“长安雅集 松风留籁·明德惟馨——中国香文化漫谈”

“长安雅集 松风留籁·明德惟馨——中国香文化漫谈”活动于12月1日在北京市海外文化交流基地成功举办。活动精彩视频在央视频、中国网与北京时间播出。此次活动由北京市海外文化交流中心和《茶界中国》总导演刘嘉联合策划。活动中，石景山区北京市级非物质文化遗产“和香制作技艺”项目代表性传承人孙亮将中国香文化的发源、历史，中国四大名香以及香在古代生活中的重要地位进行了展示和讲解，带领观众深入感悟中国古代香文化魅力和博大精深的生活美学智慧。

As a special event of Chang’an Elegant Gathering, “A Living Heritage of China: The Use of Incense for Sacrificial Rituals, Health Maintenance and Self-cultivation: Sharing on Chinese Incense Culture” was held at Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchanges Base on December 1st. .The event was broadcast through CCTV, china.org.cn and BRTV. The event was jointly planned by Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchanges Center and Liu Jia, Director-in-Chief of the Documentary “Tea in China”. During the event, Sun Liang, Representative Inheritor of Beijing Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage “Incense-making” of Shijingshan District, introduced the origin and history of Chinese incense culture, the Four Famous Incenses and the important role of incense in ancient Chinese life, which gave the audience a deeper understanding of the charm of ancient Chinese incense culture and the profound wisdom in Chinese people’s life aesthetics.

活动现场

The Event

四大名香 历史悠久 浓缩华夏文明

The Four Famous Incenses as a miniature of Chinese civilization

沉香

Eaglewood

作为“和香制作技艺”项目代表性传承人，孙亮先生深入浅出地分享了中国香文化的独特形式与悠久历史。代表中国香文化的四大名香“沉檀龙麝”各有特色，内涵丰富。（沉：沉香；檀：檀香；龙：龙涎香或龙脑香；麝：麝香）。

As the Representative Inheritor of Beijing Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage “Incense-making”, Mr. Sun Liang explained in simple terms the unique forms and long history of Chinese incense culture. Each of the Four Famous Incenses that represent China’s incense lore, namely, Eaglewood, Sandalwood, Ambergris and Musk, has its own characteristics and rich connotations.

石景山区北京市级非物质文化遗产“和香制作技艺”项目代表性传承人孙亮先生讲述四大名香

Mr. Sun Liang, Representative Inheritor of Beijing Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage “Incense-making” of Shijingshan District, shares about the Four Famous Incenses

孙亮先生还在现场展示了博山炉、法门寺仿制的行炉和莳绘香盒，并讲述了其使用方法、花纹特点等，引经据典地讲解，让观众了解四大名香背后的历史渊源。在闻香环节中，一呼一吸，芬芳馥郁，现场弥漫在馨悦之中，使人静下心来体会人生和感悟生活。

During the event, Mr. Sun Liang also demonstrated Boshan Furnace, and the Portable Furnace and Maki-e Box replicated by Famen Temple, and cited classics and ancient works to explain their usages and engraved patterns, so that the audience could understand the history behind the Four Famous Incenses. Incense smelling during the event was a particularly pleasant experience. In a fragrant atmosphere created by the incense, the participants were able to relax themselves and appreciate the beauty of life.

左：博山炉；右：莳绘香盒

Left:Boshan Furnace; Right:Maki-e Box

中国文化 漂洋过海 影响深远

Chinese culture establishing far-reaching influence beyond China

麝香、龙涎香

Musk    Ambergris

檀香原材料、檀香雕刻的牌子

Raw materials used to make sandalwood incense

A tablet carved with sandalwoo

中国的“香圣”黄庭坚在香文化领域的成就与影响，却鲜为人知，其在香学领域有极高的造诣，其香学思想直接影响了后来日本“香十德”的总结。在中国香文化的世界中，经常会将黄庭坚“隐几香一炷，灵台湛空明”的诗句用于体悟香的精髓。（元祐元年（1086）黄庭坚写给贾天锡的诗：“险心游万仞，躁欲生五兵。隐几香一炷，灵台湛空明。”已经给了答案，因焚香而灵台空明。）

Lauded for his achievements in literature among Chinese people, Huang Tingjian is little known for his achievements and influence in the field of incense culture. As the Chinese “Sage of Incense”, he has high attainments in the field of incense, with his thoughts on incense lore having a direct impact on the Japanese “Ten Virtues of Incense”. In the realm of incense lore, Huang Tingjian’s verse “A few sticks of incense sticks burnt, a soul restless with anxiety appeased” is often used to highlight the good that incense can do. (The verse was taken from a poem that Huang Tingjian wrote for Jia Tianxi in the first year of Emperor Yuanyou (1086))

感格鬼神，清净身心，

能拂污秽，能觉睡眠，

静中成友，尘里偷闲，

多而不厌，寡而为足，

久藏不朽，常用无碍。

——《香十德》

It can communicate with supernatural beings, and purify body and soul;

It can be used to clear away filth, and is conducive to sleep;

It offers good company in solitude, and moments of delight in a busy life;

One can never get too much of it, while the tiniest amount does its job;

It does not perish when stored for a long time, and can be used regularly from day to day.

——Ten Virtues of Incense

黄庭坚《花气熏人贴》

“Smelling Flowers” by Huang Tingjian

北京市海外文化交流中心副主任王海茹在活动中与嘉宾交流

Deputy Director of Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchanges Center Wang Hairu communicated with guests during the event

北京市海外文化交流中心副主任刘玮治在活动中与嘉宾交流

Deputy Director of Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchanges Center  Liu Weizhi  communicated with guests during the event

嘉宾观香闻香

Guests appreciating incense

香气之美 袅袅升起 尽显明德惟馨

Rising aroma speaks volume about the beauty and virtues of incense

香，沁入心脾之味、滋润喉舌之甘，不仅有其行更兼其智，将传统文化的内在修持和外在精髓，深入地融入到日常美学中让嘉宾感受到香是健康、更是生活，是语言、亦是画面，是品行、尤是美德。立冬之时，小雪之前，古人都会携一暖炉，会客焚香。明德惟馨寓意着这种美德精神像香气一样，不仅令人印象深刻，更是历久弥新，穿过时间长廊。

With pleasant aroma, incense offers a range of physical and psychological benefits. With a focus on the rituals and essence of incense lore as deeply embedded in the day-to-day life aesthetics of Chinese literati, this event explores the profound influence of incense in different aspects of Chinese culture. It foregrounds the role of incense in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and more symbolically, the virtues it represents. Traditionally, before the “Start of Winter”, a solar term in Chinese lunar calendar, the ancients would receive visitors and burn incense with a stove. The rationale behind adopting incense as a symbol for virtues lies in people’s hope that good deeds would impress people and endure through the ages, just like incense when burnt.

现场焚香

Burning incense

作为北京市海外文化交流中心的品牌项目，“长安雅集”坚持不断探索“沉浸式体验中国文人美学生活”的新模式。此期长安雅集选择以香会友，入香之道，带领嘉宾体验感受古今文化之美，亲身体验香之惬意怡人、德之源远流长，旨在深入挖掘‘北京之源’文化内涵，充分利用海外中心对外交往优势，推动线上线下融合，打造文化新体验。

As a signature project of Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchanges Center, “Chang’an Elegant Gathering” has kept exploring a new mode of “immersive experience of Chinese literati’s life aesthetics”. This event of Chang’an Elegant Gathering aims to share the beauty of ancient and contemporary Chinese culture with a focus on incense lore, so that the guests, while delighted by incense, will be able to appreciate the long-lasting virtues it represents. The event represents an effort to further explore Chinese cultural traditions, and the original culture of Beijing in particular. Leveraging the strength of Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchanges Center in international exchanges, it strives to create a whole new cultural experience by integrating online and onsite elements in a hybrid fashion.