论文部分内容阅读
缕缕香烟从炉中散出，汇集成线。闻者在无意间便觉出了清新、淡雅，烟中的药性使人气息畅通，不仅给闻者带来了绝佳的心情，思维也变得清晰起来。这便是沉香的韵味。
Incense appreciation is an important lifestyle in Chinese culture. The refreshing fragrance of incense can lift your mood， calm your mind， and help your reflections.
沉香是什么
所谓沉香，是因沉香木植物的树芯受外伤或真菌感染，树木分泌大量树脂保护伤口，久之形成了至上的香材，这一过程至少需50年，而好的沉香则需几百甚至上千年才能形成。
Formed as a reaction to fungal or bacterial attack to the tree， a good quality agarwood takes at least 50 years. Better ones may take hundreds of years.
《红楼梦》称得上一部古代贵族生活方式大全，各式华美的建筑、器具以及让人垂涎的美食等在书中都被生动地描绘，品香便是其中之一。直到民国时期，品香还是种主流生活方式并被大家推崇。张爱玲在其小说处女作《沉香屑·第一炉香》中这样描写：“请您寻出家传的霉绿斑斓的铜香炉，点上一炉沉香屑，听我说一个战前香港的故事。您这一炉沉香屑点完了，我的故事也该完了。”
“品香、点茶、插花、挂画”，古典文化中的“四般雅事”自古便引领着人们的生活方式，“香事”尤其如此。人们品香、玩香，说到底就是在玩香的韵味。只是香中的学问很深，现代人品香会显得奢侈又有违和感。但在中国古代，品香就是人们日常的生活风尚，比如春秋时期，人们家中陈设再简单，香炉也必不可少。
香文化在今天有哪些价值？品香又会给自己的身心带来哪些益处呢？在香文化不再流行的今天，人们从事香文化研究更加看重香文化带来的精神愉悦，比如有人喜欢玩香道。秦汉之前，中国人品香并不重视形式，只是单纯追求香材的味道，操作方式也比较简单：将和好的香料随手抓起一把直接扔到焚有炭火的香炉中。到了隋唐时期，人们品香行为变得更加风雅、讲究。而当香文化从唐代传到日本后，日本因为资源奇缺，到手的香料往往被人们视若珍宝，使用时更是讲究到极致，久之便形成了精致的日式香道。
不过，香道仅是香文化的一部分，品香最终品的依然是香材本身。如沉香，正是香道中最好的香材。这种油木混合体因为沉香木植物的树芯受到外伤或真菌感染，树木分泌大量树脂保护伤口，久之便形成了带有独特香味的香材。沉香的形成至少需50年，而好的沉香则需几百甚至上千年才能形成，其珍贵不言而喻。
沉香的珍贵不仅仅是稀有，其价值更在于人们从味觉到心灵的体验。沉香中独特的药性，可以安神顺气、调节身心，使闻者安静下来、远离浮躁。这与中国传统道教中的修身养气的理念不谋而合。所以古人品沉香绝非仅为了附庸风雅，更是一种养生良方。
在当下，依然存在着许多痴爱沉香的品香人。沉香的魅力究竟在哪？听完他们的故事便知。
A vivid portrait of incense appreciation could be found in the Qing Dynasty masterpiece， A Dream of Red Mansion， in which many aspects of Chinese culture are described in detail. Till 1949， incense appreciation had been an admired mainstream lifestyle. The debut novel of Eileen Chang， for example， is titled Agarwood Pieces， The First Censer of Incense.
Incense burning， tea brewing， floral arrangement， and painting have been known traditionally as the “four artful lifestyles”. As early as in 700BC， censer had become indispensable element in home decoration. Even nowadays when incense appreciation seems too extravagant， there are still people who study incense and enjoy the spiritual peace brought by incense burning.
From ancient times to date， the focus of incense appreciation has shifted from fragrance itself to ceremonies. In the Qin and Han Dynasties （221BC to 220AD）， incense was burned in charcoal fire for its fragrance. By Sui Dynasty （581-618）， formalities had been developed around incense burning. And when it was passed to agarwood-scarce Japan in the Tang Dynasty， the art was developed to the extremes， where Kodo， the way of incense was formed and practiced. But Kodo is only part of the incense culture. In the end， it is the incense wood that matters. Agarwood， for example， is the most precious material. Formed as a reaction to fungal or bacterial attack to the tree， a good quality agarwood takes at least 50 years. Better ones may take hundreds of years.
But even more precious is the sensual and spiritual experience brought by incense. The unique medical elements in agarwood could help people relax and calm down， which aligns with the Taoist philosophy of inner cultivation. For ancient Chinese， incense appreciation is not just a fad， but a healthy lifestyle.
Want to know why agarwood attracts people？ Here are some stories shared by today’s agarwood lovers.
潘奕辰：品香是一种生活方式
潘奕辰对香味的喜爱可以追溯到小时候经常使用的雪花膏和花露水。后来到国外留学、经商做企业，香水和精油成了自己最大的爱好，每次出国，去当地购买最好的精油是她必做的一件事。
她对精油和香水的迷恋持续了10年，直到一次偶然的经历彻底改变了她。2008年，潘奕辰正忙于经营自己的公司。一次朋友带她拜访一位收藏家，那座位于景山附近的三进式四合院里有个雅室，室内一排红木明代家具十分考究，而考究的木架子上却摆着几个装有“木头”的简陋玻璃瓶，当时她并不知道瓶中那些造型奇怪的“木头”便是著名的沉香。
随后藏家朋友的表演同样令她惊讶：添加香灰，点燃炭块，再取一点香屑放置在炉上，整个操作简单又十分规矩。藏家把香炉递给了潘奕辰，阵阵清香随之传来，使她获得了从未有过的感觉，紧接着深深地嗅了一下。“那种感觉有些奇妙，一股夹杂着凉甜感觉的淡淡香气直冲我的头顶，不像香水和精油那样带有刺激性香味，它的香清新却充满力量。”
后来她才知道，那天自己闻到的是传闻中的奇楠沉香，是所有沉香中最名贵的品种。有人说能闻到奇楠便是福气，对潘奕辰来说，只是找到了自己最喜欢的味道。
除了味道，品香重要的一点就是养生功效。那段时间潘奕辰对各种酒局、应酬应接不暇，身心压力都很大，有一段时间她恍惚觉得自己身体要垮了。可经历那次品香之后，她的身体、心灵却重新找到了寄托，随后她开始四处求学沉香与香道。
通过逐渐接触，潘奕辰发现品香具有养心、静气的功效，特别是沉香，“说出来你可能不太相信，自从我决定研究香文化以来，身体状况有了明显的好转，之前创业时积攒下的身心疾病也都逐渐消失了。”
潘奕辰说，首先源自香材的药性，因为很多香材本身就是中药材，人们也可以根据自己的身体情况将不同的药物进行调配。“比如我们常说的沉香，就具备安神、调节呼吸、补肾的功效，所以品香其实更是一种养生。”
她认为香的价值就要从香的药性和气韵来体现，而香中那种强大的气韵，可以调节闻着的气息，使人自在舒心，越好的香效果也就越明显。
摄入沉香并非只有焚燃一种方法，切成粉末泡水喝，甚至直接食用都可以使其药性很好地发挥。有些人获得上好的沉香料舍不得使用，做成摆件，经常拿出来闻闻，也对健康大有益处。
沉浸在优雅的烟香中，不时再配上插花和饮茶，在学习品香的过程中，潘奕辰也到日本系统地学习了香道。在她看来，“香道类似于茶道和花道，其实都是使人安静下来的方式，在一种匀速舒缓的慢节奏中，便会感受到身心的舒畅。”
沉香的药用价值
沉香自古就是一味中药材，具有行气止痛、温中助阳、纳气平喘等功效。日本的临床研究证明沉香是治疗胃癌的特效药物和很好的镇痛药。由于沉香价格昂贵，也有“药中黄金”之称，目前很多高端中药中也多用沉香调配而成。
Pan Yichen： Incense appreciation， a lifestyle
Pan’s love of fragrance could be traced back to the lotion and floral water she used at childhood. As she studies abroad and starts to do business， she develops a habit of buying the best essence oil in every foreign city she visits.
This lasted for 10 years until she came across agarwood in 2008 when she was invited to visit a collector near Jingshan， Beijing. Upon arrival， the collector led her and her friend into a guest room in his courtyard. The room is furnished with Ming Dynasty mahogany furniture. Pan was surprised to find on one of the shelves several glass container of wood. But what was more surprising was the following act of the collector. He filled a censer with incense ash， lit the charcoal， placed some wood powder atop the charcoal， and handed the censer to Pan. Pan was overwhelmed by a refreshing aroma. “It was amazing. I felt a sweet， light fragrance going all the way up to my head. Unlike the fragrance of perfume and essence oil， it is refreshing and powerful.”
She later learnt that it was heartwood， a most precious kind of agarwood. Some say it is a blessing to sniff the fragrance， and Pan found her favorite fragrance.
Apart from its fragrance， incense appreciation is also good for health. Pan felt exhausted and stressed at that time as she was busy growing her business. But after that experience， she found her way of relax， through studying agarwood and incense.
Incense helps to nourish the heart and calm the mind， agarwood incense in particular. “It may sound incredible， but since I started to learn incense culture， my health gets better and I am no longer troubled by the stress and exhaustion from my early years of building my business.”
The health benefits come from the medicine elements in the agarwood. In fact， many incense wood are traditional Chinese medicines， said Pan. “Agarwood for example is good for relaxation， breathing and kidney. Incense appreciation is a way of health preservation.”
Burning is not the only way to absorb incense. You can also granulate incense wood into powder to either eat or drink， or you may make a high quality wood into an artwork to be preserved and sniffed from time to time.
She also studied Kodo in Japan. “Like tea brewing and floral arrangement， Kodo is a way to calm the mind and enjoy a physical and spiritual satisfaction in its slow and steady manners. ”
张丹阳：香之道，在于感悟
张丹阳的父亲是国内著名沉香收藏家“武哥”张晓武。生在一个沉香收藏世家，年轻的张丹阳从小就接触到了香文化。虽然从小接受父亲的言传身教，但他喜欢沉香也是最近几年的事。
20多岁时，张丹阳开始真正喜欢上沉香，喜欢的理由是“因为沉香很酷”。那个年代出生的年轻人玩沉香，在朋友看来，既有神秘感，又让人羡慕。只是张丹阳青年时性格张扬，并不能得沉香之真味。
赴日本留学时，张丹阳开始系统地研究了日本香道。他发现香道在日本文化中具有重要地位。在古代日本，香道便分志野流和御家流两个流派，当时皇族使用御家流，武士阶层使用志野流，对等级的要求极为严格。至今香道在日本同样是贵族们的专属，只有那些具有社会地位、经济地位或文学修养的人才从事香道。
日式香道的一板一式十分吸引张丹阳，将做工精致的整套器具摊在香台上，持炉、夹炭、埋灰、架银叶片、置香，每个步骤都慢条斯理，颇有韵味。尤其在日式香会上，人们围桌以跪姿坐定，在等香炉变温时，每人都要领一套笔墨纸砚，炉子温了，先将香炉依次传递品味，再将所判断的炉中香材种类写在纸上，最后由香元（裁判）揭晓答案。整个香会在形式上被做到了极致。
日式香道中，沉香是至上的香材。张丹阳偶尔会自己一个人在家摆设香席、做香道。不是为了表演，只是为在香道的一板一式中，静静感受沉香的韵味，体会其中禅悟。“社会太浮躁，有时需要借助沉香、香道使自己沉静下来，摒除杂念地去思考与感悟。这个过程妙不可言。”
相对于日式香道，中国的香文化则体现了一种随性的云淡风轻，就像一个道士焚上一炉香，然后神游天外，物我两忘。张丹阳觉得，若说日本香道是在极致中求自然，中国香文化则是大巧若拙、返璞归真。 “在品味沉香时，处处都是禅。例如沉香行成的原因，沉香木先受严重创伤，经过多年‘伤口’愈合，才能‘结出’最好的沉香。这本身就带着禅意。”
品香的方法
香篆法：
香篆法产生于中国唐宋时期，也叫拓香，用一个叫香篆的模具，将香粉填入、压平，然后取出香篆，便形成了香篆上的纹样。点燃香粉，香便随着香篆的图案燃烧。
隔火熏香：
隔火熏香是源自日本的品香方法，用一个瓷杯一样的香炉盛上适量烟灰，再把燃烧的炭块埋在烟灰中，炉上放置一片银叶，再取少量香料撒在银叶上，炉中炭火的热量可使香味缓慢发散，一手持炉、一手盖住炉口，凑近深嗅炉中散发的香味。由于香味散发缓慢，有持久性，所以隔火熏香也分为前、中、后三个阶段，不同时间、不同阶段都有其独特的韵味。
Zhang Danyang， Zen in Incense Appreciation
Zhang Danyang was born to an agarwood collector’s family. But he did not develop a real fondness of the wood until very recent years.
At 20， he decided to love agarwood because “it is cool” and it makes him mysterious and popular among his friends. But he acknowledges that he did not understand the real charm of the wood in those years.
He started to study Kodo when he was studying in Japan and he found out that Kodo plays an important role in Japanese culture. In ancient Japan， Kodo branched into two schools， the Oie-ryu School which prevailed among the court class， and the Shino-ryu School， which is popular among samuri. Even to date， Kodo is a very hierarchical activity in Japan. Only aristocrats and people with high social， economical and academic status can engage in Kodo.
Zhang Danyang was attracted to the manners and formalities of Kodo. Each step of preparing Kodo is slow but rhythmic. The Kumikō is the epitome of Kodo ceremonies. On a Kumiko game， participants sit near one another and take turns smelling incense from a censer as they pass it around the group， then they write down the materials used in the incense， and finally a judge announces the right answer.
In Japanese Kodo， agarwood is the highest quality raw material. Sometimes， Zhang Danyang would practice Kodo at home， not to perform for anyone， but to experience the Zen through the preparation and sniffing of incense. “Sometime we need agarwood and Kodo to leave the bustle of everyday life behind， quieten the mind， and practice introspection.”
Unlike Japanese Kodo which seeks nature through ceremonies， Chinese incense culture is more casual and natural， like a Taoist lost in thinking with a censer of burning incense.
“Zen is everywhere in incense appreciation. The best agarwood comes from the healing of a wood that has suffered many years of injury. This forming process speaks much of Zen.”
Incense engraving
Incense engraving originated in the Tang dynasty. Fill incense powder into an engraving mold， tamp it tight， and you will get an incense with patterns. When you lit it up， it will burn along the lines of the engraved pattern. How to Prepare the Kodo Censer
Fill the incense censer with incense ash， bury burning charcoal into the ash， place a silver leaf the buried charcoal， drop in some incense wood， then hold the censer in one hand， cover it with the other hand， and close in to sniff. The heating of the incense is slow and can be divided into three phases. Each phase is a unique experience.
徐楚峰：沉香市场已无漏可捡
“炒沉香是近几年的事，但早在古时候沉香就价值连城，甚至可以像金银一样成为硬通货。”对于沉香这种比较名贵的香材，徐楚峰如是说。
徐楚峰喜欢品香已经很多年，时间久了，就能发现沉香更大的魅力。在他看来这种魅力在于品味的过程，就像品一支雪茄或红酒一样，一块香料在不同的时间和阶段会产生不同的香气；而一炉香在前、中、后三个燃烧阶段时味道也有所不同，这种细细品味的复杂感觉恰是欣赏沉香的迷人之处。
除了焚香，有时沉香会以雕刻摆件的形态成为收藏家的藏品。根据木质不同，沉香大致可分为惠安系和星洲系两个类型。星洲系沉香体积大，味道比较浓郁，常常被雕刻成摆件。人们信手把玩，放在鼻子附近嗅一嗅便有脱俗的香气。而惠安系沉香体积较小，味道细腻，只有经过加热才能散发优雅的香气。
大多数沉香爱好者喜欢从收藏星洲系沉香入手，因为赏玩星洲系沉香不必焚就可得其雅，所以更容易保值。可一旦深入此道，便会转投惠安系沉香，因为沉香就像上好的葡萄酒，收藏到一定时间，只有喝了才能体会它真正的价值。
过了以上两个阶段，人们可能会接触“和香”，就是根据自己的喜好和养生需要合成香料。“和香”不仅需要玩家对香道十分了解，还需掌握香材本身和中医养生等丰富的知识，是香文化中最高级的玩法，会“和香”的人更是十分稀有。
但对一般藏家来说，其实怎么玩都无所谓，关键是要买真的，避免买到假货。随着近年沉香市场价格的暴涨，上好的奇楠沉香甚至已经卖到数万元每克。很多冒充名贵香材的假香也越来越多。而很多人上当的原因就是抱有“捡漏”的心态。
三年前徐楚峰的一位朋友以1700元/克的价钱收了一块奇楠沉香，拿给徐楚峰来鉴定。尽管那时奇楠的单价虽没有现在这么贵，但也达到了五六千元每克，从那个价钱来看，朋友应该是捡了一个大漏。
“这块‘奇楠沉香’仅从外观上不太能看出问题，但朋友不放心，我就用刀刮了一点，放在炉上鉴定，闻过之后才发现这是一款以马来沉香冒充的‘高仿品’。”徐楚峰说，奇楠是沉香中最名贵的品种，难免有假货，刚开始接触沉香的人需要多品、多学，“看多了，品多了，也就分得清好坏了”。
而一般假货分为两种：一种是“一眼假”；还有一种就是“高仿”。具备一定知识的人认出一眼假很容易，可辨别高仿就需要一定的辨别能力了，在收藏圈有一句话，叫“宁可买贵，绝不买假”，所以对沉香的了解十分重要。而且收藏沉香不能抱有捡漏的心态，因为如今的沉香市场可以说早已无漏可捡了。
最名贵的奇楠
奇楠是最名贵的沉香，但却与沉香有些区别。沉香的结油是从外向里，皮面的油脂比较多，奇楠多为树芯内部感染真菌形成的内结香，内部的油脂丰富。奇楠的香气变化丰富，也更持久，当然价格上好的沉香都上万元每克。
Xu Chufeng： No chances to take
“Agarwood speculation is a very recent phenomenon. Agarwood has been priceless since ancient times that it could be used as hard currency like gold and silver.”
Xu Chufeng has been appreciating incense for years. To him， the beauty of incense appreciating lies in the process. Like cigar or wine， incense produces different fragrance at different times and stages. The burning of incense can be divided into three stages.
Apart from burning， agarwood is sometimes made into artworks. By place of origin， agarwood is generally divided into Huian agarwood and Xingzhou agarwood. The bigger and more aromatic Xingzhou agarwood is often made into artworks， while the smaller and more refined Huian agarwood smells better when hearted.
Most agarwood enthusiasts would start by collecting Xingzhou agarwood， because it maintains value and does not need to be heated or burned. But once you are into it， you would soon turn to Huian agarwood， because like good wines， you do not get its real value until you have tasted it. Some collector might go one step further to “mix incense”， which is to make incense based on your preference and health needs. But it requires full understanding of incense and knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine. Only a limited number of people master the art of mixing incense.
But for average collectors， what matters most is not how to mix incense， but how to tell authentic wood from fake. As the price of agarwood continue to rise， more and more fake agarwood find the way into the market. Most people get cheated because they think they can outsmart the sellers and buy a good wood at low price.
Three years ago， a friend of Xu Chufeng bought a piece of heartwood at 1700RMB/gram when the market price was 5000 to 6000 RMB and presented it to Xu Chufeng for appraisal.
“The ‘heartwood’ appears all right， but my friend was not confident， so I scrapped a little， heated it on the censer， and found out it is a ‘high quality fake’”. Xu said， heartwood is the most precious agarwood， so there could be fakes. “The more you see and appreciate， the easier it is for you to tell the difference.”
It is easy to detect outright fakes， but it takes discernment to tell high quality fakes. As a saying goes among agarwood collector， a collector would “rather pay extra than buy a fake”. Never expect that you can take chances in the agarwood market.
Heartwood
Heartwood is the most precious agarwood because it forms from inside the tree and therefore has richer resin. The aroma of heartwood is more volatile and lasting. The price of heartwood may vary from several thousand to over 10 thousand.
Incense appreciation is an important lifestyle in Chinese culture. The refreshing fragrance of incense can lift your mood， calm your mind， and help your reflections.
沉香是什么
所谓沉香，是因沉香木植物的树芯受外伤或真菌感染，树木分泌大量树脂保护伤口，久之形成了至上的香材，这一过程至少需50年，而好的沉香则需几百甚至上千年才能形成。
Formed as a reaction to fungal or bacterial attack to the tree， a good quality agarwood takes at least 50 years. Better ones may take hundreds of years.
《红楼梦》称得上一部古代贵族生活方式大全，各式华美的建筑、器具以及让人垂涎的美食等在书中都被生动地描绘，品香便是其中之一。直到民国时期，品香还是种主流生活方式并被大家推崇。张爱玲在其小说处女作《沉香屑·第一炉香》中这样描写：“请您寻出家传的霉绿斑斓的铜香炉，点上一炉沉香屑，听我说一个战前香港的故事。您这一炉沉香屑点完了，我的故事也该完了。”
“品香、点茶、插花、挂画”，古典文化中的“四般雅事”自古便引领着人们的生活方式，“香事”尤其如此。人们品香、玩香，说到底就是在玩香的韵味。只是香中的学问很深，现代人品香会显得奢侈又有违和感。但在中国古代，品香就是人们日常的生活风尚，比如春秋时期，人们家中陈设再简单，香炉也必不可少。
香文化在今天有哪些价值？品香又会给自己的身心带来哪些益处呢？在香文化不再流行的今天，人们从事香文化研究更加看重香文化带来的精神愉悦，比如有人喜欢玩香道。秦汉之前，中国人品香并不重视形式，只是单纯追求香材的味道，操作方式也比较简单：将和好的香料随手抓起一把直接扔到焚有炭火的香炉中。到了隋唐时期，人们品香行为变得更加风雅、讲究。而当香文化从唐代传到日本后，日本因为资源奇缺，到手的香料往往被人们视若珍宝，使用时更是讲究到极致，久之便形成了精致的日式香道。
不过，香道仅是香文化的一部分，品香最终品的依然是香材本身。如沉香，正是香道中最好的香材。这种油木混合体因为沉香木植物的树芯受到外伤或真菌感染，树木分泌大量树脂保护伤口，久之便形成了带有独特香味的香材。沉香的形成至少需50年，而好的沉香则需几百甚至上千年才能形成，其珍贵不言而喻。
沉香的珍贵不仅仅是稀有，其价值更在于人们从味觉到心灵的体验。沉香中独特的药性，可以安神顺气、调节身心，使闻者安静下来、远离浮躁。这与中国传统道教中的修身养气的理念不谋而合。所以古人品沉香绝非仅为了附庸风雅，更是一种养生良方。
在当下，依然存在着许多痴爱沉香的品香人。沉香的魅力究竟在哪？听完他们的故事便知。
A vivid portrait of incense appreciation could be found in the Qing Dynasty masterpiece， A Dream of Red Mansion， in which many aspects of Chinese culture are described in detail. Till 1949， incense appreciation had been an admired mainstream lifestyle. The debut novel of Eileen Chang， for example， is titled Agarwood Pieces， The First Censer of Incense.
Incense burning， tea brewing， floral arrangement， and painting have been known traditionally as the “four artful lifestyles”. As early as in 700BC， censer had become indispensable element in home decoration. Even nowadays when incense appreciation seems too extravagant， there are still people who study incense and enjoy the spiritual peace brought by incense burning.
From ancient times to date， the focus of incense appreciation has shifted from fragrance itself to ceremonies. In the Qin and Han Dynasties （221BC to 220AD）， incense was burned in charcoal fire for its fragrance. By Sui Dynasty （581-618）， formalities had been developed around incense burning. And when it was passed to agarwood-scarce Japan in the Tang Dynasty， the art was developed to the extremes， where Kodo， the way of incense was formed and practiced. But Kodo is only part of the incense culture. In the end， it is the incense wood that matters. Agarwood， for example， is the most precious material. Formed as a reaction to fungal or bacterial attack to the tree， a good quality agarwood takes at least 50 years. Better ones may take hundreds of years.
But even more precious is the sensual and spiritual experience brought by incense. The unique medical elements in agarwood could help people relax and calm down， which aligns with the Taoist philosophy of inner cultivation. For ancient Chinese， incense appreciation is not just a fad， but a healthy lifestyle.
Want to know why agarwood attracts people？ Here are some stories shared by today’s agarwood lovers.
潘奕辰：品香是一种生活方式
潘奕辰对香味的喜爱可以追溯到小时候经常使用的雪花膏和花露水。后来到国外留学、经商做企业，香水和精油成了自己最大的爱好，每次出国，去当地购买最好的精油是她必做的一件事。
她对精油和香水的迷恋持续了10年，直到一次偶然的经历彻底改变了她。2008年，潘奕辰正忙于经营自己的公司。一次朋友带她拜访一位收藏家，那座位于景山附近的三进式四合院里有个雅室，室内一排红木明代家具十分考究，而考究的木架子上却摆着几个装有“木头”的简陋玻璃瓶，当时她并不知道瓶中那些造型奇怪的“木头”便是著名的沉香。
随后藏家朋友的表演同样令她惊讶：添加香灰，点燃炭块，再取一点香屑放置在炉上，整个操作简单又十分规矩。藏家把香炉递给了潘奕辰，阵阵清香随之传来，使她获得了从未有过的感觉，紧接着深深地嗅了一下。“那种感觉有些奇妙，一股夹杂着凉甜感觉的淡淡香气直冲我的头顶，不像香水和精油那样带有刺激性香味，它的香清新却充满力量。”
后来她才知道，那天自己闻到的是传闻中的奇楠沉香，是所有沉香中最名贵的品种。有人说能闻到奇楠便是福气，对潘奕辰来说，只是找到了自己最喜欢的味道。
除了味道，品香重要的一点就是养生功效。那段时间潘奕辰对各种酒局、应酬应接不暇，身心压力都很大，有一段时间她恍惚觉得自己身体要垮了。可经历那次品香之后，她的身体、心灵却重新找到了寄托，随后她开始四处求学沉香与香道。
通过逐渐接触，潘奕辰发现品香具有养心、静气的功效，特别是沉香，“说出来你可能不太相信，自从我决定研究香文化以来，身体状况有了明显的好转，之前创业时积攒下的身心疾病也都逐渐消失了。”
潘奕辰说，首先源自香材的药性，因为很多香材本身就是中药材，人们也可以根据自己的身体情况将不同的药物进行调配。“比如我们常说的沉香，就具备安神、调节呼吸、补肾的功效，所以品香其实更是一种养生。”
她认为香的价值就要从香的药性和气韵来体现，而香中那种强大的气韵，可以调节闻着的气息，使人自在舒心，越好的香效果也就越明显。
摄入沉香并非只有焚燃一种方法，切成粉末泡水喝，甚至直接食用都可以使其药性很好地发挥。有些人获得上好的沉香料舍不得使用，做成摆件，经常拿出来闻闻，也对健康大有益处。
沉浸在优雅的烟香中，不时再配上插花和饮茶，在学习品香的过程中，潘奕辰也到日本系统地学习了香道。在她看来，“香道类似于茶道和花道，其实都是使人安静下来的方式，在一种匀速舒缓的慢节奏中，便会感受到身心的舒畅。”
沉香的药用价值
沉香自古就是一味中药材，具有行气止痛、温中助阳、纳气平喘等功效。日本的临床研究证明沉香是治疗胃癌的特效药物和很好的镇痛药。由于沉香价格昂贵，也有“药中黄金”之称，目前很多高端中药中也多用沉香调配而成。
Pan Yichen： Incense appreciation， a lifestyle
Pan’s love of fragrance could be traced back to the lotion and floral water she used at childhood. As she studies abroad and starts to do business， she develops a habit of buying the best essence oil in every foreign city she visits.
This lasted for 10 years until she came across agarwood in 2008 when she was invited to visit a collector near Jingshan， Beijing. Upon arrival， the collector led her and her friend into a guest room in his courtyard. The room is furnished with Ming Dynasty mahogany furniture. Pan was surprised to find on one of the shelves several glass container of wood. But what was more surprising was the following act of the collector. He filled a censer with incense ash， lit the charcoal， placed some wood powder atop the charcoal， and handed the censer to Pan. Pan was overwhelmed by a refreshing aroma. “It was amazing. I felt a sweet， light fragrance going all the way up to my head. Unlike the fragrance of perfume and essence oil， it is refreshing and powerful.”
She later learnt that it was heartwood， a most precious kind of agarwood. Some say it is a blessing to sniff the fragrance， and Pan found her favorite fragrance.
Apart from its fragrance， incense appreciation is also good for health. Pan felt exhausted and stressed at that time as she was busy growing her business. But after that experience， she found her way of relax， through studying agarwood and incense.
Incense helps to nourish the heart and calm the mind， agarwood incense in particular. “It may sound incredible， but since I started to learn incense culture， my health gets better and I am no longer troubled by the stress and exhaustion from my early years of building my business.”
The health benefits come from the medicine elements in the agarwood. In fact， many incense wood are traditional Chinese medicines， said Pan. “Agarwood for example is good for relaxation， breathing and kidney. Incense appreciation is a way of health preservation.”
Burning is not the only way to absorb incense. You can also granulate incense wood into powder to either eat or drink， or you may make a high quality wood into an artwork to be preserved and sniffed from time to time.
She also studied Kodo in Japan. “Like tea brewing and floral arrangement， Kodo is a way to calm the mind and enjoy a physical and spiritual satisfaction in its slow and steady manners. ”
张丹阳：香之道，在于感悟
张丹阳的父亲是国内著名沉香收藏家“武哥”张晓武。生在一个沉香收藏世家，年轻的张丹阳从小就接触到了香文化。虽然从小接受父亲的言传身教，但他喜欢沉香也是最近几年的事。
20多岁时，张丹阳开始真正喜欢上沉香，喜欢的理由是“因为沉香很酷”。那个年代出生的年轻人玩沉香，在朋友看来，既有神秘感，又让人羡慕。只是张丹阳青年时性格张扬，并不能得沉香之真味。
赴日本留学时，张丹阳开始系统地研究了日本香道。他发现香道在日本文化中具有重要地位。在古代日本，香道便分志野流和御家流两个流派，当时皇族使用御家流，武士阶层使用志野流，对等级的要求极为严格。至今香道在日本同样是贵族们的专属，只有那些具有社会地位、经济地位或文学修养的人才从事香道。
日式香道的一板一式十分吸引张丹阳，将做工精致的整套器具摊在香台上，持炉、夹炭、埋灰、架银叶片、置香，每个步骤都慢条斯理，颇有韵味。尤其在日式香会上，人们围桌以跪姿坐定，在等香炉变温时，每人都要领一套笔墨纸砚，炉子温了，先将香炉依次传递品味，再将所判断的炉中香材种类写在纸上，最后由香元（裁判）揭晓答案。整个香会在形式上被做到了极致。
日式香道中，沉香是至上的香材。张丹阳偶尔会自己一个人在家摆设香席、做香道。不是为了表演，只是为在香道的一板一式中，静静感受沉香的韵味，体会其中禅悟。“社会太浮躁，有时需要借助沉香、香道使自己沉静下来，摒除杂念地去思考与感悟。这个过程妙不可言。”
相对于日式香道，中国的香文化则体现了一种随性的云淡风轻，就像一个道士焚上一炉香，然后神游天外，物我两忘。张丹阳觉得，若说日本香道是在极致中求自然，中国香文化则是大巧若拙、返璞归真。 “在品味沉香时，处处都是禅。例如沉香行成的原因，沉香木先受严重创伤，经过多年‘伤口’愈合，才能‘结出’最好的沉香。这本身就带着禅意。”
品香的方法
香篆法：
香篆法产生于中国唐宋时期，也叫拓香，用一个叫香篆的模具，将香粉填入、压平，然后取出香篆，便形成了香篆上的纹样。点燃香粉，香便随着香篆的图案燃烧。
隔火熏香：
隔火熏香是源自日本的品香方法，用一个瓷杯一样的香炉盛上适量烟灰，再把燃烧的炭块埋在烟灰中，炉上放置一片银叶，再取少量香料撒在银叶上，炉中炭火的热量可使香味缓慢发散，一手持炉、一手盖住炉口，凑近深嗅炉中散发的香味。由于香味散发缓慢，有持久性，所以隔火熏香也分为前、中、后三个阶段，不同时间、不同阶段都有其独特的韵味。
Zhang Danyang， Zen in Incense Appreciation
Zhang Danyang was born to an agarwood collector’s family. But he did not develop a real fondness of the wood until very recent years.
At 20， he decided to love agarwood because “it is cool” and it makes him mysterious and popular among his friends. But he acknowledges that he did not understand the real charm of the wood in those years.
He started to study Kodo when he was studying in Japan and he found out that Kodo plays an important role in Japanese culture. In ancient Japan， Kodo branched into two schools， the Oie-ryu School which prevailed among the court class， and the Shino-ryu School， which is popular among samuri. Even to date， Kodo is a very hierarchical activity in Japan. Only aristocrats and people with high social， economical and academic status can engage in Kodo.
Zhang Danyang was attracted to the manners and formalities of Kodo. Each step of preparing Kodo is slow but rhythmic. The Kumikō is the epitome of Kodo ceremonies. On a Kumiko game， participants sit near one another and take turns smelling incense from a censer as they pass it around the group， then they write down the materials used in the incense， and finally a judge announces the right answer.
In Japanese Kodo， agarwood is the highest quality raw material. Sometimes， Zhang Danyang would practice Kodo at home， not to perform for anyone， but to experience the Zen through the preparation and sniffing of incense. “Sometime we need agarwood and Kodo to leave the bustle of everyday life behind， quieten the mind， and practice introspection.”
Unlike Japanese Kodo which seeks nature through ceremonies， Chinese incense culture is more casual and natural， like a Taoist lost in thinking with a censer of burning incense.
“Zen is everywhere in incense appreciation. The best agarwood comes from the healing of a wood that has suffered many years of injury. This forming process speaks much of Zen.”
Incense engraving
Incense engraving originated in the Tang dynasty. Fill incense powder into an engraving mold， tamp it tight， and you will get an incense with patterns. When you lit it up， it will burn along the lines of the engraved pattern. How to Prepare the Kodo Censer
Fill the incense censer with incense ash， bury burning charcoal into the ash， place a silver leaf the buried charcoal， drop in some incense wood， then hold the censer in one hand， cover it with the other hand， and close in to sniff. The heating of the incense is slow and can be divided into three phases. Each phase is a unique experience.
徐楚峰：沉香市场已无漏可捡
“炒沉香是近几年的事，但早在古时候沉香就价值连城，甚至可以像金银一样成为硬通货。”对于沉香这种比较名贵的香材，徐楚峰如是说。
徐楚峰喜欢品香已经很多年，时间久了，就能发现沉香更大的魅力。在他看来这种魅力在于品味的过程，就像品一支雪茄或红酒一样，一块香料在不同的时间和阶段会产生不同的香气；而一炉香在前、中、后三个燃烧阶段时味道也有所不同，这种细细品味的复杂感觉恰是欣赏沉香的迷人之处。
除了焚香，有时沉香会以雕刻摆件的形态成为收藏家的藏品。根据木质不同，沉香大致可分为惠安系和星洲系两个类型。星洲系沉香体积大，味道比较浓郁，常常被雕刻成摆件。人们信手把玩，放在鼻子附近嗅一嗅便有脱俗的香气。而惠安系沉香体积较小，味道细腻，只有经过加热才能散发优雅的香气。
大多数沉香爱好者喜欢从收藏星洲系沉香入手，因为赏玩星洲系沉香不必焚就可得其雅，所以更容易保值。可一旦深入此道，便会转投惠安系沉香，因为沉香就像上好的葡萄酒，收藏到一定时间，只有喝了才能体会它真正的价值。
过了以上两个阶段，人们可能会接触“和香”，就是根据自己的喜好和养生需要合成香料。“和香”不仅需要玩家对香道十分了解，还需掌握香材本身和中医养生等丰富的知识，是香文化中最高级的玩法，会“和香”的人更是十分稀有。
但对一般藏家来说，其实怎么玩都无所谓，关键是要买真的，避免买到假货。随着近年沉香市场价格的暴涨，上好的奇楠沉香甚至已经卖到数万元每克。很多冒充名贵香材的假香也越来越多。而很多人上当的原因就是抱有“捡漏”的心态。
三年前徐楚峰的一位朋友以1700元/克的价钱收了一块奇楠沉香，拿给徐楚峰来鉴定。尽管那时奇楠的单价虽没有现在这么贵，但也达到了五六千元每克，从那个价钱来看，朋友应该是捡了一个大漏。
“这块‘奇楠沉香’仅从外观上不太能看出问题，但朋友不放心，我就用刀刮了一点，放在炉上鉴定，闻过之后才发现这是一款以马来沉香冒充的‘高仿品’。”徐楚峰说，奇楠是沉香中最名贵的品种，难免有假货，刚开始接触沉香的人需要多品、多学，“看多了，品多了，也就分得清好坏了”。
而一般假货分为两种：一种是“一眼假”；还有一种就是“高仿”。具备一定知识的人认出一眼假很容易，可辨别高仿就需要一定的辨别能力了，在收藏圈有一句话，叫“宁可买贵，绝不买假”，所以对沉香的了解十分重要。而且收藏沉香不能抱有捡漏的心态，因为如今的沉香市场可以说早已无漏可捡了。
最名贵的奇楠
奇楠是最名贵的沉香，但却与沉香有些区别。沉香的结油是从外向里，皮面的油脂比较多，奇楠多为树芯内部感染真菌形成的内结香，内部的油脂丰富。奇楠的香气变化丰富，也更持久，当然价格上好的沉香都上万元每克。
Xu Chufeng： No chances to take
“Agarwood speculation is a very recent phenomenon. Agarwood has been priceless since ancient times that it could be used as hard currency like gold and silver.”
Xu Chufeng has been appreciating incense for years. To him， the beauty of incense appreciating lies in the process. Like cigar or wine， incense produces different fragrance at different times and stages. The burning of incense can be divided into three stages.
Apart from burning， agarwood is sometimes made into artworks. By place of origin， agarwood is generally divided into Huian agarwood and Xingzhou agarwood. The bigger and more aromatic Xingzhou agarwood is often made into artworks， while the smaller and more refined Huian agarwood smells better when hearted.
Most agarwood enthusiasts would start by collecting Xingzhou agarwood， because it maintains value and does not need to be heated or burned. But once you are into it， you would soon turn to Huian agarwood， because like good wines， you do not get its real value until you have tasted it. Some collector might go one step further to “mix incense”， which is to make incense based on your preference and health needs. But it requires full understanding of incense and knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine. Only a limited number of people master the art of mixing incense.
But for average collectors， what matters most is not how to mix incense， but how to tell authentic wood from fake. As the price of agarwood continue to rise， more and more fake agarwood find the way into the market. Most people get cheated because they think they can outsmart the sellers and buy a good wood at low price.
Three years ago， a friend of Xu Chufeng bought a piece of heartwood at 1700RMB/gram when the market price was 5000 to 6000 RMB and presented it to Xu Chufeng for appraisal.
“The ‘heartwood’ appears all right， but my friend was not confident， so I scrapped a little， heated it on the censer， and found out it is a ‘high quality fake’”. Xu said， heartwood is the most precious agarwood， so there could be fakes. “The more you see and appreciate， the easier it is for you to tell the difference.”
It is easy to detect outright fakes， but it takes discernment to tell high quality fakes. As a saying goes among agarwood collector， a collector would “rather pay extra than buy a fake”. Never expect that you can take chances in the agarwood market.
Heartwood
Heartwood is the most precious agarwood because it forms from inside the tree and therefore has richer resin. The aroma of heartwood is more volatile and lasting. The price of heartwood may vary from several thousand to over 10 thousand.