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"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people"
-Mahatma Ghandi
The Vibrancy of Fragrance: Incense Tradition in the Han Dynasty
5 May 2015


Deputy Director of Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Liu Hai Wang, presents on the development of incense use in Han Dynasty, China


Sketch from archaeolgoical report showing the cross
section of a Han Dynasty censer. Censers that rested
on a dish like the one shown here were popular
starting from the Western Han period.
The incense pouch, although simple (a sachet containing romantics), reflects the social mores of the time, as younger people needed to wear their incense pouches when greeting their elders. Mr. Liu points out that this practice itself is an indication that aromatics was somehow linked to showing respect to others.

While there's no indicator of when censers were first created and used in China, the earliest excavated censer, from a Liangzhu (a Neolithic culture of the Changjiang delta c. 3400-2250BC) archaeological site in Shanghai Qingpu provides evidence that censers have at least existed for more than 4000 years.

Aromatics in pillows were used to reduce humidity and improve sleeping quality. An incense pillow was excavated from a tomb of the site of Changsha Ma Wang. Incense censers and the religious idea of immortality.


Han Dynasty Boshanlu censer with inlaid gold
It was also pointed out how religion played a role in the popularity of incense in the Han society. As explained by Mr. Liu, "people at the top of society, the emperor and the ministers who had the right and power to control the middle and working classes, hoped that the world could belong to them eternally. They feared the idea of death and had no idea of what death would bring. They strived to figure out ways to live forever, which correlated with the religious idea of immortality. People believed that incense (perhaps in the way the fumes always rose up), could help reach immortality; therefore, this made censers a popular commodity to be had in society."

Religious influences also had a part in the decorations of the motifs of censers. Out of the many popular decorations and styles found on censers, Boshanlu was the most representative design of the Han Dynasty. "It is because Boshan was symbolized as a place where human beings could live eternally." With the spread of religion and the development of the Silk Road, censers saw a wide geographic distribution in the land of the Han state.

A reflection of Han Society

Through the course of Mr. Liu's presentation, it becomes clear that an examination of censers and other incense ware is so much more than just an isolated study of what, to many people, may seem to be a niche part of Chinese culture. A study of the motifs found on censers is to explore the different mythical lore and spiritual beliefs of the Han Dynasty period, and it is evident that some of these beliefs and sayings have been transmitted for more than 2000 years, and still used today. To look at the development of the form and shape of censers, as dictated by practicality and purpose, is to reveal the evolution of lifestyle changes of the period, such as the elevation in height of furniture. To look at the different materials and the level of intricacy of incense vessels is also an exploration of the socioeconomic divisions of the time. As Mr. Liu said, it is a colorful aspect of Chinese culture that is worth further study and promotion, with new information yet to be explored.
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