Khanh Hoa, a land rich in valuable forest products such as Techicai Sitan, Golden Oak, Lumbayau, Narra Padauk, and Ebony, is particularly renowned for its rare and exceptional Agarwood. Although Agarwood can be found in South and Southeast Asian countries, as well as some areas of Vietnam's forests, the unique topographical, soil, and climatic conditions in Khanh Hoa's mountains and forests give its Agarwood distinct advantages over other types.
An ancient Vietnamese folk song celebrates the region's Agarwood:
"Khanh Hoa is the Land of Agarwood
Although high mountains wide sea, lover comes back"
This appreciation for Agarwood can be traced back to its long history of use under the ancient Cham dynasty. Historical records, such as the country of Lam Ap and the Chu Di-Hainan accounts, mention Agarwood as a valuable product of the region. The Champa kingdom, known for its unique cultural identity and beliefs, exported gold, tortoise shell, elephant ivory, and agarwood.
As the kingdom evolved, Tay Quoc Di, now part of Khanh Hoa, became a part of Champa land. Ancient Chinese records from the third century AD acknowledge Champa's agarwood as a tribute to the Chinese. The Champa ancient inscriptions at the Po Nagar temple area, located in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, also mention the offering of precious objects, including gold incense pots, to their gods.
One such inscription, from King Rudravaman III in 986 Saka (1054), details the offering of a gold incense pot among other precious items. The Cham people's ancient worship practices, as recorded by French philosopher and researcher Cabaton Antoine, also highlight the significance of Agarwood in their spiritual rituals.
Over time, as the Champa kingdom interacted with Muslims and Westerners, the renown of Khanh Hoa's Agarwood continued to spread globally.
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Historical records further support the significance of Agarwood in the Khanh Hoa region and its connection to the ancient Cham dynasty. The work "Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi," which chronicles the history of Khanh Hoa province, states that the land known as "foreign lord" or Tay Quoc Di was later occupied by the Champa kingdom and was then called Champa land.
Ancient Chinese records also attest to the recognition of Champa's Agarwood from the third century AD onwards, with the region's Agarwood being consistently documented as a tribute from the Champa kingdom to the Chinese.
The inscriptions found at the Po Nagar temple area, located in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, provide further evidence of the importance of Agarwood in the spiritual practices of the Champa people. These inscriptions often mention the offering of precious objects, including gold incense pots, to their gods.
One such inscription, from King Rudravaman III in 986 Saka (1054), highlights the significance of Agarwood in religious ceremonies. The king offered a gold incense pot, along with other precious items like a gold-plated pot, a Cambodge silver vase, and a gold umbrella, to the temple. These offerings demonstrate the high esteem in which Agarwood was held by the Champa people and their rulers.
"He (King Rudravaman III) also offered the God a gold betel box with a Purvvasadha star weighing 5-kattika and 3 pana, a gold-plated pot weighing 1 kattika and 2 pana, a Cambodge silver vase weighing 5 kattika and 10 pana, a gold umbrella weighing 7 pana. "
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A Champa paragraph on Po Nagar gravestone, 965 after AD
An ancient worshiping sacrifice of the Cham people to Po Nagar - Mother Goddess of Kauthara (now Khanh Hoa province) was also recorded by Cabaton Antoine (1863-1942), French philosopher & researcher, as follows:
“In the past, Inu Nagar created Earth, Agarwood, rice. Agarwood, Calambac from Yan Inu Nagar radiated fragrance. Surrounding space, from Yan Inu Nagar, the aroma of rice ... ".
Later on, after the tenth century, Muslims and Westerners also referred to Champa's Agarwood.
Tomé Pires (1465? -1524 or 1540), a Portuguese pharmacist and explorer, in a book that was considered a turning point in Asian trade, from the Red Sea to China (Summa of the East, from the Red Sea to the Chinese) had recorded the trade of Agarwood from Champa to other countries. "Among the goods of Champa, the most important is kalambak. This is the real Agarwod, which is the best type of Agarwood of all types. The best quality Kalambak is in Champa ... "
In the early seventeenth century, based on earlier Chinese sources, Trinh Ban Kieu, the official epithet of King Can Long, made a list of Champa's products: "Gold, silver, tin, iron, pearl, amber, horny horns, elephant ivory, turtle shell, agarwood, sandalwood, camphor, musk, cloves, ebony, oats, rice, pepper, elephants, elephants, gibbons, white monkeys, white elephants, white cotton, palm leaf, yellow wax, sulfur, wood, etc. "
Le Quy Don (1726 - 1784), in Phu Bien Tap Luc (written in 1776), wrote and commented on Agarwood sources. Even in the first lines, he stated: "Calambac found from mountains in the communes of Binh Khang and Dien Khanh is the best; Phu Yen and Quy Nhon are second. It is because of the heartwood of the plant. "
Interestingly, Binh Khang and Dien Khanh, the areas recognized for their exceptional Agarwood, are now part of the Khanh Hoa province in modern-day Vietnam. This historical context emphasizes the province's long-standing reputation for producing high-quality Agarwood, which has been recognized and valued by various cultures throughout history.
Ancient texts document the Cham people's use of Agarwood and highlight its significance in trade between the ancient Vietnamese and Chinese. The Vietnamese obtained Agarwood from the Champa region, which was then traded with China. This is evident in historical records, such as the Book of Exile, which mentions that goods from Giao Chi (ancient Vietnam) were sold to Khâm Châu, including silver, bronze, Agarwood, bright incense, ivory, and horns.
Furthermore, during the Ly dynasty, Dai Viet (ancient Vietnam) traded Agarwood, which was sourced from Champa, and then sold it to China. This exchange showcases the importance of Agarwood in the region's trade and its recognition as a valuable commodity.
Throughout the early modern and modern periods, various countries such as China, Japan, India, and European nations became aware of and highly appreciated the Agarwood of Vietnamese origin. This global recognition further solidified the significance of Agarwood in the region's history and trade, as well as its cultural and economic impact.
According to Ködô – Incense ceremony of Japan (Vĩnh Sính), the smell of Agarwood has since then been classified as "5 flavors 6 countries" (五味 六 国, meaning "five flavors and six countries"). Five flavors are sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and prodigious. "Six countries" are the six places where Agarwood is produced; They are Kyara, Rakoku, Manaban, Manaka, Sasora and Sumatora. According to the classification of the connoisseurs of Agarwood appointed by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490), the "six countries" were:
• Kyara (伽羅 Old ya), kara is Sanskrit, meaning "black". The best Agarwood with elegant scent only in Vietnam.
In many foreign books, Vietnamese Agarwood was considered the best. Even, the deacon, Alexander de Rhodes, emphasized that "Vietnam only has Calambac".
Recently, in 2003, at the first international conference on Agarwood was held on November 10-15 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, once again the scientists made the following statement: "Agarwood Vietnam is the best, bought at the highest price, the world's output depends on Vietnam and Vietnam is viewed not only as the kingdom of Agarwood in the past but also the source of the world now and in the future because it is a medicine and also a first-grade perfume that cannot be replaced.
Historical documents and research state that Agarwood appeared in many ancient activities of the ancient people such as trading, making medicine, paying tribute, and used in many worshiping ceremonies.
The ancient Champa kingdom is home to many Agarwood and Agarwood of the Champa has been famous in the international market since very early.
The material also tells about one of the best types of Agarwood in Khanh Hoa today.
