Agreed.Personally, I don't like the perfection the Japanese insist on. I appreciate it, but don't like it......if that even makes sense. The things one goes through to acheive some level of perfection are not worth it to me. If you do get to that level, then ANY deviation from that level is baisically a failure. If , having one branch in the wrong place or at the wrong angle is an imperfection, then your 10-20 year endeavor is a failure. That, to me, is ludicrous. Fine, if that's what floats your boat, but leave me out of it.
I was having a similar ''discussion'' the other day on another forum and submitted this (below) to illustrate a parallel with modern bonsai in Japan - and elsewhere. (it was not understood)........
...........Let me quote directly from ''Wabi Sabi'' Leonard Koren, concerning the history of the tea ritual because it has breathtakingly obvious parallels with the particular subject being discussed here.....(my bold)
''A major preoccupation of organized tea factions ever since the death of Rikyu's death has been to establish their legitimacy based on their supposed direct links to his true teachings....
''In the process, PERSONAL JUDGEMENT and IMAGINATION have been pretty much wrung out of tea. Even the most MINUTE HAND GESTURES of the ritual have been RIGIDLY PRESCRIBED, ALLEGEDLY deriving unchanged from Rikyu's time.....
''Approximately one hundred years after Rikyu's death, the ''art'' of tea was repositioned into the ''way'' of tea....
'''During this transformation, wabi sabi, the CORE OF SPIRITUAL TEA, WAS REDUCED, SIMPLIFIED AND PACKAGED INTO A DEFINITIVE SET OF RULES AND SAYINGS.....
''wabi sabi was WELL ON IT'S WAY TO BECOMING IT'S OPPOSITE: SLICK, POLISHED AND GORGEOUS.''
Ring any bells?