Qinan — known in Japan as kyara — is the most legendary material in the agarwood world. It is also the most faked. Here is what it really is, in plain terms.
Updated 2026-10-12 · Wubaiyi Agarwood (伍佰艺沉香), Hainan plantations & Beijing flagship store
Qinan is a special grade of agarwood with unusually high resin content and a soft, waxy texture. It forms under rare conditions and in tiny quantities. Historically, the finest material was associated with Hainan and Vietnam; genuine qinan of any origin is scarce.
| Aspect | Ordinary agarwood | Qinan |
|---|---|---|
| Resin content | Partial | Very high, often near-saturated |
| Texture | Firm, wood-like | Soft, waxy, sticky when warm |
| Aroma | Good, linear | Complex, changing, cooling |
| Quantity | Regular | Extremely rare |
Scarcity plus reputation. Because a single gram can carry a six-figure price tag in the antique market, qinan attracts counterfeiters like nowhere else: soaked low-grade wood, compressed material, and chemically scented imitations are all common.
No. Qinan is a grade of agarwood with exceptional resin content and texture, not a separate species.
It forms in tiny quantities under rare conditions, has unmatched aromatic complexity, and demand from collectors keeps prices high.
Smell the actual piece warmed; buy from sources that welcome comparison; treat any low-priced 'qinan' as fake until proven otherwise.