Chinese incense culture(香学) · Incense and the Literati Life
Burning incense and playing the qin
"Burning incense and playing the qin" — incense purifies the room, the qin purifies the heart; both return to stillness.
The guqin and incense are the two most intimate elegant objects of the Chinese literati. Burning incense before playing the qin has become almost a fixed practice.
Incense and Qin in Harmony
- Purifying the room: burning incense dispels turbidity and calms the mind, so the player is free from distraction.
- Shared "resonance": good incense is clear and far-reaching, a good qin is clear and subtle; both value "clarity" and avoid "turbidity."
- Ritual: playing the qin has its etiquette, and incense comes first; seeIncense Gathering RitualThe Tranquility and Reverence of It.
The Four Arts of the Literati
The qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting are together known as the Four Arts, and incense pervades them all. When Su Shi, Wen Zhenheng, and others discussed incense, they often touched upon the state of playing the qin, as seen inDiscussions of Incense by Various Masters。