Er Su Jiu Ju: The Two Su Brothers Formula That Outlived an Empire
Two brothers. One formula. A scent that outlived an empire. Su Shi and Su Zhe — the two most celebrated scholar-officials of the Song Dynasty — did not just write… Read more »
Category: Ancient Recipes DIY
E Li Zhang Zhong: The Goose Pear Chamber Incense of Song Dynasty
The story goes like this: the last ruler of the Southern Tang dynasty — Li Yu, the man who wrote poetry about his dead wife and his conquered kingdom —… Read more »
Sweet Chinese Incense (Tian Xiang): Blending for Warmth and Depth
Most people who try Chinese incense for the first time are surprised by how different it smells from what they expected. They expected something aggressive, incense-y, smoky. They got something… Read more »
Xue Zhong Chun Xin: The Song Dynasty Plum Blossom Incense Formula
It is 1093 AD. Su Shi — exiled poet, failed politician, the man who made the dish map of China — is standing outside in winter. The plum branches are… Read more »
Ling Xu Xiang: The Daoist Incense for Cultivation and Inner Practice
There is a version of 灵虚香 that appears in the Lei Gong Pao Zhi, a text associated with Daoist ritual practice. And there is a version that circulated among scholar-officials… Read more »
Chinese Incense for Sleep: TCM An Shen (Calm the Spirit) Guide
It is 11pm. You are in bed. Your brain will not turn off. You have tried everything. Someone suggests: burn some incense before sleep. You think this is hippy nonsense…. Read more »
Fanhun Mei: The Song Dynasty Plum Incense Formula That Almost Disappeared
Here’s a recipe from the year 1100-something. It calls for plum wine, aged agarwood, and a specific waiting period. People who try to recreate it today report something unexpected: it… Read more »
TCM Herbal Incense: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Guide
You burn sandalwood. You feel calmer. Your grandmother burns mugwort. She says it “clears the damp.” Neither of you is wrong. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been using aromatic plants for… Read more »
Er Su Jiu Ju: The Two Su Brothers Formula That Outlived an Empire
Two brothers. One formula. A scent that outlived an empire. Su Shi (Su Dongpo) and his younger brother Su Zhe were not just famous poets—they were incense obsessives. While the… Read more »
E Li Zhang Zhong Xiang: The Legendary Goose Pear Incense of Emperor Qianlong
Your bedroom at night. Candlelight flickering. The smell of something extraordinary—sweet, warm, with a fruitiness you’ve never encountered before. That’s E Li Zhang Zhong Xiang. It has a history that… Read more »