Seal incense method
Seal incense uses a mold to press incense powder into continuous patterns; when burned it can both tell time and be watched as it burns—an incense-burning method that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing.
Seal incense, also called "impression incense" or "incense seal," uses a wooden or bronze incense seal (impression mold) to press incense powder into a continuous, unbroken pattern whose ends meet—common motifs include the heart character, the fortune character, fretwork, and lotus.
Steps
- Spread the ash: level the incense ash in the burner and gently brush it even.
- Place the seal: set the incense seal flat on the ash surface and align it.
- Fill with powder: use an incense spoon to evenly fill the mold openings with incense powder, pressing lightly.
- Lift the seal: Gently lift the incense seal mold, leaving a continuous pattern of incense powder on the ash surface.
- Lighting the trail: Light it from one end, and the incense burns slowly along the pattern until it is consumed.
Uses of seal incense
A single censer of seal incense can burn for one to two double-hours (shichen); the ancients used it to keep time and called it "hundred-mark incense" or "watch incense." It was used both for honoring the Buddha (as an offering like an ever-burning lamp) and as a refined pastime in scholars' studios. Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, seal incense andincense warming over indirect heathave together been the two great methods of enjoying incense.
Incense seal molds are one kind of incense utensil, seeIncense Utensil Compendium · Incense Seals。