Bonsai: Lost and Found in Vietnam A Country of Contradictions

摘要

I'm a veteran of the Vietnam War and a bonsai enthusiast. Two years ago I left America behind to live and teach English in rural Vietnam. I've put down roots in a place called Tuy Hoa on the south central coast. Since landing here I've had time to travel quite a bit, most of the time tripping over all manner of bonsai. What you will find: One of the first things I realized is that the Vietnamese approach to the art of bonsai (Cay Canh) is a mass of contrasts and contradictions, everything from a perfectly controlled, well maintained formal upright the size of a small house to a ragged, almost leafless stump in a pot. In a country that has only seen war for the last 300+ years—where even life is considered 'throw-away'—this shouldn't be a surprise.