Sandalwood: The Eternal Charm of Sacred Timber 

Chapter 1:Botanical Characteristics and Distribution

1. Formation and Traits

   • Growth Habit: Sandalwood trees grow slowly. True sandalwood (Santalum album) is an evergreen semi-parasitic tree; saplings rely on host plants for nutrients, taking decades to mature. The heartwood is rich in oil, emitting a lasting fragrance. Red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) has dense wood, sinks in water, and shows “ox-hair” grain patterns, with only 15%-20% usable due to hollow trunks.

   • Key Species:

     • Qingtan (Wingceltis): Deciduous tree with oval leaves, used for furniture (e.g., ancient trees in Shandong’s Qingtan Temple).

     • Sandalwood: Opposite leaves, aromatic heartwood for carving and perfumes.

     • Rosewood/Green Sandalwood/Ebony: Precious hardwoods; rosewood from India, green sandalwood from the Americas, ebony jet-black and dense.

2. Geographic Distribution

   • Qingtan: Shandong (Lingyan Temple, Qingtan Temple), Gansu, Beijing.

   • Sandalwood: Native to South/Southeast Asia; cultivated in Guangdong and Taiwan, China.

   • Rosewood: Endangered species from Mysore, India.

   • Green Sandalwood: Tropical Americas (Brazil, Caribbean).

Chapter 2:Historical Culture and Value

1. Cultural Symbolism

   • Ancient Use:

     • Confucius’ tomb planted with Qingtan (records in Shengxian Zhongmuji); Ming emperors used rosewood for royal furniture (imported as ship ballast by Zheng He).

     • Buddhist sacred wood: Sandalwood incense “perfumes infinite worlds” in scriptures.

   • Literary Legacy:

     • Book of Songs mentions Qingtan for cart-making; idiom “Tanlang Xienü” (talented lovers) derives from Pan An’s nickname “Tanlang”.

2. Economic and Collectible Value

   • Scarcity: Rosewood is endangered due to overlogging; Indian exports are banned, with 3m logs exceeding ¥2 million.

   • Collector’s Market:

     • Green sandalwood prices rose 10-fold post-2000; large furniture is rare.

     • Rosewood faces counterfeits (e.g., African “padauk”); authentication requires checking grain, water-sinking, and alcohol reaction.

Chapter 3:Daily Use and Feng Shui

1. Practical Applications

   • Crafts and Furniture:

     • Rosewood/green sandalwood for statues, instruments, prayer beads; sandalwood essential oil used for 1,700 years.

     • Qingtan bonsai won silver at China Flower Expo.

   • Medicinal Uses:

     • Sandalwood “relieves stomach pain”; rosewood facial masks reduce acne (Compendium of Materia Medica).

2. Feng Shui Significance

   • Universal Symbolism:

     • Energy Purification: Burning incense dispels negative energy, aids meditation.

     • Wealth Protection: Statues placed in southeast “wealth corner”; ebony in “Green Dragon position” safeguards homes.

   • Taboos and Differences:

     • Ebony: Avoid kitchens (disrupts wealth), bedrooms (causes insomnia), balconies (sunlight damages wood).

     • Green Sandalwood: Natural fragrance calms moods; ideal for studies