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What is in a name? Aloeswood, Chenxiang, Oud, Gaharu ?
Aloeswood, Chenxiang, Gaharu, Oud – all refers to the same type of fragrance wood called Agarwood. Agarwood is strictly the resinous parts of the wood that is contained within Aquilaria trees, also known as lign-aloes trees. The resin would only produce in these trees when there is fungal or bacterial infection or injury from natural phenomenon (Lightning strikes, Forest Fires, Floods, Typhoons, Insects burrowing, Animal attacks from their claws/sharp teeth/horns).
Under natural circumstances, agarwood would only be formed in 10% of all Aquilaria trees. These resin are formed as an antibacterial agent and protective shield against further infection or attacks that would cause injury to the Aquilaria trees.
“Black Gold”, “Diamond of Woods”, “Wood of Gods” are some of the titles synonymous with Agarwood. Why is it so precious and highly demanded? The answer lies in a magnitude of reasons ranging from religious beliefs, cultural practices, status appropriation, medical uses to recent day investment purposes.
Agarwood has been around since the earliest days of human civilisation in Egypt. Its beauty and significance had been recorded in the Bible, Koran and Ancient Buddhist Texts. It was traded along the silk roads for thousands of years. It was used as a royal fragrance over centuries of human history. Today, wild agarwood has been listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Just one rank below extinction, governments worldwide have come to a common consensus to make wild agarwood hunting illegal. What is mostly circulated in the market today are cultivated agarwood from the man-made plantations.
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What’s in the name?
(1) Aloeswood
“Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices.” The Burial of Jesus, as recorded in the Bible.
Aloes here refers to the resin of lion-aloes trees. By using Aloes as the stem word, the name aloeswood was created.
Did you know?
Aloeswood was also said to be in the Garden of Eden. Numbers 24:6 “As the valleys spread forth, as gardens by the river side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.”
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(2) Chenxiang (Jin-Koh, Chim-Hyang)
In East Asia, agarwood is known as 沉香. The word Chen means sinking. So is the Japanese word Jin and Korean word Chim. Agarwood means fragrance wood that sinks. In today’s context, it is very difficult to find sinking agarwood since it takes centuries for it to form.
Did you know?
In ancient times, agarwood could only be used by the imperial family in China, Korea and Japan. Agarwood was one of the most common tribute given by current day Indo-China states to the Chinese Emperor.
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(3) Oud
In the Arabic world, Oud means a thin piece of wood. The Arabs would burn thin pieces of agarwood chips on charcoal when carrying out Islamic ceremonies. Oud, thus became synonymous with agarwood.
Did you know?
In Islam, the religion prohibit the use of alcohol. As such the Arabs had to use Oud Oil as perfume since it is 100% organic and contain 0% alcohol.
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(4) Gaharu
The Malay term for agarwood. The Malay worlds have the largest rainforests in Asia. They have been involved in the trade of gaharu since thousands of years ago.
Did you know?
Many villagers and Orang Alis (Aborigines) rely on the gaharu trade for a livelihood.