Chinese incense culture

Chinese incense culture refers to the incense formulations and production techniques that were developed in China by the Chinese cultures as well as their usage in daily life. Records on the use and production of Chinese incense can be traced as far back as Spring and Autumn Period (722-481 BC) where incense play a part in religions and secular life and came into great prominence around Han dynasty [cite web| first=京亮 | last=傅 | publisher = 中国香文化网 | title= 中国香文化之意义| year = 2001| url= http://www.xiangwenhua.org/Html/02WenHuaShi/2001-WenHua-YiYi.htm]

The production of Chinese incense has always been strongly tied to the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and similar ingredients and processing techniques are used in both incense and medicine production. Consequently Chinese incense also features itself prominently in TCM and is often indicated with physiological and psychological benefits. Although modern Chinese use and contact with incense is primarily though religious ceremonies, traditional Chinese use in dynastic time is largely for bodily wellbeing. Mencius stated regarding incense that it is not simply a item for enjoyment but important for health and wellbeing (爲性性之所欲，不可得而命安。) [cite web| first=京亮 | last=傅 | publisher = 中国香文化网 | title= 說天然香| year = 2008| url= http://incense-chinese.doodlekit.com/home]

Incense use in both secular and religious Chinese culture however was necessitated as time keeping devices, which used calibrated incense sticks and powders note the passage of time. [cite journal|last=Bedini|first=Silvio A.|date=1963|title=The Scent of Time. A Study of the Use of Fire and Incense for Time Measurement in Oriental Countries|journal=Transactions of the American Philosophical Society|publisher=American Philosophical Society|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|volume=53|issue=5| url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/1005923?seq=1|accessdate=2008-05-14|doi=10.2307/1005923]

References

External links

* [http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cul_chculture/vod10html/vod10_09.htm Xiangbao]
* [http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=43987&CtNode=128 Summary Culture]
* [http://www.xiangwenhua.org/index.htm Incense culture in depth]
* [http://www.redyuan.cn/yyxb.asp Xingbao more]
* [http://www.chiou-wann-jyi.com.tw Incense culture and production]
* [http://www.xinhui.gov.cn/export/xinhui/news/gzdt/nw20041206092503.html Incense production summary]
* [http://news.sina.com.tw/article/20080806/662864.html Chinese incense as art and tourism]
* [http://www.directel.com.mo/hundred/hur.html Joss stick summary]