Chinese Incense Culture(香学) · Incense and Literati Life
Incense and Gardens
A garden has scenery, sound, and fragrance—a censer by the pavilion, a vase on the desk, and the setting comes alive.
Chinese literati gardens value being "a place to wander, to dwell, and to smell." Incense is an invisible stroke in creating the atmosphere.
Fragrance in the Garden
- Burning Incense in Pavilions: Censers are placed in waterside chambers and mid-hill pavilions, letting the wind carry the fragrance to blend with the sounds of bamboo, rocks, and springs.
- Planting Fragrant Trees: Fragrant herbs and trees such as osmanthus, orchid, plum, and angelica are planted in the garden, naturally releasing fragrance through the four seasons.
- Vase Flowers and Incense Display: Vase flowers and incense burners are placed together in the hall, reflecting the elegance ofpure offeringsThe charm of it.
Atmosphere Formed by Incense
The "atmosphere" of a garden relies on multiple senses; incense supplies its "smell", giving the space three-dimensionality. This is in line withChu Ci fragrant herbsand its planting sensibility.