Musk
Musk is the secretion of the male musk deer's musk pod. Its scent is intense and penetrating; it is both a precious spice and an important medicine for opening the orifices and reviving the spirit.
Source: The dried secretion of the musk gland sac at the umbilicus of the male musk deer (Moschus, Cervidae).
Origin: The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Himalayas and surrounding areas, and the mountains of northwestern and southwestern China.
Aroma: Initially pungent and fierce; when diluted it turns into a warm animalic scent with a powdery feel. Its penetration is extremely strong, and a trace amount can lift the whole composition.
Uses: Used in incense blending as a "primer" to enhance fragrance; even more important is its medicinal use to open the orifices and revive the spirit, and to invigorate blood and free the meridians (e.g., Angong Niuhuang Wan, Musk Baoxin Pill, etc.).
Protection and Substitutes
Wild musk deer are nationally protected animals; today, artificial breeding for musk extraction or synthetic muscone is mostly used as a substitute. For related formulas, seeIncense and Medicinal Formulas。