I just wrote this for my village's newspaper. It will be interested to see what people think of it when I come back from Christmas break.
Americans are generally very impressed at the Japanese traditional arts and their complex sense of aesthetics (or they pretend to be in order to appear "cultured"). Many people marvel at how a simple tree can be transformed into a graceful, highly stylized caricature through tireless pruning, shaping, and nurturing. Ah, the bonsai tree lives a tragic life. It?s branches are endlessly broken and set, cut off and cast aside, and it?s roots are confined by a small vessel to keep it stunted as long as it lives. Can you imagine if someone constantly broke your arms and legs, or kept you in a small box (because they thought that it made you look beautiful) in order to make you look different from what you naturally should become? I think that bonsai is a beautiful form of art, and I have nothing against the practice. But what if trees can feel pain, and can suffer (which I don?t believe, after all trees and humans are completely different)? I think that they might choose death as a Christmas trees instead of life as a bonsai.
In America, the average family celebrates Christmas (Chaunakkah and Kwanzaa are for a whole different article). The tree is the most important symbol of Christmas because everyone has one in their house, and more importantly it serves as shelter for the presents. The tree is what everyone sits around on Christmas morning to open their gifts. The tree is where all of the torn wrapping paper, opened boxes, and Christmas cards sit waiting to be cleaned up. The scent of pine always reminds me of Christmas.
Usually, families go to pick out a Christmas tree from a Christmas tree farm or vendor. The characteristics of the Christmas trees are given much consideration, for example: is it the right height? Does it look good from every angle? Is it big (small) enough to fit all of the presents, or to make it look like there are a lot of presents, underneath? Is it too dry? Is it too expensive? Is it the right species of tree? Is that guy about to buy the Christmas tree that I want? These are just a few of the thoughts that we consider before making a decision. Once the decision is made, the defenseless tree is sawed down and carried home on top of the car (another good scenario to anthropomorphisize and ponder).
Inside the house, the tree is carefully groomed, placed in a stand with plenty of water, and then it is decorated. It can take up to a day to fully decorate a regular tree, in order to get it looking just right. Lights, ornaments, and streamers are hung with great care, and are constantly adjusted to make it look good from all angles (like ikebana). I feel a great sense of relief and satisfaction when we finish with the tree (or any other pain-in-the-ass activity).
So why do I think that trees would prefer to be Christmas trees instead of Bonsai? The Christmas tree dies quickly, so although its life is shorter its death is also less painful. The bonsai tree often lives a long life full of being cut, cracked, and deformed, while the Christmas tree is cut just once (and slowly dies of thirst). If you feel sad for the trees, then my suggestion is to buy a fake Christmas tree or bonsai. I don?t feel sad for the tree (because it is a tree!), but I still say ?thanks? to it for being an important part of my Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone, and have a happy New Year!
Comments (2)
I must comment here. Great article. I do have a second line of thought on your Bonsai/human/Christmas Tree metaphor.
Although I have a disturbing misaligned image of Miagi-San standing on one leg at Huntington beach, to me the idea of Bonsai symbolizes personal perfection. I picture the "Bonsai Culturalist" (I'm fairly sure that there is a Japanese name for this, but I lack this knowledge), as a person who closes their eyes, forms an image in their mind and attempts to create it. This image, I have always imagined, is supposed to encompass such ideas of serenity, harmony, structure, and ultimately, perfection. These are all, of course, within the "eyes of the beholder."
Likening this to humans and human life, I believe that we are very much like the Bonsai tree and we live the Bonsai,persay, in many ways. I believe that many of us try to live our lives attempting to achive the qualities of the Bonsai tree. It's not always a direct and painless path though. Sometimes we fall and break ourselves. Sometimes we may decide to restrict our diet or cut off our habits, so that we can grow strong and healthy. Sometimes we may break our Spiderman watch and pop out a rib and go for weeks without fixing it. But we learn. We pick ourselves up, we heal, and we progress through our lives slowly shaping ourselves into the people that we are.
I don't see a tree necessarily dreading being turned into a Bonsai tree. If trees have feelings, maybe they would feel proud to be Bonsai. The thought of of living a full life or maybe a life of honor and respect, might be worth the pain and restriction. Not to knock the importance of the Christmas tree as a noble symbol, but maybe it's not so bad to be Bonsai..."No, no, no. Say BONSAI. BONSAI. Very good Daniel-san."
Posted by: Scuba Steve | December 27, 2003 4:22 PM
Posted on: December 27, 2003 16:22
I must comment here. Great article. I do have a second line of thought on your Bonsai/human/Christmas Tree metaphor.
Although I have a disturbing misaligned image of Miagi-San standing on one leg at Huntington beach, to me the idea of Bonsai symbolizes personal perfection. I picture the "Bonsai Culturalist" (I'm fairly sure that there is a Japanese name for this, but I lack this knowledge), as a person who closes their eyes, forms an image in their mind and attempts to create it. This image, I have always imagined, is supposed to encompass such ideas of serenity, harmony, structure, and ultimately, perfection. These are all, of course, within the "eyes of the beholder."
Likening this to humans and human life, I believe that we are very much like the Bonsai tree and we live the Bonsai,persay, in many ways. I believe that many of us try to live our lives attempting to achive the qualities of the Bonsai tree. It's not always a direct and painless path though. Sometimes we fall and break ourselves. Sometimes we may decide to restrict our diet or cut off our habits, so that we can grow strong and healthy. Sometimes we may break our Spiderman watch and pop out a rib and go for weeks without fixing it. But we learn. We pick ourselves up, we heal, and we progress through our lives slowly shaping ourselves into the people that we are.
I don't see a tree necessarily dreading being turned into a Bonsai tree. If trees have feelings, maybe they would feel proud to be Bonsai. The thought of of living a full life or maybe a life of honor and respect, might be worth the pain and restriction. Not to knock the importance of the Christmas tree as a noble symbol, but maybe it's not so bad to be Bonsai..."No, no, no. Say BONSAI. BONSAI. Very good Daniel-san."
Posted by: Scuba Steve | December 27, 2003 4:22 PM
Posted on: December 27, 2003 16:22