{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "@id": "https://data.incenseherbs.com/datasets/comparisons.json",
  "name": "LanDeng Incense Comparison Database",
  "description": "Machine-readable comparison profiles for Chinese botanical incense formats and materials — aroma, smoke, burn characteristics, traditional context, common uses, and quality factors. Extracted from the LanDeng (澜灯) incense encyclopedia comparison tables; every value is traceable to a source page and nothing is fabricated.",
  "url": "https://data.incenseherbs.com/datasets/comparisons.json",
  "publisher": {
    "@id": "https://incenseherbs.com/#organization"
  },
  "dateModified": "2026-09-19",
  "inLanguage": [
    "en",
    "zh"
  ],
  "isAccessibleForFree": true,
  "distribution": {
    "@type": "DataDownload",
    "encodingFormat": "application/json",
    "contentUrl": "https://data.incenseherbs.com/datasets/comparisons.json"
  },
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "incense-stick",
      "name": "Incense Stick",
      "alternateName": [
        "线香"
      ],
      "description": "Incense stick (线香) — the everyday default incense format, burning roughly 20–60 minutes with moderate smoke.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Incense stick (线香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "moderate (low–moderate for thin/coreless sticks)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "~20–60 min (thin/coreless ~20–40 min; standard ~30–60 min)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "the everyday form, perfected in the Ming dynasty (线香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "daily use, meditation, timed sessions; the everyday default"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/blog/history-of-chinese-incense/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "incense-cone",
      "name": "Incense Cone",
      "description": "Incense cone — a short-burn format, often chosen for a quick ritual or the backflow visual effect.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Incense cone"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "moderate"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "~10–15 min (format guide); ~15–30 min (burn-time matrix)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "a modern convenience form, not a classical shape"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "short ritual, quick accent; backflow visual effect"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/blog/what-is-chinese-incense/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "backflow-cone",
      "name": "Backflow Cone",
      "alternateName": [
        "倒流香"
      ],
      "description": "Backflow cone (倒流香) — a hollow cone with a central channel, chosen almost entirely for its downward-smoke waterfall effect.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Backflow cone (倒流香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "high (visual)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "~10–15 min"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "the waterfall-smoke visual effect"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "incense-coil",
      "name": "Incense Coil",
      "alternateName": [
        "盘香"
      ],
      "description": "Incense coil (盘香) — the hours-long format, for long, steady room scent.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Incense coil (盘香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "low–moderate"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "~1.5–4 hours (larger coils longer)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "long, continuous room scent; temples, long ceremonies"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "aromatherapy-beads",
      "name": "Aromatherapy Beads",
      "description": "Aromatherapy beads — scented bracelets worn (not burned), a portable, zero-smoke option.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Aromatherapy beads"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "none (worn, not burned)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "n/a — not burned"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "portable scent, no burning"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "incense-powder",
      "name": "Incense Powder",
      "alternateName": [
        "香粉"
      ],
      "description": "Incense powder (香粉) — loose ground wood pressed into seal patterns or heated; a pure-material, method-dependent form.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Incense powder (香粉) / wood powder"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "pure-material scent — the actual ground wood"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "varies by method — minimal (heated) to moderate (lit seal pattern)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "method-dependent; wood powder smolders-warms (vs. resin, which melts); pressed seal pattern is lit"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "篆香 (seal incense) — powder pressed into patterns"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "seal patterns (篆香), custom blends; pure-material scent"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "wood-chips",
      "name": "Wood Chips",
      "alternateName": [
        "木片"
      ],
      "description": "Wood chips (木片) — ground or cut agarwood or sandalwood chips, heated to release a slow, complex aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Wood chips (木片) — agarwood / sandalwood"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "slow, complex aroma as the wood warms"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "minimal (heated on electric heater) to higher (charcoal)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "smolders-warms (vs. resin, which melts); heated, not burned"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "heated (隔火焚香, indirect-fire incense) rather than burned — the refined low-smoke method"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "low-smoke, controlled appreciation; the pure-material format"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/blog/incense-powder-resin/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "incense-resin",
      "name": "Incense Resin",
      "alternateName": [
        "树脂"
      ],
      "description": "Incense resin (树脂) — loose resin tears (frankincense, myrrh) heated rather than burned for a low-smoke, pure-material scent.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Incense resin (树脂) — frankincense / myrrh tears"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "rich, fresh scent released on heat"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "minimal (electric heater) / higher (charcoal)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "heated, not burned; resin melts and releases scent (vs. wood, which smolders-warms)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "隔火焚香 (indirect-fire incense) — the refined low-smoke method"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "low-smoke, controlled aroma; traditional bakhoor-style"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "agarwood",
      "name": "Agarwood",
      "alternateName": [
        "沉香"
      ],
      "description": "沉香 (agarwood) — resin-saturated Aquilaria heartwood with a deep, resinous, sweet, complex aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Agarwood (沉香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "deep, resinous, sweet, complex"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "white smoke with oil seepage when burned (a sign of genuine material); minimal when gently heated"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "smolders-warms (wood); heated (隔火焚香) rather than flamed — a direct flame destroys the delicate top notes"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "one of the classical materials (沉香), imported via the Silk Road and maritime trade in the Wei–Jin period; the benchmark of fragrance in Chinese connoisseurship"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "base note; the most prized material"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Quality factors",
          "value": "very high substitution risk (oil-injection fakes, unrelated woods); highest relative price (奇楠 at the top of the market)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/blog/agarwood-incense/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "sandalwood",
      "name": "Sandalwood",
      "alternateName": [
        "檀香"
      ],
      "description": "檀香 (sandalwood) — Santalum album heartwood with a creamy, sweet, soft-woody aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Sandalwood (檀香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "creamy, sweet, soft-woody"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "smolders-warms (wood); burns slowly with a slow, developing 'cooked' aroma"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "a classical material (檀香), imported via the Silk Road and maritime trade; burned in Buddhist and Taoist temples and ritual"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "base note; the classic calm wood"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Quality factors",
          "value": "high substitution risk (other Santalum species, fragrance oil); mid–high relative price"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/blog/sandalwood-incense/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "frankincense",
      "name": "Frankincense",
      "alternateName": [
        "乳香"
      ],
      "description": "乳香 (frankincense) — Boswellia resin with a fresh, resinous, citrus-woody aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Frankincense (乳香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "fresh, resinous, citrus-woody"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "minimal on an electric heater, higher on a charcoal disc"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "melts on heat (resin); heated, not burned"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "one of the world's oldest incense resins, used for religious ritual and fumigation; classically paired with myrrh (没药)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "bright, focusing note; ritual use"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Quality factors",
          "value": "low substitution risk (usually real resin); low–mid relative price"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/ingredients/frankincense/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "borneol",
      "name": "Borneol",
      "alternateName": [
        "龙脑"
      ],
      "description": "龙脑 (borneol) — Dryobalanops aromatica resin distillate with a cool, sharp, camphor-like aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Borneol (龙脑)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "cool, sharp, camphor-like"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "the classic cooling top note ('snow' in 雪中春信); 冰片 (bīngpiàn) in materia medica"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "cooling top note ('snow' in 雪中春信)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Quality factors",
          "value": "high substitution risk (synthetic borneol often sold as 'natural'); mid relative price"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/ingredients/borneol/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "benzoin",
      "name": "Benzoin",
      "alternateName": [
        "安息香"
      ],
      "description": "安息香 (benzoin) — Styrax resin with a sweet, vanilla-like, warm aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Benzoin (安息香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "sweet, vanilla-like, warm"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "minimal on an electric heater (avoids charcoal smoke)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "resin — burned on a charcoal disc or warmed on an electric heater (like other resins)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "安息香 glossed as 'the fragrance of Parthia (安息)', reflecting its ancient overland trade origin; a sweet base in 合香"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "fixative; sweet base"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Quality factors",
          "value": "medium substitution risk (Siam vs Sumatra grades differ); low–mid relative price"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/ingredients/benzoin/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "myrrh",
      "name": "Myrrh",
      "alternateName": [
        "没药"
      ],
      "description": "没药 (myrrh) — Commiphora resin with a bitter, earthy, balsamic aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Myrrh (没药)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "bitter, earthy, balsamic"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "lower on an electric heater; higher on charcoal"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "melts on heat (resin)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "a classical resin, classically paired with frankincense (乳香); ritual and incense use"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "deep, grounding note; ritual use"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Quality factors",
          "value": "low substitution risk (usually real resin); low relative price"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/ingredients/myrrh/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "clove",
      "name": "Clove",
      "alternateName": [
        "丁香"
      ],
      "description": "丁香 (clove) — Syzygium aromaticum flower buds with a spicy, sweet, warm aroma.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Clove (丁香)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "spicy, sweet, warm"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "a classic warm-spice in 合香 blends; a five-spice (五香粉) component"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "spice accent; fixative"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Quality factors",
          "value": "low–medium substitution risk (clove vs 'clove bark' 丁皮 differ); low relative price"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/ingredients/clove/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "incense-pill",
      "name": "Incense Pill",
      "alternateName": [
        "香丸",
        "xiāngwán"
      ],
      "description": "Incense pill (香丸) — a kneaded compound-incense pellet, bound with honey, rolled into pills, and air-dried.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Incense pill (香丸) — kneaded 合香 pellet"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Aroma",
          "value": "compound (合香) — depends on the blend"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "blend bound with a binder (honey), rolled into pills, coated and air-dried before burning"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "香丸 — the classical kneaded-pellet form of 合香 (bound with honey, e.g. 二苏旧局)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "classical 合香 delivery form; burned as a pellet"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/blog/hexiang-blending-system/"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "DefinedTerm",
      "termCode": "seal-incense",
      "name": "Seal Incense",
      "alternateName": [
        "香篆",
        "zhuàn xiāng",
        "打香印"
      ],
      "description": "Seal incense (香篆, also 打香印) — incense powder pressed into a carved pattern with a mold and lit at one end, so the pattern burns in sequence.",
      "additionalProperty": [
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Material",
          "value": "Seal incense (香篆) — powder pressed into a carved pattern"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Smoke",
          "value": "moderate (powder lit along the pattern)"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Burn characteristics",
          "value": "lit at one end; burns along a timed path, duration set by the pattern's length"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Traditional context",
          "value": "香篆 (also 打香印) — the 'incense clock': visual art + timekeeping before mechanical clocks"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Common uses",
          "value": "timekeeping, meditation, visual ritual"
        },
        {
          "@type": "PropertyValue",
          "name": "Source",
          "value": "/blog/incense-seal-zhuanxiang/"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}