Sandalwood: the most aristocratic tree
Sandalwood is highly respected in Buddhism and has a wide range of uses. Often called "Sandalwood", Buddhist temples are often called "Sandalwood Forest". According to Yi Yin, Hui Lin in the Tang Dynasty, the word "sandalwood" means "harmony and joy": "Sandalwood is a cloud and joy. It is said that white sandalwood can cure fever, and red sandalwood can remove wind and reduce swelling, which is the joy of getting rid of illness, hence the name. " It is said that the great virtues of successful Buddhists and Taoists can emit fragrance from acupoints such as Laogong, which is called "sexual fragrance", which is similar to sandalwood and may be one of the reasons why Buddhism respects sandalwood.
Sandalwood trees not only grow very slowly, but also usually take decades to mature and are very delicate. At the seedling stage, they often have to parasitize on plants such as phoenix tree, red bean tree and acacia tree to survive. Sandalwood has been regarded as a valuable wood because of its limited output and large demand, and has the reputation of "royal family in wood".
Sandalwood has a wide range of uses and high economic value, integrating fragrance, medicine and wood plants. The distilled sandalwood, sandalwood resin and sandalwood oil can be used in traditional Chinese medicine, carving crafts and high-grade cosmetics. Known as the "holy tree" in the religious field; Known as the "God of Wealth Tree" in Feng Shui; Historically, it was called the "Royal Tree" because it symbolized power and status. In modern market economy, it is called "golden tree", and in Australia, it is called "cash cow".