Agarwood: Mellow aroma, Matilda is fragrant

"The palace grass is slightly admired, and the furnace smoke is finely stationed in the gossamer." China's incense culture has a long history. Qu Yuan's "Nine Songs" has a record of "bathing with herbs and asking them to be clean and cleansed". In the "Book of Shang" and "Zuo Biao", Xin Xiang is more likened to Dezheng, and there is a good sentence of "Mingde Wei Xin". As the first of all incense, agarwood is interspersed in the vein of history with its innate rarity and preciousness, and the story left behind is like its mellow fragrance, which is long and long.

Agarwood is formed after years of sedimentation after a wood lesion containing resin. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "Its accumulation of old wood, its skin decays for many years, the wooden heart and branches are not bad, and the black sinking water is the one who is agarwood." ”

Agarwood is a precious Chinese herbal medicine, "spicy smell, slightly warm, non-toxic", with antibacterial, enhance immunity effect. The "Natural history and heterogeneity" written by Zhang Hua of the Western Jin Dynasty records that during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, some people from the weak water western country came to the Han Dynasty to offer agarwood by car, but at that time, no one in the Han Palace recognized its medicinal value. Later, a plague broke out in Chang'an, and many people in the palace became infected. Emperor Wu of Han heeded the advice of the emissaries and burned incense to drive away the epidemic, and the infected people in the palace were indeed cured. At that time, "chang'an zhongbaili salty smelled fragrant, fang accumulated for more than ninety days, the incense still did not stop."

The smell of agarwood is mellow and refreshing, and many people are fascinated by it. It is expensive because of the aroma, but it is also burned because of the aroma. Han Zheng's "Record of Opening the River" says: "Emperor Jue's royal dragon boat is fortunate to be in the river capital, and the ships are successive, and the jinfan passes by, and the incense smells for ten miles." Su Yan's "Duyang Miscellaneous Compilation" said: Every night Chinese New Year's Eve, the Sui Emperor would set up dozens of volcanic piles in front of the palace, and each mountain would burn agarwood and count the cars, "the flames rose up and the incense smelled for tens of miles." Such extravagance is undoubtedly contrary to "Matilda Weixin".

Agarwood has a hard texture, condensed oil, anti-corrosion and anti-degeneration properties, and its wood is a fine carving material. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms records that Guan Yunchang defeated Maicheng and was killed by Sun Quan, and Eastern Wu offered the head of Guan Gong to Cao Cao, who carved Guan Yu's body out of agarwood incense, merged with the first rank, and buried him with a princely ceremony. It can be seen that people have long regarded agarwood as a precious thing, and its wood carving means "immortality".

Agarwood resists corrosion and prevents degeneration, saying that things are hard, but also saying that people are clean. When Wu Yinzhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty completed his term of office and left by boat with his family, the wind and waves on the river suddenly rose. Wu Yinzhi then checked the luggage of the whole ship to see if there was any ill-gotten wealth, and found that his wife had received an agarwood fan. So he threw the fan into the river, and the wind and waves quickly stopped. Pretending to be a poem: "Pu no. Agarwood leaves old hatred, crossing the river still remembers the hearts of ancient people." Poor resignation that day, although there is a good stay is not easy to find. "Xin" refers to agarwood, but also to the person of xiangde.

There are many agarwood production areas, especially Hainan, which has enjoyed a high reputation since ancient times. Agarwood trees are a specialty of Hainan, "all around the island", many people take incense as their business. The aroma of Hainan is quiet and quiet, idyllic and natural, and the fragrance of Qinan produced is excellent and highly respected by people.

Su Shi, a great scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty, was also very fond of Hainan Agarwood, and in the "Agarwood Shanzi Endowment" composed for the sixtieth birthday of his brother Su Ruqing, he metaphorically described Agarwood Shanzi as a gentleman of virtuous character, so as to inspire each other with Su Rui. Fu Zhongyong said, "It is both golden and jade, and also crane bones and dragon tendons." But the ointment is sufficient, so grasp and weigh. In a few words, the characteristics of Hainan agarwood are written in a vivid and profound way.

Agarwood is quite popular, and under the temptation of interests, the agarwood on Hainan Island has been indiscriminately cut down. The price of Hainan agarwood rose even higher, and Cai Jing's son Cai Qi mentioned in his book "Discussion on tiewei mountain clusters": "Hainan is really sinking, and one star is worth ten thousand." ”

Witnessing the indiscriminate cutting and fishing of Hainan agarwood, Su Shidun felt worried and attacked it with a poem: "Agarwood is burned in the garden, and the agarwood is fried and powder is harmonious." If there is a slight fire, the smoke is clear. The greedy have no hunger, and the pepper asks for more. Zhu Liu was crazy and fell like a wind flower. Ben wanted to exhaust the fishing, nai this next year. ”

The preciousness of agarwood lies in the fact that it has gone through the vicissitudes of time, endured the baptism of wind and rain, and is tempered by catastrophes and pains. As the writer Lin Qingxuan said: "The floating world is water, and the common wood flows with the waves of desire, and there is no end." Agarwood is a fixed stone, as calm as in the water, the same incense. If a person has agarwood in his heart, he can not be afraid of the floating world. ”

◎ This article was originally published in the "Central Discipline Inspection Commission Supervision Department website" (author Shi Xuejie), the source network, the copyright of the picture and text belongs to the original author, if there is infringement, please contact to delete.