History of Bonsai Art in Taiwan

Bonsai art in Taiwan came from traditional Chinese garden art. Since Tang Dynasty, it has been very popular for poets and painters to compose poems and to create landscape painting expressing their admiration toward the beauty of nature. Some bonsai masters adopted their viewpoints toward the beauty of nature and started to use available plants and rocks to create bonsai art. After the Ming Dynasty and Ching Dynasty passed, bonsai art was getting more and more popular in our daily life. In recent twenty years, bonsai masters constantly devoted themselves to developing and to promoting Taiwan's bonsai art. Especially, in Taiwan, its humid sub-tropical weather is the privilege of growing plants. Moreover, Taiwan is an agriculture-oriented country. There are a variety of species allowing bonsai masters to be so creative. However, when facing the competition in local exhibition, bonsai masters continuously improve their skill to create great and wonderful bonsai. In 1994 the Bonsai Association R.O.C. was formed and is a national bonsai organization that was organized by Taiwan bonsai lovers. Now, Bonsai art in Taiwan has reached a very high level and a lot of overseas collectors are very interested in Taiwanese bonsai techniques and materials. We hope, with efforts from all of our members, bonsai art in Taiwan could be introduced to all the other countries and friendship could be developed through sharing common interest in bonsai.

Chung Hua Bonsai, Suiseki & Old Pottery Association
3rd Floor, No.128, Chun Hsiao E. Road, Sec.4, 106, Taipei, ROC. Tel: 886-2-2771-4323 Fax: 886-2-2771-0234

Bonsai Association R.O.C. Taiwan
13 floor N° 179 DUN HWA, S. Road, Sec 1, Taipei, Taiwan. Fax 886-2-2771-0234.

National Bonsai Association of Taiwan
No 110, 7F, Tien-Mu East Rd, Taipei, Taiwan. Ph: 886-2-2874-3802 or 886-2-2871-8108 Email: a9728946@ms8.hinet.net

Taipei Bonsai & Artistic Stone Association - tel: 886 2 2823 3043 - fax: 886 2 2821 2720

National Palace Museum - Located in Wai-shuang-hsi, Taipei

The National Palace Museum houses a rich collection of precious treasures from 7,000 years of Chinese history, and has earned praise from all corners. The history of the collection itself dates back to the Northern Sung (10th century), and represents the accumulated treasures of the Imperial collection. The Grounds contain not only the Museum but 2 Chinese Gardens, Tian-hsia-wei-kung Archway and Chang Ta-ch'ien's Residence.

Chang Ta-ch'ien's residence
Located in the grounds of The National Museum.
Visitors should be sure to take a look at the garden on which Chang Ta-ch'ien expended so much effort. The bonsai miniature trees are the most notable feature, and they are to be found in every part of the garden: the front, the back, the central courtyard and the roof garden, Chang Ta-ch'ien was very fond of bonsai, especially miniature pine trees. He also liked cypresses, plums and the ju tree (a kind of elm). One particular miniature pine by the front door was dubbed by the artist the "guest-welcoming pine," because it is bent over as though bowing to guests entering the house. There are also four gnarled and twisted miniature pines said to be over 200 years old. Bonsai trees are most prized for their appearance and great age, and these four pines can be said to be unique in that respect. In the back garden there is a pot containing two wild azalea from Yangmingshan whose branches intertwine, a phenomenon much prized by the Chinese. These were favourites with Chang, and he called them the "interlocked trees of the crane grove."

The Lin Family Garden - located in Panchiao a suburb of Taipei

It is still possible, in modern Taipei, to get a taste of ancient China. Lin Family Garden, a beautiful oasis in the suburb of Panchiao, is Taiwan's finest example of classical Chinese-style landscaping and residential architecture, and is reminiscent of a serene village from a bygone era. The nearly three-acre garden follows classical Chinese principles: flowers, artificial mountains, rocks, streams, and ponds symbolize nature, while manmade elements -- cottages, pavilions, towers, and bridges -- complement the setting.

The Chang Foundation - Taipei

The Chang Foundation was created by the late T. K. Chang with the aim of promoting interest in traditional Chinese art. Its museum opened in 1991 and is conveniently situated in central Taipei. It includes five galleries and a large lobby, with a total area of over 1,500 square metres. The lobby overlooks the museum garden, in which bonsai trees are regularly displayed.

 

Suiseki in Taiwan - by Beatrice Hsu
Historically, appreciation of elegant stones was an art form among nobles, scholars, and the philosophical hermits of China. Some of the best collections belonged to the imperial collections. The emperors of the Ch'ing Dynasty, for example, sent special search parties each year to the distant Tarim River of Sinkiang Province in the remote interior of China to collect odd-shaped and precious stones.

Today, the hobby of stone collecting is open to everyone who likes to hike along streambeds or climb Taiwan's lush mountains. But most stones are not collector's items. How can the common be distinguished from the extraordinary? Shen Fu-han, an avid stone-collector in Taiwan, has some basic advice on this subject. "Brush a stone clean, then hold it up to the eyes and look at each of its dimensions," he says. "Be careful not to miss any viewing angle. Use your heart and mind to penetrate through its outer form into its inner spirit. A good stone will always reveal its virtues under such circumstances."

Rose Stones - A rocky harvest - by Derek Lee - The Taipei Times
The same typhoons that frequently devastate Taiwan's east coast also churn up precious rose stones, a source of wealth for those who know where to find them.

Taipei Bonsai & Artistic Stone Association - tel 886 2 2823 3043 - fax 886 2 2821 2720

Bonsai Nurseries in Taipei

Recently I spent about 2 weeks in Taiwan. I had the opportunity to visit Mr. Chang-Hsing Ho's Bonsai nursery in Taipei. This is on the north side of the city, in a very pretty area not too far from the Grand Hotel. It was raining when we visited and there was no information available to describe the Bonsai. Although the people there were very friendly I wasn't able to learn much about the trees. The Bonsai were massive and impressive, with lots of deadwood. My wife took about two dozen pictures but these do not convey the size and strength of these beautiful trees which you can see on my Web Site. There were several other nurseries in the area and we were able to stop in one of them briefly. This information supplied by Richard Feldman, visit Richard's site and see all of his photo's.

Mr Chang-Hsing Ho's Bonsai nursery is located at #486, Section 5, Chung-Shan North Road, Taipei.

The Flower market is open only on week-ends and is an absolute must for all. The tourist agency at the airport or the Hotel people will provide directions in Chinese for the taxi driver. The market itself is outdoors under an elevated freeway! Growers bring their bonsai in to sell. The trees may be 'finished' and in pots as well as almost finished with the root ball in soil wrapped in burlap. The prices are high but less than the other nurseries visited. The trees range from excellent to run of the mill. The sizes vary from mame to huge, as do the prices! Plan to spend at least half a day just looking at the trees. If you also look at the orchids, ornamental plants, pots, bonsai stands, etc. plan to stay a while longer. If you are still not tired, at one end of the flower market is the arts and crafts market with the most attractive merchandise and prices I found in Taipei.
I found Mr. Chang-Hsing Ho's Bonsai nursery as described on the internet which was near the Grand Hotel. The Bonsai were super and their prices were thousands of USA dollars! The hotel people suggested another nursery that turned out to be around the corner and 0.5-0.75 mile from the first. The trees here were smaller (one or two man bonsai), but larger ones also were present. The variety of styles and species of trees were extensive. The prices were about one third of those in the first nursery. Because of the language problem, names, addresses and telephone numbers were not obtainable. However, everyone seems to know where things are found so that reliance on the hotel concierge is a necessity in Taiwan, and also remember that almost nobody here speaks English. This information supplied by Walter Chavin who visited Taiwan in 1998.
You can see some of these Taiwan Bonsai by clicking on this link.

An hour south of Taipei, you can take a one-stop tour of China's Great Wall, Peking's Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. The place is Window on China which captures in miniature 130 of the best-known structures in both Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. A recently added section features famous buildings from all over the world. The careful attention to detail includes thousands of miniature living trees and shrubs which were carefully shaped and grown to the correct sizes to complement the various buildings. Window on China also has a classical Chinese garden, restaurants, snack bars, a tea house, amusement park, and souvenir shops.