The History and Uses of Incense
“Perfume and
incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of
one's friend springs from his earnest counsel”
The Bible states
(Ex. 30:34), "God said to Moses: Take fragrances such as balsam, onycha,
galbanum, and pure frankincense, all of the same weight, as well as other
specified fragrances."
Incense is an aromatic substance
which is obtained from certain resinous
trees, often combined with essential oils, and largely employed for purposes of
religious worship. The word is
also used to signify the smoke or perfume
arising from incense when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance
itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious
ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood,
masking bad odours, and in medicine.[2][3][4]
The use of incense may have originated in Ancient Egypt, where the gums and
resins of aromatic trees were imported from the Arabian and Somali coasts to be
used in religious ceremonies.
 In ancient times incense was furnished by two trees, viz. the
Boswellia sacra of Arabia
Felix, and the Boswellia papyrifera of India, both of which
belong to the Terebinthian family. Mention is made of it in Numbers 7:14;
Deuteronomy 33:10, etc. It was procured from the bark much as gum is obtained at
present. To enhance the fragrance and produce a thicker smoke various foreign
elements were added (cf. Josephus, "Bell. Jud.", V, 5). These ingredients
generally numbered four, but sometimes as many as thirteen, and the task of
blending them in due proportion was assigned under the Old-Law ordinances to
particular families (Canticles 3:6).
 The forms taken by incense have changed with advances in
technology, differences in the underlying culture, and diversity in the reasons
for burning it.[6] The two
main types can generally be separated into "indirect burning" and "direct
burning". Indirect burning incense, also called "non-combustible incense",
requires a separate heat source since it is not capable of burning itself.
Direct burning incense, also called "combustible incense", is lit directly by a
flame and then fanned out, the glowing ember on the incense will smoulder and
release fragrance. Examples of direct burning incense are incense sticks (joss
sticks) and cones or pyramids.
The use of incense dates back to biblical times and may have
originated in Egypt, where the gums and resins of aromatic trees were imported
from the Arabian and Somali coasts to be used in religious ceremonies. It was
also used by the Pharaohs, not only to counteract unpleasant odours, but also to
drive away demons and gratify the presence of the gods, as they believed.[2]
 The Babylonians used incense while offering prayers to
divining oracles.[7] The Indus
Civilization used incense burners.[8]
Evidence suggests oils were used mainly for their aroma. Incense spread from
there to Greece and Rome. Brought to Japan in the 6th century by Chinese
Buddhist monks, who used the mystical aromas in their purification rites, the
delicate scents of Koh (high-quality Japanese incense) became a source of
amusement and entertainment with nobles in the Imperial Court during the Heian
Era 200 years later.
During the 14th century Shogunate, samurai warriors would
perfume their helmets and armor with incense to achieve an aura of
invincibility. It wasn't until the Muromachi Era during the 15th and 16th
century that incense appreciation (Kōdō) spread to the upper and middle classes
of Japanese society.
Uses of Incense
Incense, being an article familiar to humanity since the dawn
of civilization, has meant different things to the different peoples who have
come to use it. Given the wide diversity of such peoples and their practices, it
would be impossible to form an all-inclusive list of the ways in which incense
has come to be used, since the methods and purposes of employment are as diverse
and nuanced as those who have employed it.
Practical use of
incense
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Mosquito repellent used in
China, India, Canada, Korea,
and Japan are usually
manufactured in coil form
and burned in a similar
manner as incense
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Incense fragrances can be of such great strength that
they obscure other, less desirable odours. This utility led to the use
of incense in funerary ceremonies because the incense could smother the
scent of decay. Another example of this use, as well as of religious use
is the Botafumeiro, which, according to tradition, was installed to hide
the scent of the many tired, unwashed pilgrims huddled together in the
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
The regular burning of direct combustion incense has
been used for chronological measurement in incense clocks. These devices
can range from a simple trail of incense material calibrated to burn in
a specific time period, to elaborate and ornate instruments with bells
or gongs, designed to involve and captivate several of the senses.
Incense made from materials such as citronella can
repel mosquitoes and other aggravating, distracting or pestilential
insects. This use has been deployed in concert with religious uses by
Zen Buddhists who claim that the incense that is part of their
meditative practice is designed to keep bothersome insects from
distracting the practitioner. Currently, more effective pyrethroid-based
mosquito repellant incense is widely available in Asia.
Incense is also used often by people who smoke indoors, and do not
want the scent to linger. |
Aesthetic use of
incense
Many people burn incense to appreciate its smell, without
assigning any other specific significance to it, in the same way that the
forgoing items can be produced or consumed solely for the contemplation or
enjoyment of the refined sensory experience. This use is perhaps best
exemplified in the kōdō
(香道?),
where (frequently costly) raw incense materials such as agarwood are appreciated
in a formalized setting.
Religious
use of incense
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Incense burning at a temple in Taipei
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Religious use of incense has its origins in
antiquity. The burned incense may be intended as a sacrificial offering
to various deity or to serve as an aid in prayer.Use of incense in
religion is prevalent in many cultures and may have their roots in the
practical and aesthetic uses considering that many religions with not
much else in common all use incense. One common motif is incense as a
form of sacrificial offering to a deity, for example, Chinese
jingxiang (敬香 "offer incense [to ancestors/gods]).
Incense has been employed in the worship of the vast
majority of Christian groups since antiquity, particularly in the
Eastern Christian churches, the Roman Catholic Church, and some Anglican
and Lutheran Churches. The practice is probably rooted in the earlier
traditions of Judaism in the time of the Second Temple. The smoke of
burning incense is interpreted by the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern
Christian churches as a symbol of the prayer of the faithful rising to
heaven.[1][2]
This symbolism is seen in Psalm 141 (140), verse 2: "Let my prayer be
directed as incense in thy sight: the lifting up of my hands, as evening
sacrifice." It is often used after the manner of a purification ritual. |
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References
Morrisroe, P.
(1910). Incense.
In The Catholic Encyclopedia.
New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Retrieved December 25, 2006-2011 from New Advent:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07716a.htm
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