Where do incense formulas come from
Since the Song and Ming dynasties, literati, physicians, and the imperial court all loved to blend incense themselves: grinding agarwood, sandalwood, agarwood, musk and other aromatic materials in certain proportions, kneading with honey or boiling, pressing into cakes, pills, or seal patterns, and then burning them. A good formula stresses the "sovereign, minister, assistant, envoy" principle—one ingredient as the sovereign, the rest as assistants. The following formulas mostly come from Zhou Jiazhou's Xiangcheng, Chen Jing's Chen's Xiangpu, Hong Chu's Xiangpu, and various literati notes.
Famous literati incense
Huang Taishi's Qingzhen Incense (Huang Tingjian)
Made by Huang Tingjian (style name Shangu, titled "Taishi"). The formula uses agarwood and sandalwood as the base, with linglingxiang, gansong, cloves and others, kneaded with honey. Shangu loved incense and also discussed it (his "Ten Virtues of Incense" appears in "Various Discussions of Incense"); this incense takes "clarity" rather than "flamboyance," matching his character.
Han Weigong's Nongmei Incense (also called "Wensi Incense")
Traditionally favored by Han Qi (titled Duke of Wei), renamed "Wensi Incense" by Huang Tingjian. Made with agarwood, sandalwood, cloves, linglingxiang, gansong and others, its fragrance resembles plum blossom, hence "Nongmei." Shangu wrote a poem praising it, making it a famous incense.
Su Neihan's Poor Yaxiang (Su Shi)
Made by Su Shi (once Hanlin Academician, called "Neihan"), taking "poor" rather than luxurious—blended from inexpensive, easily obtained materials, meaning one can have incense without extravagance. It extends Dongpo's attitude of "better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo."
Spring Message in the Snow
A famous incense traditionally created by Su Shi, meaning "spring's message has already arrived in the snow." Blended with agarwood, sandalwood, cloves, linglingxiang, and baizhi, chuanxiong and others, it evokes the breath of spring about to emerge amid lingering snow—a literati's clever way of capturing the season in incense.
The Old Gathering of the Two Su
An incense later generations blended to evoke the spirit of Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe (the "Three Su"; another account says it commemorates Dongpo and his brother Ziyou). Agarwood and sandalwood as sovereign, assisted by baizhi and linglingxiang, taken for its clear distance, symbolizing the brothers' character.
Incense of the palace and famous figures
Lord Li of Jiangnan's Bedchamber Incense (Li Yu, the Last Ruler)
Made by Li Yu, the Last Ruler of Southern Tang, the most renowned "goose-pear steamed incense": agarwood (or with sandalwood) is hollowed out, goose-pear (or duck-pear) juice is placed inside, and it is steamed in a vessel so the pear juice infuses the incense, giving a fruity clear charm when burned. The method is recorded in Xiangcheng and Chen's Xiangpu and is the representative of "fruit-steamed incense."
Xuanhe Imperial Incense (Emperor Huizong of Song)
Imperial incense made in the palace during the Xuanhe era. Blended with agarwood, sandalwood, borneol, jinyanxiang, dunouxiang and others, with elaborate materials and craftsmanship, its fragrance is luxurious, reflecting the flourishing incense culture of Huizong's reign.
Lady Huarui's Yaxiang
A yaxiang favored by Lady Huarui of Later Shu (consort of Meng Chang). Blended with agarwood, sandalwood, frankincense, cloves, borneol and others, its fragrance is charming, hence the name. Yaxiang originally was the incense used daily in government offices (yashu); here it became an elegant palace incense.
Palace Incense of the Kaiyuan Era of Tang
Made in the palace during the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty. Blended with agarwood, sandalwood, clove, and stack fragrance, etc., it has an elegant and refined scent, representing one style of imperial court incense use in the flourishing Tang Dynasty.
Fugu Dongge Yuntou Xiang
Created by people of the Song Dynasty, the name is taken from 'Fugu' and 'Yuntou' (incense seal pattern). Blended with agarwood, sandalwood, borneol, musk, and various fragrant herbs, when burned the incense seal forms a cloud-head shape, reflecting the refined taste of 'incense seals' among the Song people.
Xiaolan Xiang
Named for its fragrance resembling orchids. With agarwood and sandalwood as the sovereign ingredients, supplemented by linglingxiang and gansong, it captures a clear and tranquil orchid-like scent, a popular fragrant offering during the Song and Ming dynasties.
Brief Explanation of Common Incense Materials
| Incense Material | Properties and Uses |
|---|---|
| Agarwood | Sovereign incense, warm in nature, with a deep, sweet, and cool aroma, the primary ingredient in incense blends. |
| Sandalwood | Sweet fragrance, often used to complement agarwood, enhancing its warmth and smoothness. |
| Borneol (Bingpian) | Cool and penetrating, used in small amounts to lift the fragrance; too much overwhelms other scents. |
| Clove (Jishexiang) | Spicy fragrance, used in ancient times for oral freshness and incense blending. |
| Linglingxiang | Sweet and cool, produced in ancient Xiang region, commonly used in incense blends. |
| Gansong | Root and rhizome fragrance, sweet and warm, stabilizes and harmonizes the aroma. |
| Musk | Animal-derived fragrance material, extremely penetrating, used cautiously in ancient formulas. |
| Ambergris | Secreted by sperm whales, extremely precious, long-lasting fixative. |
| Frankincense / Myrrh | Its resinous fragrance is also used in medicine to enhance the lingering resonance of smoke. |
Essentials of Reading Formulas
Ancient formulas often speak of "a few liang" or "a few fen," yet incense materials differ in origin, age, and processing, so following a formula does not necessarily reproduce the original scent—this is precisely the difficulty of blending incense, and also its charm. People today may follow the principle of "sovereign, minister, assistant, and envoy" and experiment with agarwood, sandalwood, and floral herbs available in the present day, without being bound to antiquity. For deeper study, Zhou Jiazhou's twenty-eight-volume Xiang Cheng (Incense Compendium) remains the wellspring.
The incense formulas recorded on this page are all brief summaries of their general meaning; the quantities of incense materials should be based on the original texts such as Xiang Cheng and Chen's Xiang Pu. Ancient formulas are provided for cultural and appreciative reference only and make no claims of any efficacy. For incense materials derived from protected species such as agarwood and sandalwood, please be sure to comply with CITES and relevant regulations of your country, and select artificially cultivated materials of legal origin.
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