I’m always amazed at the moods, seasons, plants and flowers that Asian incense can evoke — considering the basic building blocks of most Japanese, Chinese and Korean incense are few (benzoin, frankincense, aloes wood, sandalwood, clove, cinnamon). Jing Kwan (Clear Gaze) incense from Korea is made from all-natural ingredients and contains frankincense, aloes wood, sandalwood and some “secret” spices.
Jing Kwan was formulated by Zen (or “Son” in Korean) monks for use in temples. It was created to aid meditation by calming mental or physical distress. Korean incense, and Buddhism, made their way into Japan in the sixth century, and the aromas and formulations of Korean and Japanese incense are similar, with the focus on sweet, powdery woods and spices…