XIANG · INCENSE
A room, and the hour after.
Chinese incense, made the slow way: wood ground fine, rolled by hand, burned a stick at a time. Below, four ways into it — sticks, beads, oils, and the objects they sit in.
START HERE
Four ways in.
THREE PIECES
If you only try three.
Everything else lives in the four categories above.
MATERIALS
Four woods.
沉香 · AGARWOOD
Agarwood
Resin-rich heartwood. Quiet at room temperature, warmer on the skin.
老山檀香 · SANDALWOOD
Sandalwood
Older heartwood, dry and milky. The most patient of the incense woods.
小叶紫檀 · RED SANDALWOOD
Red sandalwood
Dense and deep red. Wears to a soft sheen, never a shine.
雷击木 · THUNDERSTRUCK WOOD
Thunderstruck wood
Wood marked by lightning. Each piece keeps its own grain.
HOW TO BURN
Light, set, sit, clear.
01
Light
Hold the tip to a flame for two seconds, then blow it out. It should smoulder, not burn.
02
Set
Stand the stick in an ash catcher or a shallow dish of sand. Never on paper or cloth.
03
Sit
Give it three minutes. The first minute is the flame; the room comes after.
04
Clear
Open a window when you finish. Incense is a room, not a perfume.
KEEP IT SAFE
Four rules.
- Never leave a lit stick alone, and keep it away from curtains and paper.
- One stick is enough for a small room. Open a window for ten minutes after.
- Damp sticks smoulder unevenly. Store tubes sealed, away from the kettle.
- Ash stays hot for several minutes after the stick has finished.
FAQ
Questions we are asked.
About thirty to forty minutes, depending on the blend. The scent lingers for an hour or two after that.
No. These are fine-ground sticks, not cones. In a small room one stick is plenty.
Yes. Tubes travel well. Some countries restrict plant material, so if customs returns a parcel we refund it in full.
Beads: away from water and perfume, wear them often. Oils: upright, out of the sun, cap tight.
The silver is still the main room.
Fine silver 990–999, made in Xianyou and shipped worldwide. Incense is the second room — take your time with it.