In the twilight of the Southern Tang dynasty, when poetry flowed like wine at palace banquets, there ruled an emperor remembered more for his verses than his conquests. Li Yu (李煜, 937-978), the last sovereign of Southern Tang, spent his nights composing some of Chinese literature’s most aching love poems. By day, he turned his court into a perfumery.
The result was Li Zhu Hua Jin (李主花浸沉香) — “The Last Emperor’s Flower-Infused Agarwood.” It is one of the most romantic recipes in the Chinese incense tradition: agarwood slowly steeped in the essence of spring blossoms, absorbing the spirit of the season until the wood itself seems to bloom.
Who Was Li Yu?
Li Yu ascended to the throne in 961 AD, inheriting a kingdom spanning modern-day Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, and parts of Fujian and Sichuan. Within years, Song dynasty forces closed in from the north. Li Yu surrendered, spent his final years under house arrest in Kaifeng, and died at forty-two.
But before the end came, Li Yu lived extravagantly. His court gathered the finest scholars, musicians, painters, and craftspeople in all of China. He played the guqin, painted mountain landscapes, and wrote poems that would define the lyrical sensibility of an entire civilization.
Among his many preoccupations was the art of incense. As the 十国春秋 records: 「后主李煜，雅好香事，宫中有百合香、百花香之制。」 Unlike most Chinese emperors who commissioned grand ceremonies, Li Yu sat in his garden and thought about how to capture a flower in wood.
The Recipe from Xiang Cheng
The formula for Li Zhu Hua Jin survives in Zhou Jiazhou’s Xiang Cheng (香乘, 1628), the most comprehensive treasury of Chinese incense knowledge compiled during the Ming dynasty. Zhou recorded the recipe as follows:
「沉香不拘多少剉碎，取有香花若酴醾、木樨、橘花（或橘叶亦可）、福建茉莉花之类，带露水摘花一盌，以瓷盒盛之，纸盖入甑蒸食顷，取出，去花留汗，汁浸沉香，日中暴干，如是者数次，以沉香透烂为度。」
Translation: Take agarwood in any quantity and break it into small pieces. Take fragrant flowers — rose, osmanthus, orange blossom, or Fujian jasmine — picking one bowl of them with morning dew still on the petals. Steam in a porcelain container, discard the flowers but keep the infused liquid. Soak the agarwood in this juice and dry it in the sun. Repeat several times until the agarwood is thoroughly infused and soft.
The classical Chinese term for this is 浸 (jin), meaning to soak or steep. Combined with 花 (hua, flower) and 沉香 (chenxiang, agarwood), the name literally translates to “flower-soaked agarwood of the ruler.”
Several details deserve attention. First, the choice of flowers: rose, osmanthus, orange blossom, and jasmine — all highly fragrant flowers common in southern China, each with a distinct character. Second, the word 露水 (dew water) is significant. Dew collected in early morning was considered the purest water, carrying the gentle essence of the heavens. Third, the repetition: Zhou Jiazhou specifies 数次 (several times), until the agarwood is completely saturated and softened. This is patient work — days or weeks of cycles.
Reconstructing Li Zhu Hua Jin Today
Modern reconstructions face a practical question: agarwood of sufficient quality is extraordinarily expensive, and the multi-week steeping process requires patience. Still, the spirit of the recipe — slow infusion of flower into wood — can be approximated with organic rose water or osmanthus hydrosol and low-grade agarwood dust.
The mixture sits in a sealed glass container for two to four weeks, shaken daily, then dried in shade. The process repeats three to five times.
The result is not the same as Li Yu’s original — nothing truly is — but it carries an echo of the same impulse: to unite something living (flower) and something ancient (agarwood) into a single fragrance that holds both spring and eternity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Li Zhu” mean in the name?
“Li Zhu” (李主) means “Lord Li” or “Emperor Li,” referring to Li Yu (李煜), the last ruler of Southern Tang dynasty. He was known both as a poet and patron of the arts, including incense making.
Can I make this recipe without real agarwood?
High-quality agarwood is rare and expensive. You can substitute with inexpensive agarwood chips or even sandalwood chips, though the result will lack the depth of character that genuine chenxiang provides. The core technique — slow flower infusion — still works with any aromatic wood.
What flowers work best for this recipe?
Fresh organic roses and osmanthus produce the most authentic results. Jasmine and orange blossom also work well. The key is fragrance intensity — use the freshest, most aromatic flowers available, ideally collected in early morning.
Is Li Zhu Hua Jin mentioned in any historical texts besides Xiang Cheng?
The recipe is primarily documented in Zhou Jiazhou’s Xiang Cheng (1628). Some scholars believe the formula circulated among Southern Tang court circles before Li Yu’s reign, and that he may have refined or popularized rather than originated it.