Hòn non bộ

Hòn non bộ (chữ Nôm: 𡉕𡽫部) is the Vietnamese art of making miniature landscapes, imitating the scenery of the islands, mountains and surrounding environment as found in nature. It is a particular local development of the Chinese art of penzai, as was bonsai in Japan.

The phrase Hòn non bộ comes from the Vietnamese language: Hòn (𡉕) means islands, non (𡽫) means mountains, and bộ 部 means a set, in this context, the islands and the mountains are one set.

Hòn non bộ may be quite large and elaborate or small and simple. It was used to grace the courtyard entrance of the traditional Vietnamese home. Throughout Vietnamese history, Hòn non bộ have been built for emperors, generals, and other important people as monuments, decorations, personal vistas, and as cultural icons.