{"product_id":"eastern-hidden-spring-medical-incense","title":"Eastern Hidden Spring Medical Incense (Handmade)","description":"\u003cp\u003eNew! Inspired by the Wood element, spring, and the Liver, Eastern Hidden Spring encourages the free movement of qi and the unfolding of renewed vitality. Traditionally used to ease emotional constraint, mental tension, and frustration, its fresh, uplifting aroma helps clear the mind, brighten the senses, and encourage creativity and emotional balance. Like spring emerging after winter, it symbolizes growth, flexibility, and new beginnings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e________________________________________________________________________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe use of incense in Chinese medicine and culture is an ancient and long-standing practice. Chinese archaeologists have found remains of incense-burning pottery in excavations of the northeastern Chinese \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHongshan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e culture dating back to 5,000 BC. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eBook of Rites\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewhich describes the social forms and ceremonial rites of the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBCE\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e), observed that the “Zhou people held incense in high regard”.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e During the Shang (1,600-1046 BCE) and Zhou dynasties, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003einc\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eense was mainly used as a form of communication with ancestors and spirits\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe ancient Chinese believed that the smoke from the incense would float up into the heavens, creating a bridge between the mundane and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecelestial realms. When paying tribute to the Gods, these ancient cultures would often use an aromatic plant called sweet wormwood\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e香蒿\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, while dried millet was burnt when \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esupplicating the God’s for good harvests. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring the rule of the Chu Kingdom in southern China (700-200), a kingdom infamous for its shamanic beliefs and rituals, incense took on a new role as a powerful force wielded by shamanic priests to combat pestilence (what we might now think of as disease-causing pathogens) and evil spirits. During this early period, the Chinese did not yet have access to classic aromatics like frankincense, agarwood and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esand\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ealwood that arrived later from India and Persia; Chu shamans mainly used creeping\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e fig\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e薜荔\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, cinnamon, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003erosemallow\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e芙蓉\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003echin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ee\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ese\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003emugwort\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to clear temples for the arrival of spirits and help bring themselves into communication with those spirits. Angelica \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edahurica (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e白芷) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand magnolia flower \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e辛夷\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewere hung around doorways for similar purposes. The Chu also wore fragrant “incense sachets” to ward off evil spirits, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epestilence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003einsects\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eT\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehe preferred herbs were angelica \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edahurica\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ese joe-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e weed (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e佩蘭\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e The fragrant aroma of the Joe-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e weed was also thought to be able to cure skin diseases.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Han dynasty (200BCE-200CE)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eexploration and conquest westward led to the establishment of the silk road\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethrough which several new \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003earomatics were introduced to China from Persia and India, including dammar resin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e龍腦香\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, pepper, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eagarwood, cloves, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand storax balsam\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e蘇合香\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e This period marked the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereal birth of China’s burgeoning incense culture. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMawangdui\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e excavation site\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e which dates to the Han\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eincense \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esachets\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eincense pillows \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand incense burning pottery \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewere discovered among\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e the remains of unearthed corpses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003econtaining \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecinnamon, magnolia flower, sweet grass, Sichuan pepper and joe-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epye\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e weed. It is speculated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethat these aromatics were used to prevent disease\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and ward off evil. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePerhaps even more significantly, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe late Han \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003estory collection \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eStories of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eEmperor Han Wudi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, contains a description of the Han emperor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eburning incense to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esuppress a pandemic that raged throughout his kingdom. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the Wei\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to Tang dynasties (300-900~ CE), we start to see advanced application of incenses and herbal medicaments in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe treatment of a wide variety of diseases. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efourth century \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eHandbook of Prescriptions for Emergency\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, for instance, details \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003einhaling \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe vapors of pokeweed root to alleviate mental illness, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efermented black bea\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003en powder incense to alleviate \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecataracts \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand inhaling \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eburning pepper to treat headaches. (Interestingly \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003enotes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethat for left-side headaches, the smoke should be inhaled \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efrom the left nostril and likewise for right-side). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring this period, the Chinese also began developing a theory of the\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e healing mechanism of incense. They had already recognized that pathogens entered through the nose and mouth, thenceforth spreading to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ehead cavities, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elungs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and abdomen. They thus reasoned that the aromatics, which had a “penetrating and mobile” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003enature (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e走竄\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e could \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epenetrate into\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e these areas and neutralize the pathogen. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAdditionally, incense, due to its ethereal nature, was seen as a “purely yang substance” (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e純陽之物\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e this meant that it could serve as an antidote to “yin substances” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003elike cold, dampness and evil spirits\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e which settled and lodged in the interstices of the body. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the Tang and Song dynasties onward, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe use of aromatics in\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e the treatment of respiratory diseases also became widely popular. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Tang dynasty physician Cui Zhi-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eti\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, for instance, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edetailed using \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHoney-treated coltsfoot\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eincense to cure \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ea “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e30 year chronic\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e cough”. Sun \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSimiao\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e described using\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e smoked ephedra inhaled through a bamboo pole to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etreat pain and swelling in the throat. Examples such as these abound throughout the post-Tang record. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIndeed, in the Song dynasty, the use of inhaled aromatics was even \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eput to use\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in the treatment of tuberculosis. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eEffective Remedies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e notes that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esmoked valerian and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efig\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewort powder mixture was a powerful cure for tuberculosis. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTreatments for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003emental illnesses using incense also became more elaborate and powerful. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e exhaustive\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Ming Dynasty formula\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e compendium \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eFormula\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cem\u003es for Universal Relief\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edetails \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ean incense used to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003etreat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e severe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003emental illness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are also various accounts of the medical use of incense in Chinese courts—one, in which a foreign envoy from Ruoshui presents the emperor with pellets of incense, which, at first glance, fail to impress due to their ordinariness. However, when the entire palace falls seriously ill for several days, the foreign envoy pleads for the incense to be burned: it successfully expelled the disease, curing everyone in the palace within the same day, and its aroma was so far-reaching that everyone inside the city could smell it for three months. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Eastern Philosophy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49291375444196,"sku":"IncenseEasternHidden","price":45.85,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0563\/3671\/1860\/files\/IMG-8745.png?v=1783115214","url":"https:\/\/theeasternphilosophy.com\/products\/eastern-hidden-spring-medical-incense","provider":"The Eastern Philosophy","version":"1.0","type":"link"}