Among Chinese incense practitioners, there is a quiet debate that has been going on for centuries: which material deserves to be called the “second agarwood”? Some say 降真香 (Jiangzhen). Others… Read more »
You hold a piece of something dark, almost black, with lighter veins running through it. It weighs almost nothing. You bring it close to your nose and inhale — and… Read more »
You paid $80 for a box of “沉香 chips.” The seller showed you the resin, the weight, the dark color. You brought it home, burned it, and it smelled like… Read more »
You spend $300 on a piece of “沉香”. Back home, you look closer. Something feels wrong. The weight. The smell. You can’t quite place it—but you suspect you got played…. Read more »
There are hundreds of aromatic materials used in Chinese incense. But only four sit at the top. These are the ones collectors obsession over, the ones that cost serious money,… Read more »