The history of Chinese oud

China has a long history with Agarwood, playing a significant role in culture, religion, and medicine. Agarwood, also known as Chen Xiang, Aloeswood, or Eaglewood, has been regarded as a precious fragrance and medicinal material since ancient times.

The introduction of Agarwood to China can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. Initially, it was brought in as a tribute and trade item from the South China Sea region. The "Records of Strange Things from Jiaozhou" already contains records of Agarwood, describing its formation process and characteristics. During the Han Dynasty, nobles had the custom of scenting their clothes. Simultaneously, with the introduction of Buddhism, Agarwood's position in religious activities became increasingly important, believed to be able to communicate with heaven and earth, and interact with deities.

From the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, Agarwood was ranked alongside tea, painting, and flower arrangement, becoming one of the "Four Arts" of Chinese literati. Burning incense, tasting tea, painting, and playing chess became part of the lives of ancient scholars. Song Dynasty poets such as Su Shi and Huang Tingjian were particularly fond of Agarwood and created a large number of poems and lyrics related to it.

Agarwood also occupies an important position in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. As early as the "Famous Doctors' Records," it was recorded that Agarwood has the effect of "treating wind-dampness, edema, and removing foul odors." Agarwood is pungent, bitter, warm in nature, and enters the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. It has the functions of promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain, warming the kidneys, and promoting the intake of Qi. It is often used to treat chest and abdominal distension, kidney deficiency, and asthma.

China is also an important participant in the Agarwood trade. Since the Han Dynasty, Chinese merchants began searching for high-quality Agarwood, even traveling as far as Vietnam. Guangzhou and Hong Kong played an important role in the Agarwood trade, and the name "Hong Kong" may have originated from the trade of Agarwood.

Today, Agarwood is still widely used in incense ceremonies, traditional Chinese medicine, and Buddhism. Due to the decreasing number of wild Agarwood trees, Agarwood has become increasingly precious, and its price has risen. To protect this precious resource, people have begun to try to artificially cultivate Agarwood trees and study various methods to promote Agarwood formation.