Frankincense & Myrrh - An Ancient Aromatics Used in Chinese Medicine

Frankincense in the Dhofar region of Oman

"Who is this coming up from the wilderness

Like palm-trees of smoke,

Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
From every powder of the merchant?"
"Till the day doth break forth,
And the shadows have fled away,
I will get me unto the mountain of myrrh,
And unto the hill of frankincense." ......... The Song of Solomon
*Since ancient times , mrryh & Frankincense were adopted as medicines for physical ailments.
Myrrh Tree n Somalia

Three Wise Men (Magi) delivering gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the baby Jesus; myrrh was also used to anoint Jesus' body after the crucifixion. These herbs, valued like gold, were mentioned repeatedly in the Old Testament, in instructions to Moses about making incense and anointing oil.
St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia (now in Turkey) was a 4th-century miracle-worker, known also for the healing myrrh that flowed from his sacred relics.

A prayer to St. Nicholas is: With divine myrrh the divine grace of the Spirit anointed thee, who didst preside as the leader of Myra, and having made the ends of the world fragrant with the myrrh of virtues thou holiest of men, through the pleasant breathings of thine intercessions always driving away the evil stench of the passions. Therefore, in faith we render thee great praise, and celebrate thine all-holy memory, O Nicholas....  

*The origins of myrrh and frankincense are traced to the Arabian Peninsula. According to Herodotus (5th century BC): "Arabia is the only country which produces frankincense, myrrh, cassia and cinnamon...the trees bearing the frankincense are guarded by winged serpents of small size and various colors."
*Diodorus Siculus writes, in the second half of the first century BC, that "all of Arabia exudes a most delicate fragrance; even the seamen passing by Arabia can smell the strong fragrance that gives health and vigor." He also mentioned gold mines so pure that no smelting was necessary. The Magi, carrying myrrh, frankincense, and gold, came from the East: Arabia.
*The frankincense trade route, with transport by donkeys and later by camel caravans, reached Jerusalem and Egypt from the Dhofar region of what is today Oman, through Yemen, turning north to follow the Red Sea coast. It is likely that the same or similar species of the resin-bearing plants grew across the Red Sea in the area that is now Somalia and Ethiopia, while the collection of the gum resins was initiated in Arabia.

*In these ancient times, myrrh had been used in Egypt for embalming the bodies of Pharaohs, and frankincense had been used in India to make incense for worship (in India, a related species of plant is indigenous, though it produces an inferior product). Myrrh and frankincense, traded throughout the Middle East at least since 1500 B.C., eventually came to China. There is mention of myrrh in a 4th century (A.D.) Chinese book that is no longer existent but is quoted directly in a later text. *As in the Middle East, myrrh and frankincense were used in China for making incense, and are so used even today. But, in characteristic Chinese fashion of finding a medicinal use for virtually everything, these herbs were soon employed as medicines.
 *Most resin (whether myrrh or frankincense) is obtained by tapping: making deliberate incisions with a specially designed tool or ordinary axe, about 2 inches long, into the bark of the tree. The milky liquid that exudes hardens on exposure to air into droplets or "tears," which are then easily detached by the collector about two weeks later. New tappings are made at the same place as old ones after removing hardened resin from the previous cut. If the tapping interval is short, then a light scratching of the wood is usually sufficient to cause the resin to flow again.
*The particular details of the tapping-the time of year it is undertaken, its duration, and the interval between individual tappings-vary according to the species and the customs in the area of production.
For example, in Somalia there are usually two periods when Boswellia is tapped, each lasting 3-4 months, involving successive tappings at approximately 15-day intervals, with the timing of the tapping periods dependant on the onset and extent of the rains. The resin is stored for about 12 weeks to harden.
The only processing undertaken after collection is sorting and grading of the resin globules, usually done by the local merchant to whom it is sold rather than the collector.
The Properties of Myrrh & Frankincense in Chinese Medicine
Frankincense                                                           Myrrh           
warm, aromatic, acrid, moving                               neutral, bitter, draining
moves blood and qi, quickens the blood                 circulates blood, breaks stasis
soothes sinews, frees the flow of meridians           disperses swellings, stops pain


When combined, they provide these properties:"One tends to rectify the blood; the other to rectify the qi;
When these two medicinals are combined together, they complement each other.
Together, they effectively move the qi and quicken the blood, dispel stasis, free the flow of the viscera, bowels, and channels, quicken the network vessels, disperse swelling, stop pain, constrain weeping sores and engender flesh."
Frankincense and Myrrh are aromatic herbs.
*They are very bitter and pungent, and move quickly. They can strongly disperse congealed blood, and direct it to descend, open up the meridians and collaterals, and are very effective for relieving pain.
The two herbs are often used together to enhance the therapeutic effect. In clinical practice, along with other aromatics, they are often applied to reduce pain and swelling in trauma, arthritis, and fractures.
*Frankincense is warm and pungent, and enters the heart and lung meridians. It promotes not only the blood circulation, but also the qi movement. It can also relax tendons. Frankincense is especially suitable for conditions where the joints and muscles are very stiff, swollen, and painful.  It is also often used topically more than myrrh.
*Myrrh is neutral, compared with frankincense, it is more bitter and its dispersing action is also stronger. This herb is stronger than frankincense for breaking up congealed blood and is used especially in trauma and fractures.  -Yang Yifan (author) Chinese Herbal Medicines Comparisons and Characteristics.

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