The Rich Variety of Incense Types: A Comprehensive Guide
The diversity of incense types available today is a testament to its long history, evolving into various forms based on their physical characteristics. These include raw incense materials, stick incense, joss sticks, coil incense, tower incense, cone incense, seal incense, incense pellets, incense powder, incense paste, incense charcoal, incense cakes, incense beads, essential oils, and incense ash. Here’s a breakdown of each type:
1 Raw Incense Materials: These are fragrant materials obtained directly from nature, processed through cleaning, drying, and cutting to retain their external characteristics and features. Those cut into small flakes are also known as "flake incense."
2 Stick Incense: These are line-shaped, coreless incenses made from incense powder mixed into a paste, then dried and shaped.
3 Joss Sticks: Also known as stick incense or incense sticks, these are made with a thin bamboo or wooden core.
4 Coil Incense: Also known as ring incense, these are spirally wound and can be hung or supported on a stand for burning.
5 Tower Incense: Often used in religious places, similar to coil incense, these hang and burn downwards resembling a tower.
6 Cone Incense: Made by filling and compressing incense powder into a cone shape.
7 Seal Incense: Also known as stamp incense, it involves pressing dried incense powder into seals or patterns in an incense burner filled with flat incense ash. It burns along the pattern.
8 Incense Pellets: Made by grinding one or several types of raw incense materials into powder and forming it into pellets. Used in burners or medically, as seen in the classic "Dream of the Red Chamber."
9 Incense Powder: This is made by grinding raw incense materials and sieving them, mixed with other spices or medicinal herbs.
10 Incense Paste: Also known as paste incense, this is made by grinding raw incense into fine powder and mixing it with sticky substances like honey, often applied on the skin.
11 Incense Charcoal: Created by adding incense to wood or bamboo charcoal, this form has strong absorption and can dehumidify and deodorize.
12 Incense Cakes: Made from ground raw incense materials into a cake form, these can be directly burned or heated indirectly.
13 Incense Rosary: Made by grinding raw incense materials into powder and forming into bead shapes or directly carved from fragrant woods, often strung into bracelets or necklaces.
14 Incense Oils: Obtained by distilling aromatic plants, these oils can be used alone or mixed with other floral waters.
15 Incense Ash: The ash left after incense burns, also known as the end fragrance, is in powder form. When using incense powder, fill the clean incense burner with ash, lay the incense powder on top in a thin line or ring, and light it.
This guide provides an overview of the different types of incense available, each with unique characteristics and uses, enhancing both cultural practices and personal spaces.
