Chinese Incense Culture
什么是香道？What is incense culture?
首先我们要说明道是什么？道在中国是指天地万物的本质规律。中国香学之道是华夏祖先在几千年的生活实践中逐步形成的，它是一个融哲学思想、文化、医学、药学、养生、美学、工艺制作等为一体的系统学说。
First, we need to explain what "Dao" is. In China, "Dao" refers to the essential laws of nature and all things. The Dao of Chinese incense culture has gradually formed over thousands of years of practical life experiences by our ancestors. It is a systematic theory that integrates philosophy, culture, medicine, pharmacology, health preservation, aesthetics, and craftsmanship.
古人流传至今的香是内涵丰厚的物品：它是香的，也是美的，它还讲究“心”的，能养护身心，开启灵性的。
The incense passed down by ancient people is a substance rich in meaning: it is fragrant, beautiful, and emphasizes the "heart," capable of nurturing both body and mind and awakening spirituality.
我们的祖先在用香形式上是丰富多彩的，几乎涉及到衣食住行各个方面，更为重要的是一种香品的制作过程几乎是中国文化精华的浓缩，既分阴阳又和五行，不同的香药采摘时间亦有严格的限制。一个传统正宗香方的组建，既有人天关系，又会从性命关系入手。
Our ancestors had a diverse array of ways to use incense, almost touching upon every aspect of life, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation. More importantly, the process of making incense is almost a distillation of the essence of Chinese culture, balancing YIN and YANG and harmonizing the Five Elements. The timing for harvesting different incense materials also has strict limitations. The formulation of a traditional authentic incense recipe involves both human relationships and considerations of life and existence.
香品用途 Uses of Incense Products
美化环境。英国名家吉卜林曾说：“人的嗅觉比视觉、听觉更能挑动人们细腻的心。”香虽是一种嗅觉文化，但它的深度及美学是一种超越国界、心灵共通的语言，也是我们身边最容易理解的文化。若有若无的香味，无论在家居、书房、办公室、影剧院，还是酒吧、宴会厅、旅途中，无形中愉悦了人们的身心，净化了人们的心灵，淡忘了人们的烦恼，消除了人们的疲劳。
Beautify the Environment. The famous British author Rudyard Kipling once said, "A person's sense of smell can evoke delicate feelings more than sight or hearing." Although incense is a form of olfactory culture, its depth and aesthetics transcend borders and connect souls, making it one of the most easily understood cultures around us. The subtle fragrance, whether in homes, studies, offices, cinemas, tea houses, bars, banquet halls, or during travel, invisibly delights people’s bodies and minds, purifies their spirits, helps them forget their worries, and alleviates their fatigue.
与神灵沟通。焚香传递信息。中国的寺庙每天都会有无数人，都携带着大量的香火，祈求神灵的庇佑。一些佛教名山有时甚至人头攒动，祈求神佛保佑。旱年求雨；出门前祈求平安吉祥；开店时求富贵。清明节是中华民族的传统。每个家庭都要祭拜，甚至一些海外侨胞和港澳台同胞都回大陆祭拜祖先。
Communicating with the spirits. Burning incense conveys messages. Countless people visit Chinese temples every day, carrying large amounts of incense and offerings, praying for the protection of the spirits. Some famous Buddhist mountains are sometimes even packed with people, praying for blessings from the gods and Buddhas. In drought years, people pray for rain; before leaving home, they pray for peace and good fortune; when opening a business, they pray for wealth and prosperity. Qingming Festival is a Chinese tradition. Every family pays homage to their ancestors, and even some overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan return to the mainland to pay homage to their ancestors.
养生祛病。中医传统中一直运用植物熏蒸法治疗各种疾病。从《黄帝内经》到《本草纲目》，对中药植物的芳香气味的医用功效的研究开发更是中华医学几千年形成的取之不尽、用之不竭的宝贵财富。焚香也是古人抑制霉菌、驱除秽气的一种方法。从中医的角度来说，焚香当属外治法中的“气味疗法”。
Health preservation and disease prevention. Traditional Chinese Medicine has long used plant fumigation to treat a variety of ailments. From the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine to the Compendium of Materia Medica, the research and development of the medicinal benefits of the aromas of Chinese medicinal plants is an inexhaustible treasure trove of Chinese medicine accumulated over thousands of years. Burning incense was also a method used by ancient people to inhibit mold and dispel foul odors. From a TCM perspective, burning incense is considered a form of "scent therapy" within external treatments.
香有哪几类形态特征？What are the different types of incense?
香按形状可分为：线香、盘香、塔香、篆香、香粉、香丸、特种香和香原料。目前，本网站主要销售线香。
Incense can be categorized by shape: stick incense, coil incense, tower incense, seal incense, incense powder, incense pills, specialty incense, and incense raw materials. Currently, this website primarily sells stick incense.