The word bonsai simply means .a plant in a tray.. Authentic records of
bonsai trees date back to the early 14th century. It is quite possible,
owever, that the practice of bonsai culture originated over 1,000 years
ago in China on a very basic scale known as pun-sai, where only a single
specimen is grown in a pot. These early specimens displayed sparse
foliage and rugged, gnarled trunks which often looked like animals,
dragons and birds. There are a great number of myths and legends
surrounding Chinese bonsai, and the grotesque or animal-like trunks
and root formations are still highly-prized today.

Bonsai has now evolved to reflect changing tastes and times - with
a great variety of countries, cultures and conditions in which it is
now practiced. In Japan today, bonsai are highly regarded as a symbol
of their culture and ideals. The New Year is not complete unless the
tokonoma - the special niche in every Japanese home used for the display
of ornaments and prized possessions - is filled with a blossoming apricot
or plum tree. Bonsai is no longer reserved for the upper-class, but is
a joy shared by executive and factory worker alike.

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