Chinese perfumery arts have a history of two or three thousand years. The
art however, was never specifically separated from medicine, personal
grooming or food culture; many aromatic materials were used for all of these
purposes. In comparison to western traditions it is notable that Chinese
perfumery was local in character. The aromatic raw materials employed were
often native to Chinese lands, or imported from nearby. Moreover, Chinese
perfumery differs from the western tradition in regard to the way in which a
few outstanding aromatics have been employed.