I can't really advice you, but wonder why do you want to keep all those lower branches?

In short, Rina, proportionality. There is quite a bit of distance between the bottom of the plant and the first level of branches. It's most apparent in the last photo, but even more-so in person.

It is very nice plant, and what an improvement from original!

I am not a bonsai expert (didn't even attempted one), but think that there are just too many of the branches right there where the yellow circle is. I am only looking at few photos, so maybe I am wrong...Tapering trunk would be great on that plant - trunk is nice and thick and mature looking, but looks almost same size from the soil line to where it splits. If it was much thicker at the lowest part and tapered upwards, I think that distance would not bad.

Do you have idea how you want it to look - eventually?

@hellkitchenguy Thank you!

@rina I'd like the lower branches to extend further from the trunk than the upper branches--a more "parabolic" look, if you will. You can see in PIC E that the upper canopy just about blocks any view of the lower branches when looking directly down at the plant. I would ultimately thin some of the lower branches, but in the meantime, would like them to grow in thicker and stronger than they are at the moment.

You're correct that the trunk does not taper much. How does one work to taper a trunk?

Thanks for the very helpful images.

At this point, I wouldn't prune it. I would let the growth continue to extend and reveal itself, and when the branches begin to naturally shed leaves/become bare, that's when I'd chase the branches back toward the main limbs.

Josh

@greenman28 Thanks, Josh. I'm concerned that the lower branches are a bit etiolated. Are you suggesting I just let them be for the time being?

I ultimately want the plant to take on a shape similar to the picture below:

moon

I would advice you to study some books on bonsai. Josh is more experienced in growing great looking jades, pls. listen to him. And maybe Al (tapla) will find some time off to give you some guidance. There are certain techniques to be used to get plant growing certain way. I am not qualified to give advice on that...

I am not sure if you could have similar looking trunk if you just let plant grow as is. Trunk is too long - but you could (when you know more about bonsai!) chop it...I recently did that with C.o. Tricolor; plant was about 20" tall (?), it is now 8" tall. It is a long-term project, and I believe you could have similar looking tree one day. Anyway, that's all I would say about bonsai.

I have this one that has trunk tapering slightly (btw, there are 3 branches, 3rd one is not visible; should have taken photo from different angle):

and quite a few more with trunks very similar to yours. I am leaving lowest branches on, they will be eventually - in a year or two - cut off but in the meantime provide more food for lower parts (I think...) and help it to get thicker (I hope!):(Do not mind the strays in above photo! :)

Don't rush - it is easy to cut off any branch, it takes much longer for one to grow.

Any other feedback?

Love it. Don't touch it. But that's not what you want to hear, I'm sure. :)

Jade people often remind me of an orchestra - there is the string section, always fiddling with their plants, and even tying them down; the brass and woodwind section, blowing their trumpets (sometimes understandably) about their plants and how they should be ; then there are the percussionists, who hack their plants, sometimes just gently, other times totally pounding them; finally there is the conductor, who feels he/she knows what's best and directs others with confidence according to his/her own interpretation. I'm no musician.

Isn't Bonsai just a form of torture ?

I used to be afraid so, Manuel. Then I thought about it and realised that plants survive although the tops are chewed off by animals grazing, unlike ourselves, so quite possibly they are not grossly hurt. Still, I think chopping and butchering them couldn't be something they enjoy. There's so much we don't understand. I'm reading Richard Mabey's 'The Cabaret of Plants' at the moment. Lots to think about there. I prefer to leave my plants to grow in peace.