Surenge - minimalist literati / penjing

[badatusernames]

Saw a post with this link elsewhere and thought I'd share. The person seemed to be describing the style as "surenge penjing" but the translation of this page makes it sound like Surenge may be an artist - I really don't know.

极简，极美

多一枝嫌其多，少一枝嫌其少。

mp.weixin.qq.com

Does anyone play with this minimalist style? They indicated it wasn't particularly popular, I'm wondering if and how it differs from bunjin/literati. If anyone knows how it's done, I'd be interested to hear.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

I don't, but have seen and appreciated this Sumac from
the Pacific Bonsai Museum.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Thank you for iIllustrations of proper Literati done by chinese where this form originated. Personal belief is no difference from proper Literati/Bunjin-ji. Part of Literati description/definition is sparse foliage. Most posting here have way too much foliage. Also erroneously claim deciduous/broadleaf trees make poor Literati. Illustrations prove this to be lie or gross prejudice. Several here try to "make" Literati. Most succeed poorly. Personally admire and work toward creditable Literati.

 

[plant_dr]

https://m.facebook.com/125636544155007/posts/d41d8cd9/2242368712481769

Here's a Facebook post that talks about it a bit from 2019.

 

[Michael P]

Interesting, and some are compelling. If nothing else, they give me ideas for material that otherwise would be dismissed as "a stick in a pot".

 

[just.wing.it]

Interesting, and some are compelling. If nothing else, they give me ideas for material that otherwise would be dismissed as "a stick in a pot".

I agree with this ^.
They need nebari, in my humble opinion.
No nebari = Stick in Pot.

 

[badatusernames]

Thank you for iIllustrations of proper Literati done by chinese where this form originated. Personal belief is no difference from proper Literati/Bunjin-ji. Part of Literati description/definition is sparse foliage. Most posting here have way too much foliage. Also erroneously claim deciduous/broadleaf trees make poor Literati. Illustrations prove this to be lie or gross prejudice. Several here try to "make" Literati. Most succeed poorly. Personally admire and work toward creditable Literati.

yeah these are stunning, I’d like to learn more! Seems like I can’t link images so here are some screenshots - I really like that impact of developed ramification on the lanky material



and I REALLY dig this, there’s a penjing literati book I have where he plays with these vertical dripping branches like this too and I find it very compelling. Here it’s more of a broken / saved branch story maybe, but in other examples it’s like it’s dripping down the tree

 

[just.wing.it]

They should refrain from displaying trees with that motel art on the wall, looks like it came from Walmart.

Scrolls, yes.
That other stuff....nah.

 

[HorseloverFat]

They should refrain from displaying trees with that motel art on the wall, looks like it came from Walmart.

Scrolls, yes.
That other stuff....nah.

It’s funny, because some early Penzai/Penchi were trees grown/guided THROUGH frames kind of like that!

I DO agree with you, though!

 

[TinyArt]

Ditto -- but I think those may be fixtures of the display space, as I've got the impression it's a show -- I wondered when I saw it, if anybody was bummed about their tree's placement.

 

[AshleyMammal]

Just look at the tree shadows on the subtly landscape painted wall behind - some of them fit right in to an ancient literati painting, beautiful.

I absolutely love this style, so simple looking yet so hard to create authentically.

 

[penumbra]

Really love these. I have a few plants in mind that will work well with this minimalist style.