1. Names

2. Uses

3. Historical records

4. References

Names

The lakawood of Dalbergia parviflora is a product of the Malay peninsula and archipelago, and its native name in Malay is kayu laka (literally "laka wood"), from which the words cayolaque and lakawood are derived.^[3] In old Javanese literature, the word "laka" was also used to denote a shade of red on cloth, and the word manglaka meant "processor of laka-wood dye", although the tree from which the dye was derived from is Emblica officinalis.^[2]

In Chinese, lakawood may be called jiangzhenxiang (降真香) or zitengxiang (紫藤香). The two names referred to different types of fragrant wood in the early period, but by the early 13th century, the two names were regarded as referring to the same product.^[4] The older term ziteng (紫藤, literally "purple vine") has been identified as a plant grown in Southern China Acronychia pedunculata and A. Laurifolia, but is distinct from wisteria which also has the same Chinese name.^[4] The fragrance and appearance of the heartwood and root wood from Dalbergia parviflora of South East Asia, known to have been imported into China in the 10th century, is similar to the earlier Chinese incense wood, it therefore became a substitute for the Chinese product.^[4] Its fragrance was particularly appreciated by Taoists, and it therefore gained the name jiangzhenxiang meaning "the incense that summons the Perfected Ones to descend among us".^[5] Historical records however used two similar terms, jiangzhenxiang and jiangzhen, which may have been two different products.^[2]

Lakawood was also once referred to as Tanarius major in some English sources.^[6]

Uses

The wood has been used as incense in China from an early period, and it was said to be particularly favoured by the Taoists.^[7] It is powdered and mixed with other substances to make incense, commonly in the form of joss sticks. It was first mentioned in 304 AD as a preservative in wine and an incense wood for the summoning of spirit.^[4] During the Tang dynasty, it was used for magical and medicinal purposes, burnt in home to rid of all that's "weird and strange", and pieces of the wood were attached to children to ward off "evil vapours".^[7][8] The wood of Dalbergia parviflora has no smell until it is burnt, and only a small amount is used in joss sticks due to its strong aroma.^[9] According to 16th century herbologist and doctor Li Shizhen, it was also used "as an astringent, as a wash to cleanse sores and to excite granulations, and as a deodorizing and disinfecting agent."^[6] The sap of Emblica officinalis, also called laka, was used as a red dye by people of Java and the Malacca Strait area.^[4][2] According to Zhu Fan Zhi, the red-coloured sap of lakawood was also once used as an ingredient in a product called "imitation dragon's blood".^[10]

The essential oils found in Dalbergia parviflora are nerolidol, farnesol, furfurol, aryl-benzofurans, and neoflavonoids.^[9]

Historical records

Lakawood from South East Asia was first noted in 982 (early Song dynasty) as one of the 37 foreign products that can be freely traded in China, and descriptions of the trade and product are given in accounts from the Sung and Yuan dynasty, Zhu Fan Zhi and Daoyi Zhilüe.^[4] These texts indicate that Lakawood was a product of various states in the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, as well as Borneo. They suggest a significant trade in lakawood, but it was also regarded as a cheap import during the Song dynasty, such that people of Quanzhou be they rich or poor can afford to buy the incense to burn at the end of the year as a sacrifice to Heaven.^[12] Lambri in Sumatra was mentioned as producing the best quality lakawood. The value of lakawood however increased during the Ming dynasty. The product was mentioned in accounts of Zheng He's voyages such Yingya Shenglan by Ma Huan during the Ming dynasty, and its value was considered high enough to be presented to the imperial court as tributes by various ports of Sumatra as well as Siam.^[4]

References

• Rankin, James
• Rankin, John
• Rank in Judo
• Rankin L-function
• Rankin Location Indian Reserve No. 15D
• Rankin M. Gibson
• Rankin, Miss.
• Rankin, Mississippi
• Rankin, Nicholas
• Rankin Octagonal Barn
• Rankin Presbyterian Church
• Rankin-Selberg convolution
• Rankin-Selberg integral
• Rankin-Selberg L-function
• Rank insignia of the Arm of Carabineers
• Rank insignia of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces
• Rank insignia of the Carabinieri
• Rank insignia of the Finance Guard
• Rank insignia of the Finance Guard Corps
• Rank insignia of the German armed forces
• Rank insignia of the Guardia di Finanza
• Rank insignias of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces
• Rank insignias of the German Bundeswehr
• Rankin's jessamine
• Rankins Springs, New South Wales