«Incense Seals» in Chinese Culture: Origins, Ritual and Practical Functions

Abstract

The article focuses on the origin of traditional Chinese culture seal-censers (香印 xiangyin, 香篆 xiangzhuan), including an analysis of key functions during their evolutionary course over several centuries. The specificity of early incense seals is revealed through the study of religious, documentary and artistic sources of the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) epochs, Chinese catalogs and reference books dating back to the last years of the Qing dynasty (last quarter of the 19th century) and 7th – 8th centuries Buddhist texts. Key features of the symbolism and functions of aromatic seals in rituals, engineering and scientific fields, as well as in artistic and household fields are also analyzed. Currently, the practice of burning incense seals in China and Taiwan is generally limited to artistic and commercial fields. At the same time, the lengthy religious, artistic and everyday tradition of the East contains great opportunities for using incense seals. Such as, naturally combining them with other types of leisure, including being considered an effective way to maintain physical and mental health.