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The Chinese traditional Bonsai Art is that of Lingnan Penjing Bonsai and it enjoys a world wide reputation for its vigorous, elegant and unrestrained style of harmonious composition, as well as its very own special ‘Grow and Clip Method’. This approach is more natural and refined and tasteful and have continued to develop to this day improving the aesthetics of the overall style year on year.

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There can be many features with Lingnan Penjing Bonsai from old dwarf trees, landscapes with a miniature mountain or water feature like a waterfall or lake with figurines of people and animals in scale with the landscape. There are many Masters of the Lingnan Bonsai Style and during the early stages Mr Kong Taichu and Mr Chen Suren were amongst the most innovative and artistic and famous for their elegance and simplicity in their work. A key person currently leading the industry is Mr Chen Chang, the famous Lingnan Bonsai artist and current Director General of Flower, Bonsai and Stone Appreciation Branch, China Landscape Architecture Association and some of his works of art were on display at the BCI convention in Guangzhou, China in September 2015.

Grow and Clip method

Lingnan penjing artists prune trees with the “Grow and Clip” method. Instead of bending by wires, the branches are kept being clipped as they grow. Every clipping creates a new turn and a new session on the branch, and in every session, there grows new branches. Eventually, as the tree keeps growing and being pruned by this particular method, it will taper from the base to the apex, the proportions between the trunk and branches will be greatly developed, with branches full of turns and twists. (Source).

For more information on the cultural background go to Bonsai style-The Characteristic of Chinese Lingnan Penjing