The basic knowledge of ancient incense ~

The custom of incense comes from religious beliefs, people in ancient times on a variety of natural phenomena can not be explained, feel mysterious, hope to use the power of ancestors or gods to drive away evil spirits to avoid epidemics, food and clothing. So they searched for tools to talk to the gods. As people feel that God and the soul are erratic, ethereal, the natural world in addition to clouds, fog (cloudy and foggy outside also became people's minds where the gods and goddesses reside) only smoke has this feature, so the ancient people seem to have found a way to contact with the gods and ancestors, which is incense. Ancient Egyptians prayed to the sun god, chanting "by the power of the smoke, please God down", which is exactly the same as the Chinese people point incense to honor the Buddha.

"Kifu" is a famous Egyptian incense. Its aroma can make the spirit of calm, and hypnotic effect, incense can not only burn in the room, but also can be used to make the body or clothing dyed with a pleasant aroma. In Egypt's heyday, almost everyone's body coated with perfumed oil, with spices smoked clothes.

Arabian favorite musk, beard coated with musk, indoor burning musk.

Indians since ancient times in religious ceremonies and personal life widely used incense made of various resins and incense wood.

Islamists use white sandalwood, incense, benzoin, patchouli, etc. to make incense.

China had begun to produce incense cones by the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (140-87 B.C.).

Changan became the world's center of science and technology during the "Rule of Zhenguan" in the Tang Dynasty of China. People's quality of life has greatly improved, clothing, food, housing, transportation are concerned about the enjoyment of qin, chess, calligraphy, painting has become fashionable, food culture, wine culture, tea culture, all kinds of culture developed one after another, incense has also become art. At that time, the recognized incense "excellent" for the good nan; the second incense, incense is divided into four classes, namely, sinking incense, stack incense, yellow ripe incense, horseshoe incense; again sandalwood, etc., it can be seen at that time, the level of evaluation of the high level of incense.

Jianzhen monk eastward, not only Buddhism to Japan, when also imported incense, temple daily smoke, the court held ceremonies to burn incense, after the Heian period, the spice began to leave the religion for the purpose of "beauty". The aristocrats followed the example of the "Tang" and often held "incense fairs" or incense appreciation called "Saika", which was also brought to Japan by the monk Ganjin and by the "Wabi-sabi". This is also the monk Kanjin brought to Japan and through the "harmony" and the formation of a custom. By the time of Ashikaga Yoshimasa's Higashiyama culture, incense smudging had evolved into the custom of "smelling incense" in a certain way, which gradually formed the "incense ceremony" in Japan.

The spice stores of ancient Athens actually became meeting places for people from all walks of life, and were frequented by politicians, philosophers, artists, and prominent social figures, making them lively centers of social activity.

Spices used in the making of incense (incomplete)

Du Heng, Yue Lin Xiang, Gansong, Suho, Benzoin, Tulip, Presso, Wo Luo, Clove, Incense, Sandalwood, Musk, Oudong, White Brain, Angelica dahuricae, Duchess of the Sea, Licorice, Crabapple, Patchouli, Ligustrum, Kaoliangiang, Aniseed, Mucilage, Mother's clove, Fine spices, Rhubarb, Frankincense, Cananga, Water annea, Rose petals, Ice tablets, Ambergris.

The earliest use of Du Heng by mankind can be traced back to Qu Yuan's "Nine Songs - Mountain Ghosts", which states that: "The stone orchid brings Du Heng, and the fragrance and warmth are folded and left behind.

"Incense multiplier" contains nine kinds of formula: clove fried round, wood incense cake, cardamom incense body pill, through the body musk umbilical cord, alone wake up incense, through the imperial dragon musk tea, children's incense tea.

Song dynasty palace to the folk also prevailed in a kind of Suhexiang wine, every bucket of wine to Su and incense pills one or two with the cooking, extremely can adjust the five viscera, but the abdomen of the disease, every cold cold, then drink a cup.

Gan Song Xiang

Slightly conical, more curved, 5 to 18 cm long. short rhizome, the upper end of the stem, leaf residue, a narrow membranous sheet or fibrous. The outer layer is black-brown, the inner layer is brown or yellow. The roots are single or several intertwined, branched or juxtaposed, 0.3-1cm in diameter, with a brown surface, wrinkled, with fine roots and fibrous roots. The texture is loose and brittle, easy to break, the section is rough, the skin part is dark brown, often become lobed, the wood part is yellowish-white. The gas is peculiar, the taste is bitter and pungent, with a cooling sensation.

Suhai Xiang

Suhai Xiang is the resin secreted by the Suhai Xiang tree of the Hamamelis family. Sulforaphane is a semi-fluid thick liquid, yellowish-white to gray-brown, translucent, viscous, picking up is continuous. Weight, into the water is sunk. Aromatic, slightly bitter and spicy flavor and fragrance. To color brown or dark brown, translucent, no impurities is preferred. It should be packed in an iron cylinder and dunked in water and placed in a cool place to prevent the loss of aroma.

Benzoin

Spherical particles compacted agglomerates, varying in size, the outside of the reddish brown to gray-brown, embedded in yellowish-white and grayish-white opaque almond-like particles, the surface is rough and uneven. At room temperature the texture is firm and brittle, heating that is softened. It is aromatic and slightly pungent in flavor.

The resin can be used in place of benzoin resin to treat fainting in stroke and pain in the heart and abdomen, with the effect of opening the orifices and promoting blood circulation.

Tulip gold

"Materia Medica read": "tulip gold, the odor of bitter cold, said the gas is cold and good to descend, taste bitter and good drainage. Its cloud blood accumulation, blood does not work for the accumulation, the accumulation does not go for bad blood, blood against the upper, from the mouth and nose out, for epistaxis blood vomiting blood, blood go down, from the stool and drowning, there is pain for the hemorrhagic, painless for the blood in the urine, i.e., blood stasis of gold sores do not go, then the blood and water constantly, can not be born muscle, this thing is so the master of the Lord of the person to the origin of the pathology of the blood due to the accumulation of blood, especially to take its great work to break the bad blood also. Cover the blood to gas-based, and labeled said the next gas, with bitter cold to drain its gas, that is, so great to break its blood, depending on other drugs further. If the menstrual water is not adjusted, due to the real and closed, may wish to decide, if due to the virtual and closed, is the enemy. And the disease started in the depression, that is, the "Nei Jing" so-called two yang of the disease of the heart and spleen, there is a deep purpose, if you mistake this medicine for the relief of depression and frequent use of it, ten does not save one. As for pregnancy, the most taboo attack, this medicine can not touch the lips. Even in the postpartum period, non-heat knot stagnation stasis, should not be used lightly. If the external evil is not clean, this unauthorized attack on its internal, the evil will take advantage of the weakness and internal trapping. If the gas and blood deficiency, this heavy deficiency, the gas and blood rootless and violent. This is the female department used to use Yu Jin's harmful also."

Clove

Like nail-shaped reddish brown flower buds is the raw material for essential oils, the tree's average height of 5 to 6 meters or so, the main source of Sri Lanka, Gua wow, Madagascar, to distill the method, the fragrance for a bit of fresh moss and woodsy floral aroma is indispensable to the perfume manufacturing industry, but also often added to the wine, the color of the essential oil is transparent and colorless.

It has a positive effect on mood, soothing the feeling of unhappiness or chest tightness due to emotional depression.

Can be diluted and used in sores, carbuncles, boils, boils and other skin wounds, there is a reduction of swelling and anti-inflammatory on the wound to promote healing.

Sedum

Domestic incense: also known as Hainan Shen, Hainan incense, white wood incense, Guan Xiang, daughter of incense, soil incense. For the plant white wood incense containing black resin wood. Mainly produced in Hainan Island.

Ganan Xiang: also known as Chinan Xiang, Qi Nan, Qi Nan, Ganan Shen. For the plant white wood incense or incense near the root of the wood containing more resin.

Green oil ganache: for the appearance of green-brown ganache.

Purple oil ganoderma: ganoderma with a purple-brown appearance.

Helmet incense: also known as helmet sinking. Imported incense herbs are helmet-shaped, so the name.

All of the above commodities are to the quality of the firm weight, containing more resin, aroma is good.

Imported incense, also known as incense, YanKouXiang, PengLaiXiang, MiXiang, ZhiLanXiang, QingGuiXiang, etc. (the above is the name of the literature). From the Ruixiang family plant incense (Aquilaria agal- lochaRoxb) containing resin heartwood. Mainly produced in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Thailand and other places.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore produced incense is known as the new state incense, the best quality, burning the fragrance of the quiet, and can last. Vietnam produced incense is known as Hoi An incense, the quality of a little less, burning fragrance is very good, with a sweet flavor, but can not last.

Imported incense was mostly cylindrical or irregular stick, the surface of the yellow-brown or gray-black; hard and heavy, can be sunk in water or half-submerged in water; smell stronger, burning smoke, strong aroma. Imported incense is slightly warm, bitter and pungent flavor. It has the efficacy of moving qi to relieve pain, warming and stopping vomiting, nausea and asthma, and its efficacy is better than that of white wood incense.

Sandalwood

Woody, meticulous, sweet and exotic, with a lingering fragrance.

This exquisite oil comes from an evergreen parasitic tree that attaches its roots to the roots of other trees. Sandalwood is usually sold in flake form and, at a minimum, the tree must be at least 30 years old to meet the standards for collection and sale. The best sandalwood oil is recognized as coming from Mysore, India.

Sandalwood has been popular since ancient times, and it was common for caravans to be filled with sandalwood along trade routes from India to Egypt, Greece and Rome. Many ancient temples or furniture were made of sandalwood, possibly because of its ant-proofing properties.

The demand for sandalwood incense is not less than that of sandalwood, sandalwood's unique aroma, has an auxiliary effect, for meditation is very helpful, and therefore widely used in religious ceremonies, especially in India and China, the demand for sandalwood has not been reduced at all. Sandalwood is also a common ingredient in perfume.

Musk

For the deer family animal musk male scent gland capsule secretion dry and become, is a kind of high-grade spices, if you put a little indoors, make will be full of house fragrance, odor is very different. Musk is not only fragrant and pleasant, and long-lasting flavor. Musk in our country, has a long history. Tang dynasty poet du fu in the "lilac" poem in the encounter: "late fall orchid musk". Musk is an important raw material for the preparation of high-grade flavor. Ancient literati, poets, painters are in the first-class musk material with a little musk, made of 'musk ink' writing, painting, fragrant and quiet, if the words and paintings sealed properly, can be preserved for a long time, anticorrosive and anti-moth-eaten.

Ambergris is the sperm whale intestinal secretions of the sperm whale family of dried products. It is an important and extremely valuable medicinal herb. Ambergris contains about 25% ambergrisin. Ambergrisin is a cholesterol derivative and contains benzoic acid. The Materia Medica Compendium states that ambergris can "invigorate the blood, benefit the essence, assist the yang channel, and facilitate the blood circulation". Ambergris is used by Chinese medicine practitioners as a medicine to "dissolve phlegm, disperse lumps and knots, promote qi, and invigorate blood circulation". It can be seen that ambergris is a valuable traditional Chinese medicine for curing diseases and tonifying and strengthening the body. If the patient has a cough and gas reversal, the spirit is wrong and stuffy and pain in the heart and abdomen and other diseases, you can use ambergris 1 Dao 3 parts, powdered and taken. Ambergrisin is the main component of ambergris flavor. This extremely valuable ambergris, because in the world production is very small and can not be synthesized, so its value far exceeds the value of gold. Ambergris is the best of the spices, it is a high-level perfume flavor indispensable "strange incense". The use of its preparation of perfume flavor, not only soft aroma, but also long-lasting fragrance, wonderful and moving, so by the people's favorite.

There are nearly 10,000 kinds of spices, most of which are herbal ingredients. Here for the moment to introduce so many, I hope to help you.

References:

"He Xiang Fang," "The Book of the Later Han Dynasty," "Chinese Pharmacopoeia"

Recommended books: "Painted Hall of Incense," "Sixteen Voices of the Flower Room"

Smoking incense burner

Anciently, incense burners were metal or ceramic with beautiful designs. The ancient incense burner was a metal or ceramic fireplace with beautiful designs on the outside, in which a charcoal fire was lit and spices were sprinkled to disperse the incense. Modern "incense burner" is the use of heating methods (generally boiling water) to make the smell of the essence of the air in order to regulate the environmental atmosphere of a vessel, which combines the art of ceramics, candles and aroma of the flame and health in one, both practical, collection, appreciation of the value of the function. Its composition consists of a "stove body", heating candles and flavorings (usually added to water and water vapor together with volatile). When using, will choose the right type of fragrance into the appropriate amount of drops in the open or closed container, while adding a little water, and then put the candle into the hearth can be lit. This section focuses on this "boiling water type" incense burner.

"Modern" incense burner use, in developed countries such as the United States, France, Switzerland and Germany, there has been a long history, only the United States imported from China each year the number of incense burners amounted to tens of millions of sets, in its domestic has been the basic popularization of the use. In developing countries such as African countries, India and China, with the improvement of people's living standards, incense burners are also quietly popular, more and more loved by the people. China's largest incense burner wholesale market in Zhejiang, its sales volume to about 20% per year in the growth rate, the market outlook is extremely promising. China's main incense burner manufacturing origin in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province and Fujian Province, Dehua County, the products have been exported around the world.

Smoke incense burner body is generally made of ceramic or glass, can be designed into a variety of different shapes, such as: teapots, wine goblets, a variety of animal and human figures, etc., with a variety of styles of exquisite decorative motifs, but also as a decorative home and office and other indoor environment, works of art. Its basic composition by the heating chamber and containers containing the fragrance of the two parts of the following common modeling:

1, teapot modeling: the container is designed in the shape of a teapot, in the pot or the pot lid opened a number of small holes, plus the mouth of the pot with the external environment, so that the container of essential oils odor emission; the shape of the chamber with its above the teapot describes the device to match, for the placing of candles for heating, the upper part should be opened a number of small holes, plus the mouth with the outside environment, so as to container odor emission; hearth shape with its above teapot description, for placing heating candles, and their The upper part should be opened a number of small holes, in order to facilitate the circulation of air in the chamber, to ensure that the candle can be fully combustible. When used, such as heating tea with a flame, adding more fun and romantic mood.

2, animal modeling: the entire body of the stove is designed as a rabbit, kitten, duck and other cute animal shapes, in the spine or other appropriate location cleverly set up into an open or closed container, used to hold the fragrance and water, the container is placed under the candles, and to ensure that it can be fully combusted hearth. When you use it, it feels like the scent is coming from the animal.

3, hanging basket modeling: this form of incense burner is generally made of glass, hanger and the base of the furnace chamber cast into one, with the chain (refined metal chain or other refractory materials made of chain) will be placed in the aroma of the vessel suspended.

Smoking incense burner can be said to be ceramic manufacturing in modern life is another innovation, it makes the traditional ceramic art and incense combined together, so that people in the visual and olfactory at the same time to get satisfied. Chinese ceramics are favored by people at home and abroad for its fine qualities such as delicacy and practicality. Since the Song Dynasty, Chinese porcelain in the export commodities prevailed, became the largest export commodities in China in the Middle Ages, when the Europeans called porcelain for china, so that China is also known as China. in ancient times, Chinese ceramics had influenced or changed some countries people's original living customs, improve the quality of life of the people in these countries, such as some countries in Southeast Asia at that time, the use of ceramics instead of the Early plant leaves as edible utensils; in East Africa, due to the Chinese porcelain acid and alkali resistance without permeability and durability, far more than the East African traditional ceramic, wooden and metal eating utensils superior, so the Chinese porcelain bowls, plates, bottles, jars and other utensils have become the local people's ideal eating utensils, and indirectly caused a change in the local people's way of eating. Now, with the porcelain clay raw materials refining technology and kiln technology to improve and mature and research and development personnel continue to develop innovative, ceramics in life, art and many other fields have been more widely used.

Candle soft and flame can create a romantic, cozy atmosphere, less irritating effect on the eyes, give a person a comfortable feeling, for couples dating, family life, birthday Party, etc. adopted. With the continuous development of production technology and researchers continue to develop and innovate, candles have evolved from the original purely as a lighting object, now a variety of uses and functions. First of all, its artistic shape, can be made into a variety of three-dimensional geometric shapes such as cylinders, cones, cubes, etc.; can also be made into flowers, vegetables, fruits, shells and cartoon characters such as modeling, a wide range of both practicality and fun; then, the candle's colorful, colorful, coupled with a variety of decorative motifs, so that it has more of a sense of art; in addition, the candle's bracket form a wide variety of, Exquisite, and various shapes of candles reflect each other, very artistic mood. Nowadays, candles are constantly being given many new functions, such as in the manufacture of candles can be added to a variety of fragrant flavor, when it is lit, it will emit a pleasant aroma, regulating the environmental atmosphere. The candles used in incense burners are generally smokeless candles to avoid the pollution of the environment caused by the smoke when burning. Usually also made of candles of the appropriate size, so that it can be burned out in a specific time, to increase the convenience and safety of use.

Smoking incense burners use of flavorings, according to different environments and personal preferences to choose or according to "aromatherapy" needs to choose. For the fragrance "good" "bad", each person has its own opinion, can be said to see the wisdom, as long as they think they like it is also fragrant, not suitable for or do not like it can also be called "stink". On different occasions in different contexts, the pleasant smell will always bring a sense of confidence and tranquility conducive to physical and mental health, aroma in certain occasions will also achieve good economic and social benefits. In the use of incense burners, if the use of some aromatic essential oils, the effect is better, both can purify the air, but also beneficial to health.

The following examples of several aromatic essential oils and their effects for your reference:

Lavender oil has a sedative, hypnotic, antidepressant, improve memory, drive away the wind and evil spirits, sterilization, purify the air.

Lemon oil has excitement, wake up refreshing, cool, antidepressant, improve memory, purify the air and so on.

Peppermint oil is stimulating, refreshing, cooling, improving memory, expelling wind and evil spirits, sterilizing and antibacterial, purifying the air, inhibiting colds, and curing bad breath.

Chrysanthemum oil has the ability to wake up the brain, cool, improve memory, inspire, inhibit colds, cure cough, cure bronchitis, etc..

Sandalwood oil has aphrodisiac, sedative, hypnotic, improve memory and so on.

Rose oil has aphrodisiac, sedative, purify the air, etc..

Orange oil has aphrodisiac, sedative and hypnotic, improve memory, inspire inspiration, drive away the wind and evil spirits, repel mosquitoes.

Some of the above-listed effects have been scientifically proven to have practical value for people, but also as a freshener to purify the air to use, it is no wonder that foreign developed countries have such a demand for it, I believe that the domestic as well as the developing countries will be slowly popularized.

Smoking incense burner and some fresheners also have the same role in purifying the air, in the end, why not the same? We believe that there are the following differences:

① incense burner aroma can be replaced at any time, convenient;

② incense burner can be used as a kind of aromatherapy, with the use of oil, to achieve a certain effect;

③ incense burner has an artistic appreciation;

④ incense burner the use of non-polluting, non-toxic, no side-effects, safety;

4 Moderate price and wide radiation range.

Recently appeared on the market a "more creative" new incense burner, which is the French Moore? Beige invented, so it is also known as "Beige light". It looks like a beautiful alcohol lamp on the whole, "incense" principle is also similar to alcohol lamps, the use of the first "stamen head" (made of special precious metal ceramics, so that isopropanol in the role of the catalyst to maintain a constant temperature of 60 ℃ or so under the role of slow oxidation) With a lighter or a match to ignite, burn a few minutes after the flame, "stamen head" can maintain high temperature (60 ℃) for a period of time, at this time the use of "wick" (made of cotton yarn or other cellulose materials) of the "siphoning "The role of the bottle filled with" perfume "[containing 3-5% flavor or natural essential oils of isopropyl alcohol solution, containing a certain amount of catalyst" micro-oxygenin "(ozoalcool), you can also add a small amount of water to slow down combustion ] "draw" to the "stamen head" at the dispersion of incense. This incense burner shape is very beautiful, the price is not expensive, aimed at the rich people's wallets, young people tend to be over-ambitious.

Catalytic stamen head is made of a variety of different materials mixed with clay, after a special method of manufacturing (patented method), to become a kind of porous (similar to sponges) stamen head, pore size of about 3UM or so, when in use, essential oils by the cotton stamen suction and then the use of essential oils attached to the sheep in the head of the capillary pores, which is synthesized with high technology, the outer layer of the control of 500 ° C, the inner layer of 350 ° C, and the inner ring by the surface tension of the essential oils attached sheep in the head capillaries, which is high-tech synthetic, controlled by 500 ° C, the inner layer is 350 ℃, and the inner ring is made of ceramics, to maintain a constant temperature of 60 ℃, so that the essential oils using the principle of smothering in the state of catalytic without fire, although the temperature of the outer ring is quite high, but it is very safe, if there is paper and other things in contact with the object is not easy to make the object combustion, in addition, such as accidentally knocked over the bottle to make the essential oil outflow, in contact with catalytic stamen, it will be immediately extinguished.

Citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, mugwort oil, lavender oil, ylang ylang oil, cypress oil, clove oil, clove basil oil, as well as the above mentioned several kinds of distillation method of extraction of essential oils can be used to formulate the incense burner of the "perfume", and the solvent extraction method of the paste and the net oil can not be used, because The extracts and oils contain some waxes and macromolecular resins that can clog the capillaries. Similarly, the use of the preparation of flavor should also pay attention to the use of macromolecules, high boiling point substances, which is the same as the "car perfume", the available flavor is the same, the preparation of the concentration of flavor as long as the 3-5% is enough, please see the "car perfume" section.

Ancient incense classification

According to the appearance of the characteristics can be divided into the original incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense powder, incense seal script, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, incense, pillow, and so on.

Original incense material Spices after cleaning, drying, splitting and other simple processing. The original state of the incense material can retain part of the original appearance of the spices, such as sandalwood, incense wood pieces.

Thread incense The common linear incense, can also be subdivided into vertical burning "standing incense", horizontal inverted burning "lying incense", with a bamboo core "bamboo stick incense" and so on.

Disc incense, also known as "ring incense", spiral coiled incense, can be hung, or with a bracket to hold up the smoke, some small disc incense can also be placed directly on the incense burner to use.

Ta incense, also known as "incense tower", conical incense, can be placed in the incense burner directly smoked.

Incense Pill A bean-sized pill-shaped incense.

Incense Powder Also known as "Makhyang", a powdered form of incense.

Scented Seal A powdered form of incense, also known as "scented seal," "seal incense," and "scented seal," in which a mold is used to press the powder into a specific pattern or writing. "The powder is pressed into a mold to form a specific pattern or text, which can be burned out sequentially after ignition.

Paste incense, also known as "balm", ground into a paste of incense.

To incense, also known as "coated incense", coated on the body or clothing powder, balm, etc..

Aromatic soup, also known as "perfume", water in which spices are infused or decocted.

Scented bag, also known as "incense bag", silk bag filled with spices, silk thread can be hung under the neck is called "Peixiang".

Scented Pillow A pillow filled with spices to calm the mind and nourish the body.

The pillow filled with spices can calm the mind and nourish the body.