Chinese arborvitae: a buyer's guide崖柏：买家指南Materials guide

What "Chinese arborvitae" actually means"崖柏"究竟指什么

In horticulture, Chinese arborvitae usually refers to Platycladus orientalis (ce bai 侧柏), a conifer widely planted across northern China and long used in traditional incense and folk woodwork. In the Chinese incense market, however, "yabai" commonly means weathered, dead-standing or long-dead old wood collected from cliff terrain in the Taihang mountain region — valued for a dense, resinous, dry character.

园艺与植物学上，"Chinese arborvitae"通常指侧柏 Platycladus orientalis，是中国北方广泛栽种的柏科树种，长期用于传统制香与民间木作。但在中国香材市场，"崖柏"多指太行山崖壁地带采集的风化枯死老料，以致密、含脂、干爽的质地受重视。

A second point matters for compliance. The name ya bai also belongs to Thuja sutchuenensis, a critically endangered and legally protected wild species in China. Confusing the two is not a marketing detail — it changes whether a material can be traded at all. We use "Chinese arborvitae" for our incense and specify the material in writing; we do not deal in wild protected timber, and we do not claim any protected-species origin.

第二点关乎合规："崖柏"同时也是崖柏属 Thuja sutchuenensis 的名称，属中国极度濒危、受法律保护的野生植物。把两者混为一谈不是文案细节，而是决定材料能否合法流通。我们的香品以 "Chinese arborvitae" 标注并书面写明材料，不经营野生保护树种，也不宣称任何保护物种来源。

If a supplier uses "yabai" without saying which material, where it came from and whether it is cultivated, plantation, salvaged deadwood or wild-harvested, ask for the answer in writing before discussing price.

若供应商只说"崖柏"而不说明材料、来源，以及是种植、人工林、枯死老料回收还是野外采伐，请在谈价格前先要一份书面答复。

Scent profile香气特征

Good arborvitae incense is dry, resinous and quietly woody, with a faint peppery or herbal edge and a suggestion of mountain air — closer to a cedar closet than to a sweet perfume. It is less creamy than sandalwood and far less dense than agarwood. The note stays fairly even through the burn, which makes it useful both as a single-material stick and as a dry counterweight in a compound formula.

好的崖柏香干燥、带树脂感、木质安静，微有辛香或草本气息，隐约像山间空气——更接近雪松木柜，而非甜香水。它比檀香少奶润，比沉香轻得多，燃烧过程相对稳定，因此既适合做单方线香，也适合在合香里作为干爽的平衡项。

Because the scent is subtle, it is easily buried. A stick that smells strongly of perfume or smoke at first sniff is usually carrying added fragrance rather than showing the wood. This is one material where a restrained cold smell is a good sign.

正因香气克制，很容易被盖住。冷闻就浓香或烟味冲鼻的线香，多半是外加香精而非木本味。对这种材料来说，冷闻清淡反而是好迹象。

We describe the note in plain sensory language — dry cedar, resin, mountain air — and make no claim about mood, health or outcome. Incense is a combustible aromatic product for scent and atmosphere only.

我们用朴素的感官词描述——干雪松、树脂、山间空气——不承诺情绪、健康或结果。香品仅作为用于气味与氛围的可燃香品出售。

Sourcing and legality来源与合法性

Three questions should be answered before an order: what species or material is it, where did it come from, and what documentation accompanies the consignment. For material described as weathered or dead-standing wood, ask how the source is evidenced and whether any collection or transport permit applies in the origin country.

下单前要问清三件事：具体是什么树种/材料、来自哪里、随货有哪些文件。对标注为风化料或枯立木的材料，要追问来源如何证明、原产国是否涉及采集或运输许可。

Import rules differ by destination. Classification, labelling and import registration are confirmed with the importer before shipment, and material identification, test records and destination-country papers are handled project by project. We do not claim a certificate, permit or test report until the document exists for that batch.

各国进口规则不同。归类、标签与进口登记在出货前与进口方确认；材料鉴定、检测记录与目的国文件按项目逐项处理。在文件未实际存在前，不预先承诺任何证书、许可或检测报告。

This is also why we publish indicative specifications rather than a fixed retail price for raw material. Chips, powder and finished sticks are quoted separately, with samples first and a written specification sheet attached to every quotation.

这也是我们只公布参考规格、不给原料设固定零售价的原因。木片、香粉与成品线香分别报价，先寄样，每份报价随附书面规格单。

How it is used in Chinese incense在中国香中的用法

Arborvitae is ground into powder for hand-rolled sticks and cones, used as a dry, structural note in compound blends, and occasionally heated as small chips. In a formula it behaves a little like cedarwood does in perfumery: it adds a clean, dry frame without dominating the sweeter or resinous materials around it.

崖柏可磨粉做手搓线香与香锥，在合香中作为干爽骨架，也有以小块温和熏燃的用法。在香方里的角色近似调香中的雪松木：提供干净干燥的框架，不压过周围较甜或较树脂的材料。

Our Chinese Arborvitae launch stick is specified at 60 sticks of 21 cm. Net weight, burn time, packaging and the carton plan are issued in the written specification sheet that accompanies each quotation and supersede the indicative figures on the website.

我们的崖柏首发线香规格为 60 支 × 21 cm。净重、燃烧时长、包装与箱规以每份报价随附的书面规格单为准，并优先于网站上的参考数值。

Arborvitae versus cedar and sandalwood崖柏与雪松、檀香的区别

Cedar is a loose trade term applied to several unrelated conifers; arborvitae refers to a specific Chinese material with a drier, more resinous edge and less of the pencil-shaving sharpness of common cedar. Sandalwood is creamier, rounder and far more expensive, with a decades-long heartwood cycle. Agarwood is denser still and changes markedly as it heats.

"雪松"是覆盖数种无亲缘针叶树的宽泛贸易词；崖柏指具体的中国材料，更干、树脂感更明显，少了普通雪松那种铅笔屑般的锐利。檀香更奶润圆厚、价格高得多，心材需数十年形成；沉香更致密，受热时变化明显。

When comparing quotations, compare the same form. A powder price, a chip price and a finished-stick price are not comparable without net weight, form and packaging on the table.

比价时请比同一形态。没有净重、形态与包装，香粉价、木片价和成品线香价之间无法比较。

Storage and safe use存放与安全使用

Keep powder and chips sealed, dry and out of direct sunlight. Finished sticks keep best flat in their sleeve in a stable environment; avoid humid rooms and storing incense beside strongly scented products.

香粉与木片密封、干燥、避光；成品线香平放原套、环境稳定，避免潮湿房间及与强气味产品同置。

Burn on a heat-proof holder, in a ventilated room, away from children, pets and anything flammable, and never leave it unattended. Incense is sold as a combustible aromatic product for scent and atmosphere only. Nothing on this site describes a medical, therapeutic, spiritual or fortune-related effect.

请在耐热香器上、通风房间内使用，远离儿童、宠物与易燃物，且不可无人看管。香品仅作为用于气味与氛围的可燃香品出售，本站不描述任何医疗、疗愈、灵性或运势作用。

Frequently asked questions常见问题

Is yabai a protected species?崖柏是保护植物吗？

The name is ambiguous. Thuja sutchuenensis is a protected wild species; the incense trade often uses "yabai" for weathered Platycladus orientalis material. We specify our material in writing and do not deal in wild protected timber.

名称有歧义：Thuja sutchuenensis 是受保护的野生种，而香材市场的"崖柏"多指风化的侧柏老料。我们书面写明所用材料，不经营野生保护树种。

What does Chinese arborvitae incense smell like?崖柏香是什么气味？

Dry, resinous and quietly woody, with a faint peppery or herbal edge — closer to dry cedar than to sweet perfume. It is less creamy than sandalwood and lighter than agarwood.

干燥、带树脂感、木质安静，微有辛香或草本气息——更接近干雪松而非甜香水；比檀香少奶润，比沉香轻。

Can you supply arborvitae chips or powder?能提供崖柏木片或香粉吗？

Yes, as professional material enquiries on a request-sample / request-quotation basis. Sourcing details and documentation are confirmed per batch before any order is agreed.

提供，按专业香材询盘处理，采用索取样品 / 索取报价模式；来源细节与文件在确认订单前按批次核实。