The Heritage

the threefold heritage

Perfumery has hardly ever been acknowledged as a valuable heritage – especially the perfumery arts beyond the Western world. However, Asia’s treasury speaks for itself.

(in respect of the UNESCO criteria)

cultural heritage

Representing landscapes, growing areas of raw materials, trade entrepôts, as well locations of the fine use of aromatics with their distinctive infrastructure and visible achievements.

natural heritage

Mirroring Asia’s diverse and unique climates and natural features that led and supported the development of an abundant, unique and diverse (fragrant) flora.

cultural intangible heritage

Representing practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith.
Recognized by communities, groups, and in some cases, individuals, as part of their cultural heritage.
Transmitted from generation to generation.
Constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history.
Providing with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.

further information about the heritage

benchmarks	its therapeutic value	today’s challenges
Keywords desribing the scopes and facets of the huge and diverse field of traditional Asian perfumery	Medical terms hinting at the therapeutic effects of aromatic substances and indications	pointers at recent developments influencing and/or resulting from perfumery practices

visual impressions

A collection of pictures will give you a better idea of the wealth and aesthetics of Asian perfumery practices.

benchmarks

Contents:
01 history
02 resources
03 feedstock
04 producing
05 products
06 using
07 utensils
08 intake
09 appreciating
10 aesthetics
11 meaning
12 profession
13 changes

01 history

HISTORY OF ASIAN PERFUMERY ARTS

Appreciation of the fragrant landscape presumably since the beginning of Asian civilization and throughout Asia.
Provable origins of a ‚handicraft‘ over 2–3,000 years ago.
Specialization of a perfumery art – i.e. skills of conserving and refining the aromatics as well as as appreciating them reverently – over the course of the centuries at exclusive locations.
Intracontinental transmission of materials, techniques and meanings via land and sea routes over the course of time – with the effect of exchange and mutual inspiration.
Notable entanglement with Western business activities since the 16th century.

02 resources

FAMOUS REPRESENTATIVES OF ASIA’S ENDEMIC AROMATIC RESOURCES

Agarwood – ambergris – basil – benzoin – birch – cajeput – camellia – camphor – cardamom – cassia – cedar – cinnamon – civet – cloves – conifer – coriander – cypress – elemi – eucalyptus – fenugreek – fir – frangipani – frankincense – galbanum – gallnuts – ginger – jasmine – kanuka – lemongrass – lily – litsea – magnolia – maple – musk – myrrh – neroli – nutmeg – osmanthus – palmarosa – patchouli – pepper – pine – rhododendron – rosemary – roses – saffron – sandalwood – shell hinges – spikenard – spruce – star anise – storax – tea tree – tuberose – tulsi – vetiver – yarrow – ylang-ylang.

03 feedstock

PARTS OF PLANTS THAT HOST AROMATIC MOLECULES

Balm – bark – blossom – fruit (peel) – grass – leaves – lichen – needle – resin – root – seeds – wood.

04 producing

EFFORTS TO PRODUCE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF AROMATIC GOODS

(1) RAW MATERIALS

growing
harvesting

(2) REFINED (PURE) GOODS

cleaning
washing
drying
carving
grinding
distilling
extracting

(3) REFINED MIXED PRODUCTS

blending
cooking
saturating

05 products

TYPICAL

the natural surrounding as such
aromatic wood artefacts
fresh (parts of) plants (flowers, herbs, and other)
dried (parts of) plants (flowers, herbs and other)
powders
incense cake (as balls, cookies, soft sticks)
incense sticks (including a wood stick)
pastes
distillates
oils
cremes

06 using

SKILLS OF MAKING AROMATICS GIVE OFF THEIR FRAGRANCE

diffusing
boiling
censing

07 utensils

SELECT PERFUMERY UTENSILS

(1) PRODUCING

cooking pots
still
productional tools

(2) STORING

sstoring boxes

(3) APPRECIATING

sprinkler
censer
incense holder
fine boxes
fine cutlery
rack

08 intake

WAYS OF TAKING IN THE AROMATIC MOLECULES

inhalation
skin application
ingestion

09 appreciating

TRADITIONAL WAYS OF APPRECIATING FRAGRANCES REVERENTLY

Sensory appreciation of the natural atmosphere by full awareness.
Garden architecture.
Fragrant sacrifices to divine entities.
Noble gesture of respect and hospitality to the community.
Ritual appreciation of select olfactory notes for leisure and spiritual aims.
Therapeutic use of aromatics.
Flavoring food.

10 aesthetics

EXEMPLARY IDEALS AND CRITERIA (EACH ONE DESCRIBING A SPECIFIC CULTURE).

Naturalness (Eastern Asia)
Support of ritual purity (Islamic Asia).
Representation of Paradise (Central Asia).
Supporting harmony and balance of physical energies (South Asia).
Accompanied by visible smoke rising to the sky, or to the Gods respectively (Eastern Asia).

11 meaning

TRADITIONAL MEANING OF FRAGRANCES

Representing, symbolizing and supporting divine presence and energies.
Source of gaining spiritual insight and refining one’s personality.
Signifying healthy conditions.
Supporting the maintenance of human health (’natural pharmacy‘).
Paying respect towards divine entitites as well as the community.

12 profession

PERFORMING THE PROFESSION

In the beginning: Everyday habit – overlap of cooking, hygienic care, and reverent devotional service.
Over the centuries: Hobby – especially among those populations living in the cultivation area of aromatic plants.
By time: Special profession – of herbalists, pharmacologists, therapists, spiritual masters, and perfumers.

13 changes

TODAY’S ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE AND THREATS

Integration into global markets of multinational enterprises especially since the 1990s.
Object of (international) patents.
A sizeable multi-billion dollar business.
Overexploitation and loss of natural resources.
Loss of local knowledge and traditional (sensory and production) skills.

its therapeutic value

exemplary therapeutic qualities of aromatics

Anti-allergic, antidepressant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiseptic, antiviral, bactericidal, disinfectant, epithelializing, facilitating concentration, fungicidal, harmonizing, immunomodulating, immunostimulating, mood-enhancing, mucolytic, neurotonic, secretolytic, sedative, spasmolytic, virucidal, vitalizing, and other.

Note: The information describes the use of natural, pure, biologically grown/produced aromatics!

general indications

Breathing, care, concentration, energy, immunity, metabolic processes, mood, psyche, skin, sleep, stress, vitality, and other.

today’s challenges

entanglement in global economic strains

Integration into global markets (with a volume of billions of dollar) of multinational enterprises.
Object of (international) private patents.
International industrial marketing.
Growing demands due to population growth and increasing consumption quantities.
Shift of roles – concerning Asian countries often towards the role of exporting raw materials and importing ready products.
Decline of earlier local professions and possibilities of livelihood.

interdependence with ecological processes

Overexploitation and overconsumption of natural resources.
Endangerment and loss of biological resources with their unique aromatic notes and character, resulting in a decline of biodiversity.
Mass cultivation, often including the use of pesticides and fertilizers and followed by their effects on local ecosystems and human health.
Distribution of synthetic substitutes in nature, followed by their specific effects on ecological systems and human health.

expression of profound cultural changes

Change of consumption habits (towards mass-consumption and preference of fashionable international products).
Loss of traditional skills of recognizing, growing, refining and appreciating aromatics.
Loss of (phyto-) therapeutic resources, knowledge and skills.
Loss of earlier olfactory knowledge.
Neglect of effective methods of preventive und curative healthcare, in favor of (often costly) synthetic remedies.
General detachment from nature, followed by the so-called ‘nature deficit disorder’ with its typical mental and physical health symptoms.

further information

Links for taking up further research on this topic

beitraggallery

The wealth of the Asian perfumery arts is portrayed along five thematic categories: resources - skills - artefacts - knowledge - rituals.

Pictures from various regions of Asia are displayed side-by-side in order to emphasize the joint history that gave rise to a pan-Asian perfumery heritage, while also emphasizing special, local features.

resources

flora – fauna – minerals

skills

production – use – perception

artefacts

perfumes – accessories – (re-)presentation

knowledge

fragrances – aesthetics – codification

rituals

procedures – spaces – transmission

benchmarks of the asian heritage