Records show that the Japanese have practised the art of bonsai, or cultivating miniature trees in pots and trays, since the 9th century. However, for hundreds of years it remained the preserve of monks and the nobility. It was only at the beginning of the 19th century that it gained popularity at every level of the Japanese society.
During the Ayutthaya Period, Japanese mercenaries served the court of King Narai (1656-1688), and they must have introduced the art to Thais. “There is proof that Thais back then cultivated bonsai,” Sompong Litlamlert, a bonsai aficionado, said. “A few years ago, a Japanese bought a bonsai pot for 400,000 baht at an auction at River City. It had Siamese designs and it was made during the Ayutthaya period.”
Mr Sompong, 64, grew up in Phetchaburi province and when he was a boy he often went to Khao Wang, where King Mongkut (King Rama IV), who reigned in 1851-1868, built a summer palace. “Potted bonsai decorated the palace grounds,” he said. “The art of bonsai was well established in Thailand during the time of King Rama IV.”
Khao Wang itself was a treasure house for bonsai material. Trees dwarfed and twisted by the elements were growing naturally on its craggy hills, giving bonsai artisans the advantage of choosing the shape they wanted as well as specimens that were already several years, if not decades, old.
Although Mr Sompong had seen bonsai since he was a boy, it was not until he was 21 that he took up the art as a hobby as well as a vocation. At first he collected his specimens from nature, both in Phetchaburi and neighbouring Ratchaburi, but now he grows them from seed.
Creating the perfect bonsai, which has the aged look and proportions of an old, natural growing tree but in miniature, takes years, dedication, patience and horticultural skill. It needs continual intervention, which involves frequent trimming of branches, leaves and roots, and wiring to mould the trunk and branches into the various accepted bonsai styles.
Award winner: Sompong Litlamlert finds growing bonsai very therapeutic.
Thailand has a wealth of plant species, both native and naturalised, but only a few can be trained as bonsai. “Bonsai is synonymous with longevity; it is everlasting,” Mr Sompong said. “It is an heirloom that can be passed on from one generation of the family to the next. Therefore, adenium cannot be regarded as bonsai although it can be grown to look like one, as it cannot last forever.” The same is true with bougainvillea, he added. However, although an orange tree usually can last only for a decade or two, a grower in Taiwan has a bonsai orange tree that is 400 years old.
Not all trees, even those which can live for hundreds of years, can be trained as bonsai, Mr Sompong said. Only a few species can be coaxed to grow in small trays and display the unique shape and look of venerable old age.
While the Japanese are more concerned with making their miniature trees look as close as possible to those found in nature, Thai bonsai growers place more emphasis on symmetry. Branches must be arranged symmetrically, so that wherever the viewer stands, not one branch is hidden from view.
Bonsai training is very therapeutic, said Mr Sompong, whose miniature trees have won countless awards in contests and exhibitions. It has become second nature to get up early and work with his plants from 5am to 9am every day, although some days he works well into the night. Grooming a plant for a contest takes at least six months, he said. Connoisseurs are willing to pay large sums of money for what they consider to be living works of art, and Mr Sompong has sold several of his plants to Japanese and Taiwanese collectors.
His concern at the moment, however, is not grooming his plants for any contests but who would continue his work and look after his plants when he is gone. A fellow bonsai enthusiast in Ratchaburi suddenly died of heart attack but not one of his three children knew what to do with the hundreds of bonsai their father left behind.
One of the leading figures in the Thai bonsai circle, Chaichana Kaewaram served as president of the Thai Bonsai Association for years and spent most of his life collecting and training bonsai. However, his children did not share his passion, and instead ran the family’s pottery business, which may be the biggest in Ratchaburi. After their father’s death they sold several choice items from his bonsai collection at giveaway prices to friends, but hundreds more remain. If you are interested in collecting Thai bonsai, or would like to a start in this fascinating hobby, give Chaichana’s son, Narong, a call on 08-6344-5225.
Email nthongtham@gmail.com.
