養竹 Nurturing Bamboo Plants

 圖片來源

(這一篇是之前為了某個目的寫的，不過後來因故遲遲未用上，所以還是po在自己的格子裡了。當時看了不少有關竹子的文章，但為了避免文章太過鬆散，最後挑部份寫了下來。即使如此，幫我翻譯英文的弟兄為了某些專用名詞還是傷透了腦筋，讓我以後在寫文章時特別注意要再平易近人一點)

不論是＜生命＞、＜物品＞、＜動物＞或＜植物＞都一樣，因為憑靠本身的力量無法做到，所以為了使其存在而給予幫助，這就是管理。~20140810主日話語

在主日話語中，鄭明析老師提到了他過去種植竹盆栽的事情。

老師說，在當時的氣候與環境條件下，竹子是很容易養的，可以說只要澆水就會活，所以老師一次都不漏地定期澆水，如此來養育那些竹盆栽。

不過，大概過了三個月之後，有一些竹子還是漸漸枯萎死去，原本以為是澆太多水了，所以就減半水量，不過卻於事無補。後來把枯萎的竹子從花盆裡拔出來看看，才發現因為竹子的根不斷延伸，塞滿了整個花盆，把土都排擠了出去，所以再怎麼澆水也無法留在花盆裡讓根吸收，竹子就這麼邁向枯萎之路。

雖然盡心盡意照顧了，但是卻在不了解狀況之下，變得只是做白工。老師體會到：「人因為不瞭解，所以只是努力地做會白費辛勞的事啊！」後來老師為那些剩下的活竹找到了出路：移植到山上去，不再侷限於小小的盆中。

竹子好養嗎？聽到這段故事的時候，我產生了這樣的好奇心，所以就去找了資料。

全世界有上千種竹子，主要分布在地球的北緯46度至南緯47度之間的熱帶、亞熱帶和暖溫帶地區。除了歐洲大陸以外，其他各大洲均可發現原生的竹種，特別是在亞洲地區，竹子算是相當親和的植物。

在適合竹子生長的地方，竹子的繁殖並不是太困難的事。竹子喜濕但怕積水，地下根莖強悍所以很吃土。要種竹子，當然也可以從播種開始慢慢來種，不過因為竹子開花的週期很長，要取得種子並不容易，因此多半是靠分株、埋枝、移鞭的方式來繁殖。

竹子的地下根莖有強大的發展力，通常發展到晚秋時會暫停，伴隨著新芽從母竹的地下根莖上冒出來，在第二年春天逐漸膨大成為筍。這筍若沒有及時挖出來，就會以驚人的速度抽長，而成為挺拔的竹子。大多數的竹於發筍後一兩月內，即可完全成長，有些竹子在長得快的時候，甚至一天可以長高120公分。這個階段決定了這棵竹子一生的外型，之後再怎麼施肥也不會再長高長粗，只有本身的纖維結構變化而已。在新竹長好後，就又回到伸展地下根莖的階段，如此循環到母竹壽終正寢為止。成長快速之故，種植竹子可以在三到五年間就成林，並有竹材可以使用。

但這樣傲人的成長速度，如果是發生在盆栽上，就不太美妙了。盆栽重觀賞有型，放任成長就等同於失控。所以首先要選擇適合的竹種，以具特色的中小型或地被竹類为佳，種植於盆後，還得要小心地控水、控肥、控溫、防蟲，才能維持盆栽翠綠但僅微幅成長而保有樹型。過一段時間，還要視情況換土或換盆來打造更好的盆栽生存環境。

所以相對來說，在林地裡生長的竹子，養起來沒那麼麻煩，但是種植成盆栽的竹子，要注意的事就多了，管理得當與否，也就左右了美麗與否，甚至生存與否。

竹盆栽需要妥善的管理，人類身為　神所創造的最高傑作品，更是如此。

不要只管理「靈」，應該也要管理「內心和想法」，也要管理「肉體」，也要管理「跟肉體有關的部分」，也要為了不贊同「勾引者的謊言」而瞭解並管理一切，要如此真正做好＜自我管理＞才行。~20140810主日話語

面面俱到地管理吧，如此，生命盆栽就會被打造得綠意盎然又亮麗有型。

The methods to lives, objects, animals, and plants are all the same: management is the support to creations’ existence because it cannot sustain on its own abilities.

2014, 08.10 Sunday Message

In the Sunday message, R mentioned the story about his past experience with growing bamboo plants.

According R, at the time and place where he was, bamboo plants are easy to nurture; they only require watering.  So, R nurtured the bamboo plants by watering them regularly.

However, in about 3 month’s time, some of the bamboo plants were gradually dying. Initially, R thought he had watered them too much, so he reduced the amount the water by half, but that didn’t help. Later, when R removed the plants from their pots, he  realized that the roots of bamboo plants’ had grown so much that they filled up the entire pot, pushed out all soil that was in the pot. Hence, no matter how much water had R poured into the pot, the bamboo plants could not absorb because there was no soil to retain the water for the root to absorb. Thus, the bamboo plants slowly but surely walked onto the path of withering.

Even though the plants were taken care of with R’s efforts, but because it was done without accurately knowing what had happened, all R’s efforts were in vein. Through this, R realized: “Because one didn’t understand, one will only spend efforts that’s eventually going in veins”. Later, R found a path of life for those bamboo plants: Transferred them to the mountains, instead of growing in pots.

Is it easy to nurture bamboo plants? After I heard about R’s story, I was intrigued, so I started to research.

In the world, there are thousands of species of bamboo plants; they are mostly found between the latitude of 46 degree north and 47 degree south, around the tropical, sub-tropical regions. There are original species on every the continent with the exception of Europe. Bamboo plants are especially flourishing in Asia, so they are considered your neighbourhood plant.

In the climate that is suitable for the bamboo plants, growth and reproduction are not difficult things for them. Bamboo likes wet surrounding, but cannot be soaked in water. Its roots are tough that they will soak up lot of soils. Theoretically, one can grow bamboo from its seed.  But, because the life cycle of its flower is long, it’s quite difficult to harvest the seed. Therefore, people often propagate bamboo plants by the reproduction of their young plants, scions or rhizomes.

The root of bamboo plants can grow massively underground. However, its growth generally comes to a halt around the late autumn. Fresh sprout then breaks out of ground from root of nearby bamboo.  The sprout will then turn into bamboo shoot in the spring of the following year. If the bamboo shoot is not removed by then, it will grow in a remarkable speed, and turned into bamboo. The majority species of bamboo, after the state of bamboo shoot, will grow into the adult state in two months. Some can even grow up to 120 cm within a day during this stage, and what happen during this time can and will determine the appearance of bamboo for the rest of its life. No matter how much one may nurture the bamboo plant, it will not grow any taller or wider after this stage. The only change will happen is what’s beneath the skin. Once the new bamboo plants turn into adulthood, the stock plant will go back to develop its roots again. This cycle will continue until the stock plant reaches its death. Due to this rapid speech of growth, a single bamboo plant can turn into a bamboo forest within 3 to 5 years, and turns into usable resources.

However, this amazing growth speed isn’t exactly what people want when they grow bamboo in the bonsai form or in the pot. The beauty of a bonsai or any potted plant is determined by the plant’s shape. A freely grown plant is a plant without control. Therefore, if one chooses to nurture bamboo in a potted form, one must first choose the dwarf or unique, aesthetic species. Once it’s potted, constant care of moist control, fertilization, temperature control, pest control and disease control are essential in order to ensure the health, aesthetic look, and controlled growth of the plant. Periodically, when situation called for, one may also need to transfer the plant to a different pot or changes its soil to give it a more suitable environment.

Relatively speaking, there is much less work involved when nurturing bamboo in the open ground comparing to potted bamboo plant. Especially for potted bamboo plants, effective management will determine their beauty, even their survival.

From the case of planting bamboo plants, I am inspired that:

If a potted bamboo requires such detailed management, as God’s greatest creation, human being, should need even more so.

Do not manage your spirit only. One must manage one’s heart and thoughts, and also his or her physically body, as well as any component that’s related to the body. In addition, one must manage everything by learning to steer away from deceiver’s lies. Doing so is the true “self management”.

2014-08-10 Sunday message

So mange every aspect of life, and that the bonsai of life will be full of life and pleasing to the eyes of God.

Translated by R. C.