Antonio Mcgowan
The use of perfume in China has evolved over the years, with a rich history dating back to ancient times. While perfume played a significant role in ancient China, the country's recent history, including Mao's Cultural Revolution, disrupted traditional perfume culture. Today, the Chinese perfume market is unique, with varying social and cultural attitudes towards scent influencing consumption patterns. This paragraph will explore the dynamics of perfume usage and its significance in China, shedding light on both historical traditions and modern trends.
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What You'll Learn
Chinese perfume history
The ancient Chinese were pioneers of aromatic products, and perfume played a significant role in their daily lives and places of worship. They are often credited with introducing perfume to Eastern culture. The ancient Chinese believed that scented products elevated their quality of life, so they surrounded themselves with aromatic items inside their homes. They also viewed perfume as a disinfectant and purifier, with medicinal benefits. Before creating complex perfumes, they used simple perfumes with natural accords that were widely loved. Modern Oriental perfumes are heavily inspired by these ancient creations.
Perfume was accessible only to noble families because of its exorbitant pricing. It was often used as a home fragrance, placed in incense burners to infuse the aroma into the surroundings. According to Chinese literature, fashion-conscious women would wear the nectars distilled from flowers such as lily, lotus, and chrysanthemum. One historical figure well known for her love of fragrance was the Dowager Empress Cixi, who ruled at the end of Imperial China. She used oils like jasmine, rose, orange blossom, and honeysuckle as fragrances on her body and in her tea.
The use of perfume in China was disrupted during Mao's Cultural Revolution. Maoist doctrine declared wearing perfume decadent, and it was made illegal. As a result, the traditional Chinese perfume industry was ended after 1967. By the time the country emerged after the overthrow of the Gang of Four, Chinese people had lost the habit of wearing perfume.
Today, the perfume market in Asia is dominated by high-end fragrance houses from the US and Europe, where expensive perfumes are considered a status symbol. However, traditional fragrances like "chen xiang" (agarwood or oud) are still valued. While agarwood is not purchased for its fragrance, its expense gives it prestige, and it is considered the ultimate contemporary luxury.
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Chinese perfume market
China's perfume market is an industry with significant growth potential. While the country's perfume culture has been negatively impacted by its history, particularly during the Cultural Revolution when Maoist doctrine deemed perfume decadent and illegal, the market is evolving.
Historically, China had a rich tradition of fragrance use, with natural ingredients like flowers, herbs, and spices playing a central role in religious ceremonies and personal fragrances. The Taoist belief in the liberation of a plant's soul through fragrance extraction and the perception of a deep connection between aroma and the mind-body state shaped ancient Chinese perfume culture. However, the modern-day average Chinese person does not regularly wear perfume, and fragrance is not perceived or used in the same way as in Western cultures.
The Chinese perfume market is dominated by Western luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, and L'Oréal, which cater to the fashionable elite. These brands are sought after as status symbols, with consumers prioritising how a scent makes them feel and the image it projects rather than the actual fragrance notes. This presents a unique challenge and opportunity for companies wishing to tap into the Chinese market, as effective marketing strategies can gain a foothold in this lucrative industry.
Despite the dominance of Western brands, China's perfume market is witnessing the emergence of independent fragrance boutiques like Minorité in Shanghai, which stocks over 15 independent perfume brands. This indicates a growing interest in exploring a diverse range of fragrances, including both traditional and modern scents. Traditional Chinese fragrances, such as "chen xiang" or agarwood (oud), are also gaining traction, showcasing the market's potential for growth and diversification.
The behaviour and cultural trends within the Chinese market are evolving due to increased disposable income and Western influence. This shift has made fragrances more accessible to a wider range of consumers, and the scent economy has expanded to include body care, bath, and laundry products. With China's vast population and the perfume market's rapid growth between 2014 and 2018, there are ample opportunities for companies to establish themselves and cater to the unique preferences and aspirations of Chinese consumers.
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Chinese perfume culture
China has a rich history of perfume use, which played an important role in both religious rituals and daily life. Perfume was often used to honour gods and goddesses, and the Chinese viewed it as a disinfectant and purifier of spaces. The ancient Chinese also introduced perfume to Eastern culture, using many unusual scented products, such as perfumed ink.
During the Sui and Song dynasties, perfume use became popular among the rich and noble, with ingredients traded via the Silk Road. Its use reached its height during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The ancient Chinese enjoyed perfume as a daily grooming ritual, believing that scented products elevated their quality of life. They also believed that every perfume was a medicine, and that aromas were deeply connected to the status of the mind and body.
However, China's perfume culture changed drastically during the Cultural Revolution under Mao, when wearing perfume was deemed decadent and even made illegal. This caused the traditional Chinese perfume industry to suffer immensely, and by the time the country emerged after the overthrow of the Gang of Four, Chinese people had lost the habit of wearing perfume.
Today, China's perfume market is dominated by Western brands, with Chanel being the market leader, followed by Dior, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, and L'Oréal China. Perfume is often bought as a gift or for prestige rather than personal preference, and most sales are concentrated in first-tier cities. Surveys suggest that only 1% of Chinese people use perfume, compared to around 60% in the US or UK.
Despite the current lack of a longstanding perfume culture in China, there are still some unique aspects to China's relationship with fragrance. For example, agarwood or oud, known as "chen xiang" in Chinese, remains an important symbol of prestige and status, despite being purchased more for its expense than its fragrance. Chinese people also generally prefer milder scents that border more on freshness, such as Eau de toilette.
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Chinese perfume taboos
The use of perfume in China has historically been viewed differently from Western cultures, and there are several taboos and cultural norms surrounding fragrances.
Firstly, during Mao's Cultural Revolution, wearing perfume was considered a symbol of Western bourgeois "decadence" and was made illegal. This period, which lasted until 1967, effectively ended the traditional Chinese perfume industry, and those who continued to use fragrances were punished. As a result, the Chinese people lost the habit of wearing perfume, and it has not been a common practice since, except for a small percentage of the population.
Secondly, in traditional Chinese culture, the use of perfume was closely linked to Taoist beliefs. The extraction of a plant's fragrance was believed to liberate the soul of the plant, and the transformation of solid incense into scented vapors mirrored the spiritual transmutation of the physical state. As such, incense was as popular as perfume, and there was little distinction between the two. Perfume was also believed to be medicinal, and a deep connection was drawn between aromas and the status of the mind and body.
In contemporary China, the perfume market is dominated by Western companies, and fragrances are primarily purchased as status symbols rather than for their olfactory qualities. This is partly due to the lack of a longstanding perfume culture in China and the different attitudes and perceptions of scent.
Additionally, in Chinese gift-giving culture, it is considered taboo to give perfume as a present, as the temporary nature of scent is believed to imply a weak or fleeting relationship.
Overall, while there are no explicit religious prohibitions against the use of perfume in China, the historical, cultural, and social taboos surrounding fragrances have shaped the way they are perceived and used in the country today.
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Chinese perfume consumption
China has a rich history of perfume use, though it is not as longstanding as the perfume cultures of countries like France. In ancient China, perfume was used in religious rituals and places of worship, believed to purify the space and keep diseases away. The ancient Chinese also used perfume in their daily grooming rituals, with the belief that scented products elevated their quality of life. During the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han periods, incense—which was considered a symbol of high status and believed to have spiritual benefits—became popular.
However, the perfume industry in China was significantly impacted by Maoist doctrine during the Cultural Revolution, which declared that wearing perfume was decadent and illegal. This resulted in the decline of the traditional Chinese perfume industry after 1967.
In modern times, the Chinese perfume market is dominated by Western companies, with Chanel being the market leader, followed by Dior, Lancome, and Calvin Klein. Surveys suggest that only about 1% of Chinese people use perfume, compared to around 60% in the US or UK. Most sales are concentrated in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, or Chengdu, and a significant portion of perfumes are bought as gifts, with brand status being an important factor in purchasing decisions.
Cultural attitudes also play a role in the lower perfume consumption in China. Unlike in Western cultures, where strong scents are common, Chinese locals prefer milder fragrances. Additionally, the Chinese do not have the same need to mask body odours with perfume, as they do not tend to sweat and smell as strongly as people in Western cultures.
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Frequently asked questions
While perfume is used in China, it is not as commonly perceived or used in the same way as in Western countries. Surveys suggest that just 1% of Chinese people use perfume compared to around 60% in the US or the UK.
During the Cultural Revolution, Maoist doctrine declared wearing perfume to be decadent and it was made illegal. This meant that the traditional Chinese perfume industry ended after 1967 and Chinese people lost the habit of wearing perfume.
Perfume has a rich history in China and was used in daily life. It was also used in places of worship and for religious rituals. The ancient Chinese pioneered aromatic products and used many unusual scented items, such as perfumed ink. The popularity of perfume reached its height during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
