The word “bonsai” is Japanese for “plant in a pot.” It also refers to the practice of cultivating plants — usually trees — in trays, pots or other containers. Although no one knows when the first bonsai was created, it is generally accepted that Buddhist monks brought the practice from China to Japan about a thousand years ago. Today, bonsai are cultivated and appreciated for their beauty in many parts of the world. Favorite bonsai plants include evergreens, maples and azaleas, but many other trees and shrubs also are suitable. For centuries, bonsai have served as objects of contemplation and meditation, as well as for decoration. According to Utsubo monogatari (The Tale of the Hollow Tree), a Japanese literary work dating from around a thousand years ago, “a tree that is left growing in its natural state is a crude thing. It is only when it is kept close to human beings who fashion it with loving care that its shape and style acquire the ability to move one.”

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