Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty — Ann McClellan

Discover the remarkable history, artistry, and cultural significance behind some of America’s most treasured bonsai and penjing.

Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty by Ann McClellan takes readers inside the extraordinary collection of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. Through beautiful photography and fascinating stories, the book explores not only the trees themselves, but also the people, history, and international relationships that helped create one of the world’s most important bonsai collections.

A centerpiece of the story is the historic gift of 53 bonsai trees from Japan to the United States in 1976, a gesture of friendship that helped lead to the founding of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. The book also explores the later addition of Chinese penjing and North American bonsai and the evolution of this remarkable living collection.

Readers are introduced to legendary figures in bonsai history, including John Naka, Saburo Kato, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and Dr. Yee-Sun Wu, along with stories behind individual trees and forest plantings.

Unlike a traditional bonsai technique book, this is a book about the history, beauty, culture, and meaning of bonsai, and how living trees can become ambassadors between generations, nations, and cultures.

Great for: Bonsai enthusiasts, collectors, history lovers, and anyone who appreciates the deeper artistic and cultural traditions behind bonsai and penjing.

Beautifully illustrated and rich with history, Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty is an excellent addition to any bonsai library.

128 pages | 175 color photographs | Tuttle Publishing