Restoring an ancient incense blend from Xiangcheng: The complete workflow of incense blending practice

The essence of restoring ancient incense is using materials available today to approximate the 'sovereign-minister-assistant-envoy' structure in ancient formulas, rather than copying the proportions word for word.The complete process has nine steps: select formula → read formula (convert, identify variant readings) → prepare materials → process → crush and sieve → blend by proportion → refine honey and mix → shape → seal and age, finally test burn and record adjustments. Below, we walk through 'Sihe Xiang' from Xiangcheng Volume 21 as an example.

Important statement: All ratios and processes in this article are 'restoration approaches,' not verbatim transcriptions of the original formulas.Ancient texts have many variant readings, measurements differ across dynasties, and the origins and processing of incense materials also vary. The ratios proposed here are modern feasible schemes based on ancient formula structures, for cultural research and incense practice reference only.

Key points

• The structure of 'Sihe Xiang' in Xiangcheng Volume 21 isagarwood and sandalwood as sovereign, borneol and musk as envoy, mixed with refined white honey, sealed for seven days—this is the clearest compounding model in traditional incense blending.
• Ancient and modern measurements differ: one liang in the Song dynasty was about 40 grams, in Ming and Qing about 37 grams,conversion is only to restore proportional relationships, not to pursue absolute gram weights。
• The key to restoration lies in 'proportions' rather than 'quantities': first convert the ancient formula to percentages, then scale up or down according to your own usage.
• Always use artificial musk as a substitute or omit it(all musk deer species are listed in CITES Appendix, and China's six musk deer species are national first-class protected animals).
• Sealing and aging (sealed and left to stand) is the step that cannot be omitted in ancient methods, ranging from seven days to one month, to allow the various incense materials to blend.
• The entire process involves open flames, high temperatures, flammable dust and resins,must be well-ventilated, away from combustibles, and extinguish fire when leaving。

1. First step of ancient incense restoration: choose a formula with clear structure

Xiangcheng volumes 21 to 25 are dedicated to incense formulas, among which 'Sihe Xiang' in Volume 21 is most suitable for beginners. The original text (compiled) roughly reads as follows:

Sihe Xiang: agarwood, sandalwood, borneol, musk in equal parts, mixed with refined white honey, sealed for seven days. Another method: agarwood and sandalwood as sovereign, borneol and musk as envoy, refine honey and remove foam, form pills like chicken-head seeds. When burned, the aroma is clear and distant, becoming sweeter and stronger over time.

This passage is very informative; let's break it down sentence by sentence:

• 'Agarwood, sandalwood, borneol, musk in equal parts'—the four ingredients are in the same amount;
• "Refined white honey and ingredients"—the binder is refined white honey;
• "Seal and store for seven days"—seal and store for seven days;
• "Agarwood and sandalwood as sovereign, borneol and musk as envoy"—This sentence is the core, clarifying the sovereign-envoy structure;
• "Roll pills the size of Gordon euryale seed"—make pills the size of a Gordon euryale seed;
• "The qi and resonance are clear and far-reaching; over time it becomes even more sweet and intense"—the expected effect.

To see the original text and the full vernacular rendering, compare withthe translation and annotation of Xiang Cheng, Volume 21。

Two, step two: read the formula—convert the ancient formula into percentages

This is the step in reconstruction that requires the most thought, and is also the easiest to skip.

Convert the measures.The actual weight of one liang varied across dynasties: in the Song dynasty one liang was about 40 grams, and in the Ming and Qing about 37 grams. So whether "one liang of agarwood" is 40 grams or 37 grams is still debated in scholarship.

The shopkeeper's advice is: don't get hung up on absolute gram weights; first restore the proportions.The Four Harmonies incense is "equal parts," meaning each of the four ingredients accounts for 25%; this proportional relationship is certain. If you have 20 grams of agarwood on hand, then pair it with 20 grams of sandalwood, 20 grams of borneol, and 20 grams of musk—but 20 grams of borneol would completely overpower the scent, which shows thatthe "equal parts" in ancient formulas must be understood in light of the nature of the incense materials, and cannot be copied mechanically.

Distinguish textual variants.During the transcription of ancient texts, quantities often differed. Xiang Cheng itself has the Ming Chongzhen edition, the Wenyuange Siku edition, the Siku Huiyao edition, and various Qing manuscript copies, each with small differences. When you encounter a clearly unreasonable ratio, first consider that it is a textual variant problem, not that the ancients miscalculated.

Replace regulated materials.The "musk" in Four Harmonies incense is today always replaced withsynthetic musk or omitted. The reason is explained thoroughly in"The Truth About Musk: Natural Musk and Synthetic Substitutes": all species of the genus Moschus are listed in the CITES appendices, and the six musk species in our country are national first-class protected animals; natural musk may not be bought, sold, or used.

III. Step 3: Material preparation—'Reconstruction concept' version proportions

Based on the above analysis, the shopkeeper provides ahousehold-operable reconstruction concept proportions(not the original formula verbatim):

This ratio has two adjustments relative to the ancient formula: first, borneol is reduced from 25% to 3% (otherwise the whole batch tastes only cool), and second, frankincense is used to make up for the lingering fragrance lost by omitting musk. This isa restoration approach, not the original formula—if you want a structure closer to the ancient formula, you can raise borneol to 8%–10% and try a version, comparing them by smell.

For the complete list of incense material purchases and tools, see also“Home Incense Blending Workbench: Tool and Incense Material Purchase List”。

IV. Step Four: Processing—the most meticulous step in the ancient method

Processing is the procedure that directly changes the nature and flavor of incense materials. Common ones include:

• Wine soaking: Soak the incense materials in yellow rice wine or baijiu for several hours to a day to remove dry heat and aid diffusion. Commonly used for agarwood and sandalwood.
• Honey roasting: Stir-fry with honey to increase sweetness and moisture and moderate dryness.
• Dry stir-frying: Stir-fry slowly over low heat until slightly yellow to remove moisture and awaken the aroma. Sandalwood is often stir-fried.
• Steaming: Steam over water to soften and remove off-notes.
• Baking: Dry at low temperature to remove dampness.

For home restoration, you do not need to do the full set. A practical approach is:Agarwood does not need processing (good material dislikes being messed with), sandalwood is baked at low temperature to remove moisture, frankincense is soaked in wine for half a day, and borneol is not processed (it volatilizes easily). The principle of processing is—the more expensive the incense material, the less you should tamper with it.

V. Step Five: Grinding and Sieving

The fineness of the incense powder directly determines burning performance.

• Mesh size: For making stamped incense (seal incense), 80–100 mesh is recommended; for incense pills and cakes, 100–120 mesh is fine. Too coarse causes uneven burning and heavy smoke; too fine makes the fragrance release too quickly and shortens the lingering scent.
• Equipment: A household high-speed grinder is sufficient, butstop after 10–20 seconds of grinding at a time, since prolonged grinding generates heat that drives out the aroma. For a more refined approach, use a stone mortar—slower, but at low temperature and yielding better powder quality.
• Order: Grind the hard materials first (agarwood, sandalwood), then the soft ones (frankincense, myrrh and similar resins are sticky; you can refrigerate them before grinding).
• Sifting: Return the coarse particles left in the sieve for regrinding until everything passes through.

Safety note: The grinding process produces combustible dust;do not operate near open flames, and wait until the equipment has fully cooled before opening the lid after use, to prevent dust from igniting on contact with heat.

Six, Step Six: Refining honey—the key to the blend

Refining honey means boiling honey to remove moisture and impurities. The ancient method says “refine the honey and skim off the foam,” which means skimming away the floating foam.

Method: Put the honey in a pot and simmer over low heat, constantly skimming off the foam, untila drop forms a bead in water(dip a chopstick in the honey and drop it into cold water; if it forms a bead that does not disperse) and it is done. Refined honey is highly viscous and low in moisture, so the incense pills made from it will not go moldy.

Ratio: The amount of honey is about [the weight of the dry powder]20%–30%. Better less than more—too much honey makes the incense pills soft, slow to dry, and prone to spoilage; too little makes them loose and unable to hold shape. Start with less and add more while kneading.

For the detailed process of refining honey, see this site'sIncense-making craft · Refining honey and blending incenseThere is a dedicated explanation on one page.

Seven, Step Seven: Blending and Forming

Blending: Mix all the incense powder evenly, pour in warm melted honey (about 40–50℃; too hot will drive off the aroma, too cool will make it unkneadable), and knead into a dough like kneading flour. Knead until "three shines"—shiny hands, shiny bowl, shiny dough—then it is ready.

FormingThere are three options:

1. Incense balls: Roll into the size of a gorgon nut (about 8–10 mm in diameter) and dry in the shade. The ancient formula "roll as large as a chicken-head fruit" refers to this.
2. Incense cakes: Press into small round cakes and stamp patterns with a mold (what the Song people called "incense seals").
3. Incense powder left unformed: After direct sealed storage, use for seal-burning or electric heating—the most effortless choice for home use.

Shade-drying should be ina ventilated, light-free place, not in direct sun (the aroma will escape) and not quick-dried with heat (it will crack). Generally 3–7 days are needed.

Eight, Step Eight: Sealed storage (yìn)—the step you must not skip

"Yìn" means sealed storage, allowing the various aromas to blend.

Method: Place the shade-dried incense balls/cakes into a ceramic or glass jar, seal it, and keep in a cool place. The ancient method says "seal for seven days," but in practice it can be extended to 15–30 days; open the jar midway and smell it—when the aroma changes from "each scent on its own" to "one blended scent," it is done.

Why is this step important? In freshly blended incense, the various aromas areside by side, smelling scattered; after sealed storage, the molecules permeate one another and reach equilibrium, and only then do the aromasblend together. This is why veteran incense makers all say "blending incense is three parts making, seven parts sealed storage."

For related methods, please refer toIncense-making craft · Spice powder preparation。

IX. Step Nine: Test-burning and recording adjustments

Test-burning: Use an electric incense burner, starting at 120℃ and gradually raising the temperature to 180℃, pausing two to three minutes at each level to sense the changes. For open-flame incense appreciation, use the indirect-heat method (bury a charcoal in ash, place a mica sheet on top); direct burning is not suitable.

Recording: Write down the formula ratio, temperature, and aroma changes each time.Reconstruction is not something achieved in one attempt, but through three to five rounds of fine-tuning—if the first batch is too cooling, reduce the borneol; if too sweet, reduce the sandalwood; if the lingering scent is short, add frankincense or increase the agarwood proportion.

Last year an incense friend from Hangzhou failed three times reconstructing Sihexiang: the first time too much borneol made the whole batch cooling; the second time the honey was not fully refined and the incense pills grew mold; the third time he was in such a hurry to test after only two days of aging that the aroma scattered every which way. The fourth time he lowered the borneol to 3%, boiled the honey until a drop formed a bead, and aged it a full fourteen days. The day he brought the finished product, the shopkeeper lit it in the store, and the whole room went silent for more than ten seconds—that batch was right. He later told me the first three times were not wasted; they taught him why no step can be skipped.

X. Safety and Compliance Notes

• Open flame: For indirect-heat incense burning, always bury the charcoal in incense ash and keep the incense material separated from the charcoal; extinguish the fire when leaving, and keep away from curtains and paper.
• Ventilation: Keep air circulating throughout burning; do not burn for long periods in small enclosed spaces.
• Flammables: Incense powders, resins, and alcohol (for alcohol soaking) are all flammable; store away from heat and ignition sources.
• People: Use with caution in spaces with pregnant women, infants and young children, people with respiratory sensitivities, and pets.
• Compliance: Wild populations of agarwood are listed in CITES Appendix II; cross-border trade requires a permit certificate; always use synthetic substitutes for musk.

Want to reconstruct a batch by hand but don't want to gather all the materials yourself? The store has ready-made blended incense material kits, and you can also come to the store and make it along with us. If it's inconvenient to go out, call400-809-1913, and the shopkeeper will provide a materials list based on the formula you want to reconstruct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many grams is "one liang" in ancient formulas exactly?

It varies across dynasties: one liang in the Song dynasty was around 40 grams, in the Ming and Qing dynasties around 37 grams, and there were also regional differences in measurement. When reconstructingthere's no need to obsess over absolute gram amounts; you should first restore the proportional relationships—convert each ingredient in the formula into percentages, then scale up or down according to your own usage. This is more practical than stubbornly fixating on grams, and closer to the original intent of "sovereign, minister, assistant, envoy" in ancient formulas.

Must musk always be added to ancient incense formulas?

No, and it shouldn't be. All species of the musk deer genus are listed in CITES appendices; in China, six species including the forest musk deer, alpine musk deer, and Siberian musk deer are national first-class protected wild animals, and natural musk cannot be bought or used. In ancient formulas, musk was mostly an "envoy" or "guide," used in extremely small amounts, and can be omitted entirely, or replaced with artificial musk (synthetic muscone); resinous incense materials such as frankincense, benzoin, and storax can also be used to make up for the fixative and penetrating power.

What happens if seven days of aging/sealing isn't enough?

The fragrances won't blend. Freshly mixed incense has each ingredient standing side by side, smelling scattered with broken layers; the purpose of aging/sealing is to let the fragrance molecules permeate one another and reach a balance, changing from "each incense its own scent" to "one unified scent." Seven days is the lower limit given by ancient methods; in practice it can be extended to 15–30 days depending on the situation, opening the jar midway to smell and judge the state. During aging/sealing it must be kept sealed, away from light, in a cool place, and must not be exposed to moisture.

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