Bonsai Books

I am interested in learning about Penjing styling. I have 1 or 2 penjing books, but they don't go into much about whats goin on in their heads when styling a tree. Does anyone know if a penjing book or any other SPECIFIC bonsai styling book exists. Comparable to John Naka's Bonsai Technique's 1. I just wanna take in as much info as possible pertaining to any of the basics or advanced rules/principles to any particular style their is so I can squish them all together and stuff them in my head.

Man Lung Penjing, Wu Yee Sun; mostly pictures, sparse commentary
The Chinese Art of Bonsai and Potted Landscapes, YC Shen

Probably the very best: Penjing: Worlds of Wonderment, Qingquan Zhao

Chindian wrote:, but they don't go into much about whats goin on in their heads when styling a tree. .

good luck try to find that one out!!! it might take more than a lifetime of studying of chinese culture and living in china but start somewhere and study some chinese scrolls and lanscape paintings
regards
Attila

Thankyou John for your recomendations I'm gonna check-em out. Attila,I know it may be kinda difficult to find this out can't help my interest. I'm actually 1/2 Chinese which is why I'm interested...

I acquired one in a job lot of bonsai books:

Chinese Bonsai: The Art of Penjing, Ilona Lesniewicz and Li Zhimin. ISBN 0-7137-2013-1

Again it is mostly pictures and commentary is pretty much restricted to an Introduction and picture captions.

I also borrowed a couple once from Glasgow Botanic Gardens library. I'll see if I can chase up some titles for you as I remember one in particular was quite informative.

Chindian wrote:Thankyou John for your recomendations I'm gonna check-em out. Attila,I know it may be kinda difficult to find this out can't help my interest. I'm actually 1/2 Chinese which is why I'm interested...

Hello Chindian

there is a link

http://www.artofbonsai.org/feature_articles/penjingrenaissance.php

if you speak chinese it is maybe easier to find books published in china.
if you want i could look into that i know a few people in china who are into penjing and maybe they can recommend some books for you.
regards
Attila

I have Penjing, the Chinese art of Miniature Gardens by Hu YunHa, Timber Press, 1982. It is a how-to book on the subject. Chapters include:

Part II (after an Introduction) Tree Penjing

Selection of trees
Basic Tree shapes for Penjing
The making
How to grow and take care of Miniature Trees

Part III - Rock Penjing

Rock selection
design of rock penjing
rock shaping
Cultivation of potted miniature landscapes

Parts IV and V cover pots and trays and a list of species suitable for penjing.

Illustrated with color photos (nice penjing, poor photos), gorgeous ink brush paintings and drawings.

All in all, a very nice book. OUT OF PRINT

At this time, Amazon seems to have a few copies. One "new" one for $143. And several used copies starting at $12.43 (which, since they seem to be at the same shop, seems odd).

Brook (Qingquan) Zhao has a new book out atht I recommend for explaining the basics of penjing and some how to. Great photographs also. In English.

Penjing: The Chinese Art of Bonsai: A Pictorial Exploration of Its History, Aesthetics, Styles and Preservation [Hardcover]
Zhao Qingquan (Author)

available at Amazon

Thanks for the tip-off Rob. It's not out yet here but I have just pre-ordered.

I thoroughly enjoyed Quingquan Zhao's other book and frequently look at it for inspiration. And I do like Karin Albert's stuff too.

Never heard of the co-writer of this one though.

Chindian, the other book I referred to was the one Jim Lewis has mentioned. His description of it is confirms my memory of it as informative. Also as Jim says, Amazon have it at a range of prices depending on the quality. HERE is the link. (btw I just bought one of those mentioned.)