怎樣才能買到天然好香？ How can we choose natural and high-quality incense?

市面上的香品琳琅滿目，針對香的製作過程及香料成分來區分，可分為「天然香」與「化學香」。前者以純天然原料製成，後者是化學合成製品、添加香精的香品。

 In the markets, we have a diversity of incense, differentiated by the way the incense is manufactured and the ingredients contained in the incense. Roughly, incense can be divided into natural incense and artificial incense. The former is made from completely natural materials, while the latter consists of chemicals as well as artificial additives.

  

夜間可以點香嗎？ Can we burn incense at night?

很多人不贊成夜間點香，以為夜間點香會招來不祥之物或容易著魔，導致家中走楣運、家人情感失和、事業受阻、健康變差等。

Many people disagree to burning incense at night, assuming that it can lure sinister things, make people lose their mind, lead to discord among family members, hinder their business, or harm their health and so on.

  

為何會排斥身旁點香的人或香？ Why do some people reject incense and those who burn incense?

嗅覺是一種很特別的感官，關係著我們的情緒、學習和記憶。

Our sense of smell is very special and it involves our emotions, learning, and memory.

 

臥房可以點香嗎？ Can we burn incense in our bedrooms?

一般人對「香」的觀念，大都認為用於宗教祭祀，是禮佛、敬神、祭祖、廟會的用品；香，因此被賦予一種不可褻瀆的神聖性。而中國人對「房事」則有著很難啟齒的情愫，甚至認為「性」是不潔、羞恥及罪惡的，只能用於傳宗接代。在神聖與不潔的相互牴觸下，很多人認為臥房點香對神明不敬，其實古人早有臥房點香的用法。

Typically, people associate incense with religious rituals, and thus incense has been regarded as something sacred or inviolable. And, particularly in the opinion of most Chinese, sex has been an embarrassing topic and considered filthy, shameful, and even sinful; as a consequence, sex is only essential to carry on the family line. That is why many people assume it is improper to burn incense in their bedrooms. As a matter of face, ancient people used to burn incense in their bedrooms for various purposes.

香是藥方嗎？

        藥，指的是可以用來治療疾病、減輕病患痛苦、或預防疾病的物質；藥方則是針對疾病所開出的方劑。從中醫的配方來看，藥方必須符合君、臣、佐、使的配藥原則，因此 以「療癒」的觀點來看，依照傳統古法所製的天然香，才可以稱為「藥方」。