Apart from these unconventional uses, what are the main uses of ancient spices? What types are there? What are their characteristics?
Speaking of it, the history of spices in China is quite long. In Jin Ming's works in Zhou Dynasty, there are records of "Huan" wine made of millet and spices. It is often listed at the forefront of the award list, which shows its value.
Spices have various uses, some for important ceremonies, some for burning incense and punctuality, some for fumigating clothes and preventing insects, and some for making cosmetics. In the hands of famous doctors such as Hua Tuo and Li Shizhen, spices can be used as medicine to treat diseases.
Ancient spices mainly include natural plant spices and animal spices.
Plant spices are made of essential oils, resins and gums collected from various parts of plants, mainly including agarwood, sandalwood, storax and borneol.
Animal perfume is the secretion or excrement of animals. There are not many kinds of spices, but they are rare and uncommon. Generally only a few princes and nobles can afford it. Familiar with musk and dragon saliva incense.
Animal spices should be used with other spices. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, musk, sandalwood, clove, frankincense, storax and other plant spices were used to make "tooth incense" (contained in the mouth), seal incense, mural incense and so on.
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