonsai Trees Today
Today, most bonsai trees that people from Europe or North America have in their homes are Japanese-style bonsai trees. By having the highest quality and most aesthetically-pleasing bonsai trees, the Japanese were able to gain a monopoly over the bonsai tree market, even though the Chinese style remains most popular when people buy bonsai pots on Amazon and from other stores.
Today, bonsai trees are enjoyed by people from all over the world. Each of us who enjoy bonsai trees owe a great deal to the Chinese and Japanese artists who managed to keep the art of bonsai trees alive for nearly 2,500 years. Without their dedication, we would not be able to buy bonsai pots on Amazon today, nor grow bonsai trees in our home. Visit our website to know more.