About 20 young people from home and abroad gained a better understanding of the art of Suzhou-style bonsai through the event held at Suzhou Youth Center on June 5. The event was one of a series of events jointly sponsored by Suzhou Youth Federation and SIP Foreign Affairs Office with the aim of enhancing global youth connection.

The Suzhou-style bonsai school is one of China’s five major bonsai schools. Originating in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it focuses primarily on tree-based bonsai while also incorporating other elements such as water and rock. Influenced by the Wu Painting School, Suzhou-style bonsai features natural elegance, antique charm, and poetic artistry.

During the event, Mao Fengwei, an inheritor of the traditional techniques of making Suzhou-style bonsai, gave the participants a talk on the aesthetic characteristics of this art form, and led them to create exquisite bonsais by arranging plants, stones and miniature pavilions into a container.

The participants were also showed around the Suzhou Youth Center, learning about its service concepts and events it had hosted. They also toured around the Suzhou MIXC World, where the center is located, experiencing Suzhou’s modern side.

June 6, 2026