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August 30, 2022

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The culture of incense

China has a long history of using incense. Chinese people love incense and know how to make incense. Natural materials and different kinds of Chinese herbal medicines were chosen to make incense by forefathers so that it could relieve fatigue, clean the air and refresh the mind.

As early as the pre-Qin period, people offered sacrifices to heaven and prayed for blessings by burning incense, hoping to express their respect for heaven and gods through the rising fragrance. Later, it was found that incense was also effective in repelling insects. Gradually, the ancient people began to use incense to eliminate foul gas and epidemic diseases.

In ancient times, incense could also be used to tell time. For example, how to calculate the exam time in old times? Examiners usually lit a stick of incense in shapes of noodles. When it was burned out, the exam was over. This is what people call the time of a stick of incense.

In addition, incense in shape of fragrant balls could be put in a special container. When it was heated, the clothes covering this container also became fragrant. Just as people nowadays love to spray perfume on their clothes before going out, the ancient Chinese also preferred to wear fragrant clothes.

When I was young, my family used incense to improve my health. Now, whenever I feel stressed, the pleasant smell can always relieve my pressure. Ancient Chinese scholars believed that beautiful and fragrant things could help people relax. I can always taste the elegant classical culture from the scents floating from the incense burner.

Human’s preference for incense is an innate nature. Incense inspires the intelligence of the mind, and harmonizes the mind and body silently. Learning ancient ways to make incense is a continuation of the skills of ancestors and shows the respect for Chinese classical culture.




 

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