Raw, Mature, Insect & Ant Resin: The Four Resin-Formation Types

Agarwood is "fine wood born of sickness": a tree wounded, exuding resin with fungal help. The formation type depends on the trigger: raw (sheng-jie) forms on a living tree from cutting, nailing or burning; mature (shu-jie) after the tree dies and wood rots away leaving resin; insect-bored (chong-lou) from borers; ant-resin (yi-chen) tied to termite nests. See the Identification pillar for a full comparison.

Look and scent of each

Raw is vivid and fast-unfolding; mature is deep and lasting; insect-bored has curious channels and a clean, odd elegance; ant-resin shows fine holes with sweet earthy notes. Together they are core specimens in Chinese Incense Studies · Authentication.

Why type beats "wild"

The market inflates price with "wild", but scent is decided by the resin process and quality, not a label. Well-made cultivated resin can be excellent; "wild" alone guarantees nothing. Judge by scent and testing — see the Encyclopedia.

Buying advice

Don't overpay for any single type; set the order as scent-first, traceable, testable — then talk preference.

(This is industry observation and popular-science summary, not investment advice. Buy agarwood through legal channels with traceable, testable sources.)