The history of Chinese incense
Concerning the history of Chinese incense, the records from various major literary sources are relatively complex, with differing opinions. After all, ancient China boasts a long history. Presently, the most recognized timeframe spans China's 5,000-year history (data sourced from Wikipedia). The incense history that I personally adhere to is primarily divided into three stages:
1.The origin of incense: Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties (Xia Dynasty: about 2070 BC to about 1600 BC. Shang Dynasty: about 1600 BC to about 1046 BC. Zhou Dynasty: about 1046 BC to 256 BC)
2.The development of incense: Han Dynasty (202-220 BC, totaling 405 years)
3.Popularity of incense: Sui and Tang Dynasties (the Sui and Tang Dynasties, 581-907 years, collectively named the two dynasties, the Sui Dynasty (581-618 years) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907 years), which are also among the most powerful periods in Chinese history)
1.The origin of incense:
Incense has a long history, dating back to the time of Emperor Shennong five thousand years ago. People collected plants as medicinal supplies to ward off diseases and avoid filth. At that time, humans attached great importance to the aroma emitted by plants. When they smelled the fragrance of flowers in bloom, they felt both beauty and pleasure in the fragrance. They dedicated flowers, fruits, resins, and other aromatic substances to gods, and the fragrance overflowed to achieve a realm of perfect religion. Therefore, in ancient times, these fragrant substances were used for worshiping gods, offering sacrifices, purifying the body and mind, and for funerals.
During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties (Xia Dynasty: about 2070 BC to about 1600 BC. Shang Dynasty: about 1600 BC to about 1046 BC. Zhou Dynasty: about 1046 BC to 256 BC), the function of incense was more singular, mainly for sacrificial purposes. "King Wen of Zhou lit objects to make sacrifices to the gods and communicate with them through rising smoke" comes from the Chinese classic "The Classic of Poetry,"（《诗经》） which indicates that this kind of sacrifice began with King Wen of Zhou. The specific sacrificial method involved placing the animal body and jade silk on the firewood, lighting the firewood, and letting the smoke rise, which signified offering sacrifices to the sky and to the gods. The Chinese classic "The Rites of Zhou"《周礼》 states: "The animal sacrifices, jade bis, jade guis, silk silks, etc., were placed on the pile of firewood. The king lit the firewood and let the smoke rise high into the sky for the gods to smell as a sacrifice." It can be seen that the so-called sacrifice at this time involved lighting a fire to raise smoke, and the second step was to use the smoke of incense to worship the gods. This is what is called "burning incense" in modern China. During this period, incense had the following characteristics: first, the materials of incense were primitive; second, the fire was made naturally without utensils; third, it was exclusively used for sacrifices, and burning incense had not yet been adapted to daily life.
2.The development of incense
The second period in the history of incense is the Han Dynasty in Chinese history (202 BC - 220 BC, totaling 405 years), which can be called the introduction period. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had special significance in the development of Chinese incense affairs.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty) had a particularly deep respect for the gods. In order to achieve his goal of immortality (there is a mysterious legend of immortality in ancient China), he would perform sacrifices to each god to obtain the protection of the gods and achieve immortality. This behavior of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty made the sacrificial tradition of burning incense more and more familiar to people.
During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, incense gradually became practical. For example, incense could be burned to pray to the gods when buying a new property, and incense could be burned to pray to the gods to obtain blessings when marrying a wife or concubine (concubine is the title of other wives besides the original wife). The original wife can only have one, but there can be many concubines. Legend has it that every ancient Chinese emperor had hundreds or even thousands of concubines in his harem, and the royal family also called concubines. There was a tradition of polygamy in ancient China, both poor and rich people had the tradition of taking concubines. This broke the tradition that incense could only be used by emperors to offer sacrifices to the sky, and made incense enter daily use.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty expanded territory on a large scale. During this period, spices from the Western Regions were introduced to China. In addition, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty once sent envoys to the Parthian Kingdom (in today's Iran). "Hanshu"《汉书》 (the royal history book of the Han Dynasty in China) records: "The Parthian Kingdom (in today's Iran) is 25,000”li”(At that time, "one mile" in ancient China was about 415.8 meters in modern times.)away from Luoyang. There are trees The bark has a special aroma, and the smoke formed by burning this bark can communicate with the gods. "The bark gum, or resin, is used as a spice. Due to the availability of spices from the Western Regions, incense became particularly prosperous during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, which was repeatedly mentioned in unofficial historical notes of later generations. For example, burning "Moon Branch Sacred Incense" to relieve the Chang'an plague (Volume 8 of "Xiang Cheng"《香乘》), burning "Baihe Incense" to worship the Queen Mother (the god in charge of the elixir of life in ancient Chinese mythology) "Han Wu Gai Zhuan,"《汉武外传》 Dongfang Shuo burned the "Dream-Embracing" vanilla to meet Mrs. Li in her dream, and burned the "Returning Incense" to bring Mrs. Li back to life. This legend has also spread to Japan ("The Tale of Genji" Chapter 48).
Due to the prosperous development of incense, incense utensils also came into being. Soon, the first incense burner in Chinese history was invented, called the "Boshan furnace." From then on, the combination of incense products and incense burners brought Chinese incense into a new stage.
However, from the introduction of spices from the Western Regions during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to the period of the Three Kingdoms' struggle for hegemony at the end of the Han Dynasty, during these more than three hundred years, the use of incense was limited to palaces and upper-class nobles. It was extremely rare and unusual for incense to enter the homes of ordinary people. Burning incense was still a luxury even in the palace.
3.Popularity of incense
The popularity of incense was something that happened after the Sui and Tang Dynasties (the Sui and Tang Dynasties were from 581 to 907 years, collectively known as the Sui Dynasty from 581 to 618 years and the Tang Dynasty from 618 to 907 years, and it was also one of the most powerful periods in Chinese history).
There are two reasons for its popularity:
First, the "Western Incense" (such as the Parthian Kingdom, in today's Iran) was replaced by the "Southern Incense" (from China's Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan, as they are situated in the southern part of China's geographical territory, thus earning the moniker "Southern Incense"). The substantial influx of southern incense reduced the price of incense and facilitated its widespread popularity.
Secondly, Buddhism and Taoism have developed greatly since the Six Dynasties and have alternated in attaining the supreme status of state religions. Both religions advocate the use of incense, so believers follow suit one after another, and the use of incense spreads, causing the burning of incense to become popular. However, at this time, Confucianism was still in conflict with Buddhism and Taoism. Traditional scholars resisted Buddhism, especially Buddhism, which slightly reduced the prosperity of incense.
By the Song Dynasty (960-1279, divided into two stages: the Northern Song Dynasty 960-1127 and the Southern Song 1127-1279, totaling eighteen emperors, the dynasty lasted 319 years), Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The custom of burning incense was unanimously advocated by everyone, and the incense ritual was born from this.
Burning incense and beauty have become one, and a large number of poems are dedicated to incense. Take "Burning Incense" by Chen Yuyi of the Northern Song Dynasty as an example:
明窗延静书，默坐消尘缘。
"The bright window stretches the quiet book, sitting silently eliminates the dust." (These two sentences describe a quiet environment: there are meditation books placed next to the bright windows, and the poet sits there silently, eliminating the distractions and worries of the world.)
即将无限意，寓此一炷烟。
"Infinite meaning is about to be contained in this smoke." (The poet places his infinite thoughts and ideas in a wisp of smoke produced by burning incense. Here, the smoke produced by burning incense becomes the carrier of the poet's emotions and thoughts.)
当时戒定慧，妙供均人天。
"At that time, he was disciplined, calm and wise, and made wonderful offerings to both humans and heaven." (The poet recalls the discipline, concentration, and wisdom of his past practice. The wonderful benefits brought by these practices not only benefit himself but also benefit others and the world.)
我岂不清友，于今心醒然。
"I don't know, my friend, now my heart is clear." (The poet asked himself whether he has become a friend of purity, and now his heart is clear and clear. This expresses the poet's confidence and satisfaction in the results of his practice.)
炉香袅孤碧，云缕霏数千。
"The incense of the stove is solitary and green, and thousands of clouds are falling." (The cigarettes in the incense burner curl up, showing a lonely blue color, and the cloud-like smoke spreads, as if there are thousands of them.)
悠然凌空去，缥缈随风还。
"Flying leisurely into the sky, the mist returns with the wind." (The smoke floats leisurely in the sky, misty and uncertain, coming and going with the wind, just like the poet's otherworldly state of mind.)
世事有过现，熏性无变迁。
"Things in the world have come and gone, and nature has not changed." (The world is always changing, but the poet's heart remains constant due to practice and does not change with external things.)
应是水中月，波定还自圆。
"It should be the moon in the water, and the waves will return to a circle." (The last two sentences use the moon in the water as a metaphor to illustrate that although the world is turbulent, as long as the heart is as calm as water, the inner moon (that is, wisdom and awareness) will naturally be perfect.)
In general, this poem expresses the poet's ability to achieve inner peace and detachment from the world through spiritual practice. It also inspires us to maintain inner purity and stability to cope with the vagaries of the world. This poem also proves that from this period onwards, the burning of incense gradually evolved from a traditional sacrificial function to a necessary procedure in the process of spiritual practice (meditation, mindfulness, etc.), contributing to the progress of spiritual practice.
The above content was compiled by Emily Teng after long-term immersion in incense culture, as well as studying and summarizing various Chinese, American, and other historical documents. If anyone is interested in learning more, please feel free to contact me at any time : Emily@qilingaura.com.
