greetings from Yangshuo south of China

Greetings to all members of IBC,

I have been reading the topics for sometime now and decided to join in and post some.
I have moved to China 2 years ago. I live and work in a small town in the south of China famous for its karst mountains. I've seen pictures of this place in books many years ago, now this is my background for my apartment and my neighbourhood



I have been involved with bonsai for over 20 years but due to many house moves and a divorce. never been able to develope my collection. Coming to China changed that i have decided to settle down here and focus on my passion which is bonsai.
You are submerged in penjing here everywhere you go. Also I met some old people who have amazing collections crammed together on the roof top of their apartment. I made some acquaintances in my town and purchased my first tree
which nearly broke my back carrying up the 5th floor with 3 people.
i was very happy as the lanlord allowed me to use our roof top which is off limit to others. ( he didnt know, what he let himself into) one tree started and a year later and many collected trees later the roof top looks like a jungle. I found that the farmers dislike trident maples and chinese elms on their land so they do me a favor when they dig them out and throught them on the farmside, save me a lot of hard work. of course i have to be quick otherwise they collect them for firewood.
The flower market is my next choice for materials there are plenty of bonsai and penjing for sale for a reasonable price.
The climate is subtropical and very humid. suitable for a variety of trees to grow and not to worry about frost or collecting and transplanting any time. I've seen huge trees with a rootball size of a oil barrel been collected and planted in parks, gardens and roadsides by the locals, even in the middle of the summer, which I found curious.
Also I made an other observation that is they are not so fussy about the soil they plant their trees in, it ranges from pure sand to clay anything goes and the trees dont seem to mind they are healthy and grow like crazy.
anyway i will post more tree pictures and more news from China
regards
Attila

Attila, you are so lucky..Yangshuo, more famous with its Guilin, is a small paradise of China. I have been to the "世外桃源“ (Paradise on Earth), simply like its name.
We cannot see the photos of your "backyard", but here I try...

Very nice panoramas!!!

It's like a life size Penjing. I wish I can visit this "Shangri-La" someday.

Thanks for sharing the images, and welcome to the forum guys!

regards,
jun

WELCOME!!!

Looking forward seeing the pics

I didnt know that landscape existed anymore, I thought that those peaks were all under 400feet of water since the giant damn was built. However I dont know my china geography very well. Are there multiple places that look just like this? Was the best one the one that was flooded? I heard that the giant damn holds so much water that they calculated it will change the axis of the earth a measurable amount! Is this part you photographed a safe part of china? Is there much english spoken there at all or is it to rural? thanks

Attila
Welcome to the fourm. Now post some pictures, I can't wait to see them.

RGYUA
Either the subject matter is beyond believe, or you are a awesome photographer, or both!
Those shots are totally awesome. Please keep them coming.

Thanks Mitch

I am sorry something is up and i cant post images! i cant figure it out, what is wrong. i do what the instuctions says but no pictures.

but can give flickr link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6784979128/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6784978436/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6784942972/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6784942958/in/photostream/

bucknbonsai wrote:I didnt know that landscape existed anymore, I thought that those peaks were all under 400feet of water since the giant damn was built. However I dont know my china geography very well. Are there multiple places that look just like this? Was the best one the one that was flooded? I heard that the giant damn holds so much water that they calculated it will change the axis of the earth a measurable amount! Is this part you photographed a safe part of china? Is there much english spoken there at all or is it to rural? thanks

The one you mention is the "three gorgeous" of Zhangjiang, yes, most of the part is already gone for the giant damn. But the photos showing are is still exist, one of the most visited places in China. Ofcourse it's VERY safe and you can join a local tour or can just simply go. Language can be a problem, but nothing will make you lost..lots of tourists. This place is not far from its main city, Guilin, a very modern city..clean and beautiful.

Mitch Thomas wrote:Attila
Welcome to the fourm. Now post some pictures, I can't wait to see them.

RGYUA
Either the subject matter is beyond believe, or you are a awesome photographer, or both!
Those shots are totally awesome. Please keep them coming.

Thanks Mitch

Google it "Guilin" or "Yangshuo" and you will find it real on this earth.
Dream to go ? Follow the "path to my home", and you will find the opportunity...

BTW, Attila, we'd like to see how your "backyard" looks like.

attila wrote:I am sorry something is up and i cant post images! i cant figure it out, what is wrong. i do what the instuctions says but no pictures.

Maybe it's your location?????????

Great to hear about someone living in Yangshuo and pursuing their bonsai/penjing dreams. I agree, I have been to Yangshuo and it's beautiful, absolutely amazing. These karst mountains are (as already mentioned) a huge tourist destination and seem fairly well protected. We might have lost the three gorges area (I really wanted to make it to Hubei before the dam was built but never had the chance) but Yangshuo is one of the top 5 places I would suggest to anyone coming to China for the first time. Although language can be a problem anywhere you go in China if you don't speak Chinese, I think it was less of a problem in Yangshuo than many/most of the other places I have been. So many tourists come to the area I guess. You should also google Jiuzhaigou. Maybe later I will post some of my pictures on this forum, but most of my pictures are back home in Kentucky, and I'll be here in Hangzhou for another 8-9 months. I just bought a young red-flowering plum (not sure exactly: 红梅花 is the Chinese name) bonsai tree in a ceramic pot. It is about an inch at the base with a decent taper and shape. I'm really happy with the tree and bought it knowing I will have to just give it away in a few months, but its really hard to resist when it was only about $8! It can be difficult to adjust culturally at times and space in a city like Hangzhou can be quite hard to come by... but man, the prices are fantastic, there is a great selection, and so many inspirational landscapes to visit all over the country.

Not bad for $8 anyway:
https://2img.net/h/i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u496/levster17/P2260188.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u496/levster17/P2260185.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u496/levster17/P2260186.jpg

Yes Levi
this is just like a dream place and the bonus is that there are many expats live here in this small town which makes lives more easy as the locals speak some sort of english. cheap living and food + many outdoor activities, rock climbing hiking swimming, so on makes this place for a chap like mi ideal. not to forget the potensai could be found around the mountains.
trident and chinese elm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6934010179/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6787897028/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6787817900/in/photostream/
this is some kind of cotoneaster
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77343398@N04/6931082419/in/photostream/

finally figured out this picture issue

Hi Attila... Attila Soos by any chance? If so, you are especially welcomed by me.

Chris Cochrane wrote:Hi Attila... Attila Soos by any chance? If so, you are especially welcomed by me.

Attila Soos posted yesterday on another forum and is listed as living in LA, CA.

sorry not Soos Attila

is he famous for anything??? or holds some extraordinary talent??

We are planning to organize a Penjing Tour to China, including a 2 days learning Chinese Lingnan Penjing and workshop on with Chinese masters and Robert Steven. We will also visit one of the biggest penjing collection in China..tour to Guilin and Huangshan (Yellow Mt).

Please see : http://ryugabonsaitools.blogspot.com/
Scroll down..and give your suggestion and idea of the tour....

Your tour concept sounds interesting. I toured China in the fall of 2010 from Guangzhou to Tianjin as part of Bonsai Clubs International. Bonsai Clubs International is scheduled to have a conference in Yangzhou in April of 2013 and I believe that ASPAC and World Bonsai Federation are planning a joint conference in Nanjing in the fall of 2013. I am hoping to make the BCI conference for sure and might even consider attending both.
When is your tour?

RYUGA wrote:We are planning to organize a Penjing Tour to China, including a 2 days learning Chinese Lingnan Penjing and workshop on with Chinese masters and Robert Steven. We will also visit one of the biggest penjing collection in China..tour to Guilin and Huangshan (Yellow Mt).

Please see : http://ryugabonsaitools.blogspot.com/
Scroll down..and give your suggestion and idea of the tour....

Hello Ryuga,


i have seen that you are organising a tour in China and one of your destination is Guilin, if you are coming to Yangshuo i would like to offer my help with anything you need accommodation, restaurants, any other activities or places to visit so on.
also i know a few local people who have bonsai or penjing collections i could organise visit to their places and meet with them. also Guilin flower market has some bonsai fo sale might be a good visit too.
please let me know about this trip,
kind regards
Attila

attila wrote:

RYUGA wrote:We are planning to organize a Penjing Tour to China, including a 2 days learning Chinese Lingnan Penjing and workshop on with Chinese masters and Robert Steven. We will also visit one of the biggest penjing collection in China..tour to Guilin and Huangshan (Yellow Mt).

Please see : http://ryugabonsaitools.blogspot.com/
Scroll down..and give your suggestion and idea of the tour....

Hello Ryuga,


i have seen that you are organising a tour in China and one of your destination is Guilin, if you are coming to Yangshuo i would like to offer my help with anything you need accommodation, restaurants, any other activities or places to visit so on.
also i know a few local people who have bonsai or penjing collections i could organise visit to their places and meet with them. also Guilin flower market has some bonsai fo sale might be a good visit too.
please let me know about this trip,
kind regards
Attila

Thanks for your offer, Attila.
We are still on the planning stage, so we need input from people, ideas, suggestion of what they expect etc..so we can arrange an attractive program.

I also live in Hangzhou, China. The historic and beautiful West Lake is a popular tourist destination and is HUGE. Lots to see in terms of gardens, lotus, impressive old trees, and even a considerable number of bonsai/penjing. Additionally, I still haven't been inside yet (but it looked amazing as I passed by) but there is also a huge tree/pot place to walk around and potentially buy things cheaply. I mean I saw podocarpus there like 15 feet tall in giant wooden planters. Until I go and look for myself it might be more of a Chinese gardening place, but it for sure will have some incredible bonsai. I plan to go in the next month or so. If you are heading to Huangshan/Yellow Mountain (about a 3 hour bus ride from Hangzhou), you should really consider a stop here in Hangzhou for a day of leisurely site seeing. I'm not authority on Hangzhou, but I also would be willing to help out some if I can.

Thanks Levi, we will keep in mind for your offer.

Can I join?


regards,
jun

Ofcourse Jun.
We will put you on our list and let you know of any update.

Any suggestion or ideas are welcome...