[Key Summary] Recently, the 10-day World Chinese Media Tour to the Hometown of Chinese Agarwood successfully concluded in Dianbai, Maoming, Guangdong. A total of 41 media leaders, including presidents, chief editors, station directors, photographers, and reporters from 31 Chinese media organizations across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa gathered in Dianbai District, Maoming City, Guangdong, the hometown of Chinese agarwood. Together, they witnessed the culture of Dianbai Agarwood Mountain, experienced the charm of the thousand-year-old agarwood culture, and documented the inspiring development of the Dianbai agarwood industry. This was not just a journey about fragrance, but also a cultural resonance and a spiritual reunion. In the future, Dianbai agarwood will continue to promote culture through fragrance and connect the world through its fragrance industry.
Fragrance Arises from Dianbai, Uniting Hearts Across the World
During the 10-day tour, some media representatives first attended the re-election ceremony of the Dianbai Agarwood Association in Maoming City, witnessing this historic moment in the development of the agarwood industry. The new term president was officially announced, with Mr. Wang Keyuan, a long-term leader in the agarwood industry with forward-looking insights, continuing to serve as the president, successfully re-elected. In his inaugural speech, President Wang Keyuan affectionately stated: “Agarwood is not just a business, but a cultural responsibility passed down for thousands of years. I will adopt a more pragmatic approach and an open vision to unite association members and collaborate with overseas Chinese media to promote Dianbai agarwood nationwide and globally, letting the world appreciate the oriental charm of agarwood.”
Wang Keyuan, President of Dianbai Agarwood Association, Maoming City
Presidents of major agarwood associations in Hainan, Guangdong, and other regions witness the re-election of the Dianbai Agarwood Association in Maoming City
Re-elected President Wang Keyuan, a native of Dianbai, Guangdong, currently serves as the Chairman of Guangdong Agarwood Mountain Agarwood Development Co., Ltd. For over 40 years, he has been dedicated to agarwood cultivation, research, product development, and market expansion, striving to promote the branding, standardization, and internationalization of Dianbai agarwood.
During an on-site interview at Agarwood Mountain, President Wang Keyuan expressed to celebrity media reporters: "My wish is to spread the fragrance of Dianbai agarwood worldwide." Dianbai is renowned as "China's No.1 County for Agarwood Cultivation" and has been honored with the title of "China's Hometown of Agarwood" by the China Economic Forest Association. "We aspire to build a World Fragrance Capital here in Dianbai. I have a dream! Where will the World Fragrance Capital be located? I believe it can be established right here in Shalang Town." Shalang Town has a population of 650,000 and is surrounded by seven mountainous towns. It faces the county seat and the sea, with plans to extend an industrial highway to the foot of Agarwood Mountain, developing five industrial chains. So far, Dianbai has over 120,000 mu (approx. 8,000 hectares) of agarwood plantations, more than 8,000 registered processing enterprises, over 60,000 industry workers, and an annual output value exceeding 8 billion yuan. It has become a vital pillar for rural revitalization in Dianbai.
Today, under Wang Keyuan’s leadership, the Jiananxiang Enterprise has made significant breakthroughs in base construction, artificial agarwood formation techniques, and cultural promotion. Their products have won multiple awards at domestic and international exhibitions, earning Wang the title of "Lingnan Fragrance Talent." The group has also received numerous honors.
Sales Center of Agarwood Mountain Group founded by Wang Keyuan.
Dianbai, Guangdong, has been famous for agarwood since ancient times. Historical records indicate that as early as the Tang Dynasty, Feng Ang, the grandson of Lady Xian, presented agarwood to Emperor Taizong, earning Dianbai agarwood the title of "tribute incense." For over a thousand years, the people of Dianbai have passed down the craftsmanship of harvesting, processing, and using agarwood, making it renowned alongside "Hainan Agarwood" and "Dongguan Agarwood," forming the three major agarwood production regions in China.
Throughout history, Dianbai has connected with incense lovers from all over the world. Due to its rarity, agarwood has always been highly valued and cherished by scholars and elites.
This tradition of harvesting agarwood has continued throughout Chinese history. Due to its slow formation and refined aroma, agarwood has long been favored by royal families and nobles. However, as wild agarwood became increasingly scarce due to continuous harvesting, the demand for experiencing and using agarwood never diminished. To address resource shortages, Dianbai farmers began researching artificial grafting techniques for wild agarwood trees in the 1990s, achieving breakthroughs around 2010. This technology not only solved resource constraints but also produced high-quality agarwood quickly, greatly satisfying market demand and driving a structural revolution in the agarwood industry.
In this industrial transformation, the people of Dianbai have been active explorers and leaders. From seedling cultivation to planting, from harvesting to processing, and from cultural and creative development to integration with traditional Chinese medicine, Dianbai's agarwood industry chain continues to expand. Driven by both culture and technology, it has become a core engine for rural revitalization.
To explore the development of Dianbai agarwood, at the invitation of the Dianbai Agarwood Association, Chinese media representatives from around the world embarked on a cultural journey of seeking, tasting, and understanding agarwood. As spring dawned and the first thunder rolled in April 2025, Dianbai on the southern coast of China hosted a grand fragrance event spanning four continents. Thirty-one Chinese media outlets and forty-one dedicated media professionals from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa gathered in this homeland of agarwood for a pilgrimage of fragrance, forging connections and friendships.
Dianbai, located in the heart of Lingnan, experiences over 200 lightning events annually due to its subtropical monsoon climate. These "heavenly fires" striking the agarwood trees create rare and exquisite agarwood. This mysterious act of nature has allowed the fragrance of agarwood to linger through the ages, filling the air with its ethereal scent.
A thousand years ago, between the Tang and Song dynasties, agarwood had already gained fame. Lady Xian of the Southern Dynasties planted agarwood trees extensively as tribute to the court. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, a "tribute incense market" was established at Shuidong Port, shipping agarwood through maritime and land Silk Roads across China and overseas. Since then, Dianbai agarwood has been revered as royal incense, favored by scholars, and essential for temple rituals. Today, Dianbai boasts 120,000 mu of agarwood plantations, over 8,000 enterprises, more than 60,000 industry workers, and an annual output value exceeding 8 billion yuan. The media’s lens captures not only the delicate beauty of agarwood leaves but also the grand resurgence of Chinese fragrance culture on the world stage. "Fragrance speaks without words, yet endures for a thousand years." Agarwood embodies the essence of history, the threads of national culture, and serves as a bridge for cultural dialogue.
On Agarwood, the Spirit of Xuanyuan
Qi Gong, the ninth-generation descendant of Emperor Yongzheng, renowned Chinese calligrapher, classical literature scholar, cultural relics expert, educator, poet, and master of Chinese studies, inscribed the words "Agarwood Mountain" on a giant stone.
At the beginning of April, over 100 guests and Chinese media representatives stood solemnly under the forest canopy at the peak of Agarwood Mountain Forest Park, collectively paying tribute to the Yellow Emperor, the ancestral figure of Chinese civilization. This was not only a journey to trace cultural roots but also a silent dialogue between fragrance and heritage.
The ritual was presided over by Cai Chengxiang, General Manager of Agarwood Mountain Group Industrial Park.
Wang Keyuan, Chairman of Agarwood Mountain Group, delivered a welcome speech to the guests.
Professor Yu Jin of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine read the main tribute text. As incense smoke swirled and bells and drums sounded, the rising smoke seemed to carry the essence of millennia-old agarwood back to the spirit of the Yellow Emperor. The Yellow Emperor—founder of medical knowledge and civilization—his spirit transcends time and has once again awakened among the agarwood forests of Dianbai. Dr. Lai Lianjin, President of Taiwan's Nanhua News, delivered a speech on behalf of Chinese media. Zhang Duoyao, President of Hainan Agarwood Culture Association, delivered a speech. Lu Jianguo, President of the Health Culture and Creative Committee of the China Health Care Association, delivered a speech. Symphony of Fragrance and Wisdom: Academic Feast at Agarwood Mountain Grand Forum.
Wang Keyuan believes that the essence of Chinese medicine in agarwood is embodied in "One Leaf, One Needle, One Fragrance, One Formula, One World." One Leaf represents the agarwood leaf, a green world contributing to carbon neutrality. One Needle symbolizes acupuncture, recognized worldwide as a hallmark of Chinese medicine. One Fragrance refers to agarwood, connecting heaven, earth, and the divine, universally recognized by various religious and cultural traditions as a sacred product. One Formula emphasizes personalized treatment in Chinese medicine, aligning with the philosophy of harmony between man and nature, and promoting ecological practices. One World signifies the cultural heritage of incense in Chinese tradition, symbolizing peace and connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative and contributing to the vision of a shared future for humanity and global health.
The 44th session of the Agarwood Mountain Grand Forum was grandly held in Dianbai, gathering experts from medicine, Chinese medicine, culture, industry, and overseas Chinese media to provide insights and guidance for the development of the agarwood industry.
The lineup of expert speakers, a "think tank of the fragrance world," included: * Professor Mei Quanxi (Chief Pharmacist and Doctoral Supervisor, Seventh Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), presenting on "The Medicinal and Historical Culture of Lingnan Agarwood"; * Professor Yu Jin (School of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), presenting on "Clinical Research on Agarwood's Guardian Spiritology"; * President Zeng Qingzhu (Hainan Agarwood Association), presenting on "The First Visit of the China Agarwood Trade and Investment Delegation to the Middle East, Tapping into the $400 Billion Trade Policy Dividend"; * Researcher Wei Jianhe (Deputy Director of the Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and Director of its Hainan Branch), represented by Dr. Liu Peiwei, presenting on "Agarwood Lifestyle and Industry Soul: Medicinal and Health Value of Agarwood"; * Professor Liu Jiqing (Director of the Cultural Committee of Guangdong Traditional Chinese Medicine Association and Director of the Drug Testing Laboratory of Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital), presenting on "Enhancing the Cultural Value of Dianbai Agarwood and Promoting Chinese Civilization"; * Liao Jun (Fourth-generation inheritor of the Liang School of Lingnan Traditional Chinese Medicine and member of the Chinese Writers' Association), presenting on "Fragrance Encounter: The Millennium Glory of Gaoliang Culture"; * Lu Jianguo (President of the Health Culture and Creative Committee of the China Health Care Association), presenting on "Collaboration between Agarwood and Chinese Medicine Enterprises";
* Yu Zhi (Executive President and Secretary-General of the Health Culture and Creative Committee of the China Health Care Association), presenting on "Health Culture and Health Brands"; * Professor Gu Xueming (Director of the Pharmacy Department, Guangdong Maternal and Child Health Hospital), presenting on "Aromatherapy for Maternal and Child Health Applications"; * President Wang Keyuan (Dianbai Agarwood Association, Maoming City), presenting on "Tracing the Medicinal Value of Maoming Jiananxiang and the Vision for Building a World Fragrance Capital in Romantic Dianbai"; * Deputy Secretary-General Shao Guangxing (Pulse Research Professional Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies), presenting on "Modern Applications of Agarwood Moxibustion," and providing on-site diagnostic guidance on its use.
Wang Guomao, Supervisor of the Dianbai Agarwood Association, presented the 1960 edition of the "Chinese Herbal Medicine Handbook" published by People's Medical Publishing House to President Wang Keyuan. This book, compiled by the Drug Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, records that China's top-quality agarwood "Jiananxiang" originates from Maoming, recognized as a precious and authentic Chinese medicinal material.