Antonio Mcgowan
Incense burners have been used in China for thousands of years, dating back to the Neolithic period. The earliest incense burners were made of clay, evolving into bronze vessels in the 5th century BCE. The iconic Boshan Lu, or hill censer, became popular during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), with intricate designs showcasing classic Chinese mountain scenery. During the Ming Dynasty, incense burners took on two basic forms: a square vessel on four feet or a circular tripod, both with perforated lids. Incense burners are often made of bronze or pottery, with handles, and are used in religious rituals and traditional medicine.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Origin | 5000 years ago |
| Materials | Clay, Bronze, Gold, Porcelain |
| Periods and Dynasties | Warring States Period, Han, Song, Ming, Qing, Pre-Qin, Qin, Pre-Tang, Tang, Yuan, Renaissance, Imperial Rule |
| Shapes | Round, Single-footed stemmed basin, Mountain-style, Square vessel, Circular tripod vessel |
| Other Features | Pierced/Perforated lid, Three-dimensional representation of the Daoist Isles of the Blest, Abstract gold splashes |
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What You'll Learn
Clay incense burners from the Neolithic period
The earliest Chinese incense burners were made of clay and date back to the Neolithic period. One such burner, excavated in 1968, was discovered among ancient kiln ruins in the Shaanxi province of China. Standing at 19.4 centimetres tall, it features five "naked, muscled men", a leaf pattern along its neck, and an intricate floral design around its mouth. The burner is coated with a grey-green celadon glaze, which was common among pottery produced during the Song dynasty (960–1279 CE).
Another example of a clay incense burner from the Neolithic period was unearthed from the Fuquan Shan site in Shanghai's Qingpu district. This burner, which dates back over 4,000 years, is believed to have been used for spiritual ceremonies of the time. It features a bamboo pattern.
The use of incense in ancient China dates back thousands of years, with the burning of plant materials for ceremonial and worshipping purposes known to exist from the Neolithic period. For instance, archaeological sites such as Shanghai's Songze Relic Site have uncovered evidence of burning in its ceremonial alters, dating back approximately 6,000 years.
During the Neolithic period, incense was an essential part of life, especially for the imperial palace and the intellectual class. Incense was also used for medicinal purposes, with ancient Chinese texts noting its physiological and psychological benefits.
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Bronze Boshan burners from the 5th century BCE
The earliest Chinese incense burners were made of clay and date back to the Neolithic times. These evolved into elaborate mountain-styled bronze Boshan burners in the 5th century BCE.
The iconic Boshan Lu or Boshan incense burners began to be made in the 5th century BCE and flourished in the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). The name Boshan Lu translates to "universal mountain". The burners are designed to look like a mountain, with apertures that make the rising incense smoke appear like clouds or mist swirling around a mountain peak. The openwork lid features the cardinal emblems of early Han art: the Blue Dragon in the east, the Red Bird in the south, the White Tiger in the west, and the Dark Warrior in the north, which is generally represented by a turtle entwined with a snake but may also be embodied by a camel. The Dark Warrior depicted as a camel reflects Han contact with its nomadic neighbours. The burners are often decorated with scenes of animal combat and people going about their daily lives, such as a man leading a cart.
A gold-inlaid bronze Boshan incense burner dating from the Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE–9 BCE) is housed in the Hebei Museum. It stands at an impressive 26 cm (10.25") high, with a diameter of 9.7 cm (3.8"). The burner is made from bronze with inlaid gold highlights and showcases a classic Chinese mountain scenery, animated with a variety of hunters and mountain animals. Another famous Boshan burner is housed in the Taipei Palace Museum. This burner showcases a peacock sitting atop a mountain surrounded by clouds.
The influence of the Boshan incense burner shape lasted for millennia. The period between the Han and Tang dynasties was marked by fragmentation, political turmoil, and wars, yet significant developments in incense culture still occurred. From the 3rd century onwards, ceramic techniques developed at a rapid pace. By the Song dynasty, minimally designed porcelain incense holders became the norm, and the Ming dynasty saw the creation of the iconic Xuan De-style burner.
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Porcelain incense holders from the Song dynasty
The use of incense in China dates back to Neolithic times, and for much of its history, it was an essential part of life, especially for the imperial palace and the intellectual class. Incense was used in a wide range of Chinese cultural activities, including religious ceremonies, ancestor veneration, traditional medicine, and in daily life.
During the Song dynasty (960-1279), the use of incense became a huge part of Chinese culture, both economically and socially. The nobility enjoyed incense as a popular cultural pastime, even building rooms specifically for incense ceremonies. The intellectuals of the Song dynasty collected and blended incense, taking pride in developing their own unique ways and styles of using incense.
The typical Song incense holder was made of ceramic, had a basic geometric shape, and showcased a single subtle colour like the blue-green celadon glaze. Many Song incense holders also had a large opening, as incense powder use (incense seals) also reached its peak during this period. The use of stick incense also became popular during the Song dynasty, and this was reflected in the number of smaller and unlidded incense holders unearthed from this time onwards. The typical Song incense holder was minimally designed, corresponding with the rising popularity of stick incense, which did not require a large incense holder.
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Bronze censers from the Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (1368–1644) witnessed a cultural fascination with archaic bronzes, leading to the production of new censers emulating bronze age forms. This era refined bronze shapes, elevating the globular tripod censer to one of the most revered forms. The earliest Chinese incense burners were made of clay and date back to the Neolithic times. These evolved into elaborate mountain-styled bronze Boshan burners in the 5th century BCE. The Ming dynasty saw the creation of the Xuande lu, a type of censer.
The patina of the censer was a means of showing refinement and personality, with the most sought-after patina being one that naturally developed over time. During the Xuande period, a fashion emerged for chemically treating the surface of the bronze after casting to imitate ancient patinas, resulting in a range of colours. The surface colours produced ranged from russet hues and tea-brown to gunmetal grey and surfaces mottled with greens and blacks.
The censers of the Ming dynasty were often decorated with abstract gold splashes, a stylistic choice that may have originated in the creative expression of craftsmen and collectors. The weight of the censer was closely related to its material, production and usage. While censers used for ritual purposes were larger to impart ceremonial gravitas, the incorporation of censers into secular contexts called for the creation of lighter, smaller, and even portable vessels.
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Brass incense burners
Incense has been an integral part of Chinese culture since the Neolithic period, with the earliest incense burners made of clay. Over time, incense burners evolved into more intricate designs, with the iconic Boshan Lu (or Boshan incense burners) becoming popular during the Han Dynasty. These burners were made of bronze with intricate gold inlays, showcaseing classic Chinese mountain scenery.
One common design for a brass incense burner is the censer, a small metal or stone dish used for burning incense. Censors are often suspended on chains and may have small bells attached. The bowl of a censer holds hot coals, with the incense placed on top to burn and release its fragrance.
In addition to their practical use, brass incense burners can also hold cultural and religious significance. In Christianity, for example, burning incense in a brass censer represents the prayers of the faithful rising towards Heaven as a spiritual fragrance. Brass incense burners can also be found in Buddhist and Daoist temples, where they are used in various ceremonies and rituals.
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Frequently asked questions
The earliest Chinese incense burners were made from clay and date back to the Neolithic times.
During the Han dynasty, incense burners were made from bronze with inlaid gold highlights.
Incense burners in the Ming dynasty were made in two basic forms: a square vessel on four feet, fitted with two handles and a pierced lid, and a circular tripod vessel, also fitted with a perforated lid. These were made from bronze.
In the Song dynasty, incense burners were made from porcelain.
Modern Chinese incense burners are made from a variety of materials, including brass, bronze, and ceramics.
