Prince Li Xian, Bonsai

The origins of bonsai are thought to lie in the Chinese tradition of miniaturized gardens. Tang dynasty wall paintings in the tomb of Prince Li Xian (653-684) are the earliest extant evidence of miniaturized gardens. These images show a 1300-year-old tradition of appreciating grasses and trees planted in ceramic containers. The underlying impetus behind the creation of these miniaturized gardens was the traditional belief that Daoist immortals resided in mountains.