Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty

This book shares the awe-inspiring stories of bonsai and penjing trees in the collection of the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C.

It details their valuable role in international diplomacy and as instruments of American presidential influence. It also describes their inclusion in world's fair exhibitions, in Asian-inspired gardens around the country, and as a window onto the extensive cultivation of bonsai in North America today. A detailed first-hand account by Dr. John L. Creech is included about the first extraordinary gift of 53 bonsai from Japan to the U.S. in 1976, which prompted the founding of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

Bonsai and Penjing, Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty describes how Chinese penjing and North American bonsai were later added to the museum, making its collection the most comprehensive in the world. Stories of individual trees and forest plantings are featured, as are the roles played by the skilled and talented creators of these living art forms--people such as John Naka, Saburo Kato, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and Dr. Yee-Sun Wu. Armchair travelers can experience what a visit to the museum is like, including the discovery of its remarkable viewing stones.

Bonsai and Penjing, Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty will delight anyone intrigued by these living works of art and curious about the stories they bring to life.

Author: Ann McClellan
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Published: 04/22/2025
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.40lbs
Size: 8.50h x 10.40w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780804857840


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 04/01/2025 pg. 43

About the Author
Ann McClellan is delighted to share her enthusiasm for trees and their stories, an interest that began when she grew up in New Jersey on an arboretum-like campus laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted. Her published work has focused on Japan's cherry blossoms in addition to bonsai, which led to her receiving the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays from the Government of Japan in recognition of her contributions toward introducing Japanese culture to Americans and promoting friendly Japan-U.S. relations. She treasures the living collections of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum as profound expressions of the best that people together with nature can create.