Acronychia wood, which might be quite an unfamiliar name, has its first trace found in a book of medicinal materials in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) in Tang Dynasty, with a long history of being used in incense and in medicines.
Besides being a medicine, acronychia wood is actually considered “sacred” in Taoism, and is said to be what one uses to communicate with gods and spirits.
What makes it unique and “sacred” is probably due to its smoke while burning — normal incense from ingredients like agarwood tends to move along with the air circulation, but the smoke from acronychia wood is always straight without fluctuations.
With its long history, it is no surprise that there are various sources of mention, but one would probably not expect that it being related to art pieces.
The use of incense was at its peak popularity during the Song dynasty, the emperor also burned incense. One day when Emperor Huizong was burning acronychia wood, a group of Cranes came due to the scent of acronychia wood and were unwilling to leave.
As cranes are considered to be spiritual and intelligent creatures, their presence is also considered auspicious. In awe of such miraculous scene, Emperor Huizong painted the “Auspicious Cranes”(瑞鹤图) to record and memorize the incident.
So how does acronychia wood form itself? Through the self protection process of acronychia trees. When the tree encounters harms from rain, lighting, worm erosion and even felling, the wood starts to produce perfume oil to heal itself.
Such oil, after years of sedimentation, forms a hard skin on the wood and is therefore usually hollow inside, emitting unique scents from the oil and all the effects from its environment.
Depending on its origin, usually from Hainan province in China and countries in southeast Asia, acronychia wood is a complex mixture of floral, woody, sweet, light, bitter and even fishy smell, in which the premium ones usually has a delightful fruity and floral scent on top of its woody nature.
With its medicinal properties, the scent is naturally calming, and is usually used to calm and clear the mind since ancient dynasties. If you are ever anxious or overwhelmed by thoughts, try acronychia wood incense that brings peace with a complicated yet calming scent.