"Stunted varieties were generally chosen, particularly if they had the side branches opposite or regular, for much depends upon this; a one-sided tree is of no value in the eyes of the Chinese"
About this Quote
His real subject isn’t horticulture so much as value-making. “A one-sided tree is of no value” isn’t a biological claim; it’s a window into a market and a worldview where symmetry signals harmony, care, and the disciplined hand of the cultivator. The line hints at bonsai-like practices and the broader Chinese taste for balance and intentionality in landscape arts, where the “natural” is often an achievement rather than a default.
The subtext is the asymmetry between observer and observed. Fortune’s tone suggests he’s translating Chinese criteria for an English readership that might find them quaint, fussy, even irrational. Coming from a scientist operating in the era of plant collecting and imperial extraction, the description also carries a quiet irony: he documents a refined local standard while treating it as mere preference, not expertise. The sentence catalogues Chinese judgment while positioning Fortune as the one who gets to decide what counts as knowledge.
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Fortune, Robert. (2026, January 17). Stunted varieties were generally chosen, particularly if they had the side branches opposite or regular, for much depends upon this; a one-sided tree is of no value in the eyes of the Chinese. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/stunted-varieties-were-generally-chosen-73507/
Chicago Style
Fortune, Robert. "Stunted varieties were generally chosen, particularly if they had the side branches opposite or regular, for much depends upon this; a one-sided tree is of no value in the eyes of the Chinese." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/stunted-varieties-were-generally-chosen-73507/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Stunted varieties were generally chosen, particularly if they had the side branches opposite or regular, for much depends upon this; a one-sided tree is of no value in the eyes of the Chinese." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/stunted-varieties-were-generally-chosen-73507/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
