Mugwort, called 艾草 (ài cǎo) in Chinese, is a grey-green herb of the Artemisia family. It grows wild across much of Asia, and it has been part of everyday ritual in China, Japan and Korea for a very long time.
At the door
In China, bundles of ai cao are hung over the front door at the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu), in the fifth lunar month. The custom is to turn away ill luck and keep the house clear for the summer ahead.
One herb, three names
Japan has its own mugwort, yomogi (蓬), which is kneaded into spring rice cakes and woven into seasonal custom. Korea has ssuk (쑥), and the Korean founding myth turns on it: a bear and a tiger are given mugwort and garlic to eat in a cave, and the bear who endures becomes a woman and the mother of Dangun, the first king.
On charcoal
Burned as a powder, mugwort gives a green, herbal, earthy smoke. It is a clean counterpoint to the warmth of sandalwood and the depth of agarwood, and it suits moments when you want a room to feel clear rather than soft.
At The Forest Origin
Our ai cao comes from Malaysia, and it is coming to the collection as a fine incense powder, made to be burned on charcoal in a small burner. See the collection or read how to burn powder.