Frankincense is a resin exuded from the bark of the frankincense tree, Boswellia carterii Birdw, and the related species Boswellia bhaurdajiana Birdw.

The frankincense tree grows in extremely harsh environments, thriving in the arid and severe climatic regions of the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula (Oman, Yemen) and the easternmost part of Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya). The soil in which it takes root is mainly sandy, rocky, and barren. Somalia, known as the "Horn of Africa," has been renowned since ancient times for producing high-quality frankincense and myrrh. In the mountain ranges stretching hundreds of kilometers in the north of Somalia, there are vast expanses of frankincense and myrrh trees.

Locals begin to harvest the frankincense resin from late March until September. Their method involves making a narrow cut on each side of the bark, allowing the resin to flow out. Over time, the resin on the trunk dries and hardens into a substance similar to rosin, which is then scraped off with a knife to obtain the frankincense. Because the resin that flows from the frankincense tree resembles tears, it is also known as "God's tears."

Frankincense is one of the oldest ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine and is known as "Xunlu" in Chinese. It is also called "naitouxiang" (nipple incense) because of its nipple-like droplets, which eventually evolved into the term "ruxiang" (frankincense). The anonymous "Xiangpin One" from the Tang Dynasty records: "The pine resin from the Persian Gulf has a purple and cherry-like color, named 'naitouxiang', which is a type of Xunlu." Shen Kuo, a writer from the Song Dynasty, in his "Mengxi Bitan · Yao Yi" (Dream Pool Essays on Medicines) states: "Xunlu is frankincense, named 'naitouxiang' because it drops like nipples, and 'tadouxiang' when melted and flattened on the ground." He Zhu, a poet of the Northern Song Dynasty, wrote in his poem "Nanshen Shangyuan Youhuai Jinling Jiu You" (Yearning for the Old Tour of Jinling During the Lantern Festival): "High monks together honor the sandalwood statue, while roaming women come to burn Xunlu incense." Here, Xunlu incense refers to frankincense as it was known during the Song Dynasty.

Appearance: light yellow to dark yellow liquid

Extraction Part: Gum

Origin: France