没有香气的日子，就像没有阳光的清晨：沙特本土香水、沉香与熏香的文化密码

2026 年 5 月 13 日

清晨的阳光穿过利雅得老城区的窗棂，空气中弥漫着一缕神秘而悠长的幽香——这香气深邃、复杂、令人沉醉，仿佛在诉说一个关于历史、文化与自然的永恒故事。这便是沉香的气息，一种在沙特阿拉伯文化中有着深厚根基、被誉为“液态黄金”的珍贵存在。据《财富》杂志报道，上等沉香的价格可高达每磅5,000美元。

The morning sun filters through the latticed windows of old Riyadh, and the air is suffused with a mysterious, lingering fragrance—deep, complex, and intoxicating, as if telling a timeless story of history, culture, and nature. This is the scent of oud, a precious substance deeply rooted in Saudi Arabian culture and often called “liquid gold.” According to Fortune magazine, the price of the finest oud can reach up to $5,000 per pound.

这缕幽香绝非偶然。在今天的沙特阿拉伯，香氛早已超越个人装饰的范畴，成为一种深刻的文化表达、一种精神净化的仪式、一种代代相传的生活美学。This breath of fragrance is no accident. In today’s Saudi Arabia, scent has long surpassed the realm of personal adornment, becoming a profound cultural expression, a ritual of spiritual purification, and a way of life passed down through generations.

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香之根源：被信仰祝福的传统

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The Roots of Fragrance: A Tradition Blessed by Faith

阿拉伯半岛的香料种植已有7000年历史，主要集中在阿曼苏丹国的佐法尔地区，能萃取香料的树木多达36种，仅被誉为“香料之冠”的乳香，其原料树就有26种。在这片土地上，香料不仅仅是气味，更是文明的印记。

The cultivation of aromatics on the Arabian Peninsula dates back 7,000 years, primarily concentrated in the Dhofar region of the Sultanate of Oman. There are as many as 36 species of trees from which aromatic substances can be extracted, and frankincense alone—hailed as the “crown of aromatics”—comes from some 26 different species of Boswellia trees. On this land, aromatics are not merely scents, but imprints of civilization.

在伊斯兰文化中，使用香料被视为一种“圣行”——是高尚的精神生活与美好的物质享受的完美结合。穆斯林相信，沉香的香气能洁净身心，甚至在亡者入殓时，会以沉香油擦拭身体，寓意洗去世间尘垢，安然归向天堂。清真寺的礼拜、麦加朝觐等重要场合，都离不开沉香香薰的净化仪式。在麦加大清真寺，香水和熏香部使用最好的陈年熏香为克尔白和所有清真寺设施增添香气。

In Islamic culture, the use of fragrance is regarded as a “Sunnah”—a perfect union of noble spiritual life and refined material enjoyment. Muslims believe that the aroma of oud can purify both body and soul. Even when preparing the deceased for burial, the body is anointed with oud oil, symbolizing the washing away of worldly dust and a peaceful return to paradise. Whether for prayers at the mosque or the pilgrimage to Mecca, the purifying ritual of burning oud is indispensable. At the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Perfume and Incense Department uses the finest aged incense to perfume the Kaaba and all mosque facilities.

正如一位文化研究者所述：“我曾在沙特阿拉伯的麦地那亲眼目睹：一名当地人带孩子去圣寺礼拜，孩子拿出随身携带的香水与周围人分享，稚嫩的双手托着香水瓶，幸福的面容在年长者中间流动，直到香水瓶见了底——这一刻令人无不动容。”分享香气，在这片土地上，就是分享祝福本身。As one cultural researcher recounted: “I once witnessed this scene in Medina, Saudi Arabia: a local man brought his child to pray at the Prophet’s Mosque. The child took out a bottle of perfume carried from home and shared it with those around him. Those young hands held the perfume bottle, and his joyful expression flowed among the elders until the bottle was empty—that moment touched everyone present.” On this land, to share fragrance is to share blessing itself.

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百万亿的嗅觉经济

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A Multi-Billion-Dollar Olfactory Economy

沙特庞大的香水市场背后，是每年数十亿美元的惊人消费力。2025年，沙特阿拉伯香水市场规模估值约为24.3亿美元（有的统计口径下估值达35亿美元），预计到2034年将增长至36.2亿美元，年复合增长率约4.52%。在这个市场中，高端产品占据了61%的份额，阿拉伯传统香水占比达51%，男性消费者以45%的市场占比引领消费潮流。

Behind Saudi Arabia’s huge perfume market lies an astonishing annual consumption power worth billions of US dollars.

In 2025, the Saudi Arabian perfume market was valued at approximately 2.43 billion US dollars (reaching 3.5 billion US dollars under some statistical standards). It is projected to grow to 3.62 billion US dollars by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of around 4.52%.

Within the market, luxury products account for 61% of the share, while traditional Arabian perfumes make up 51%. Male consumers lead the consumption trend with a market proportion of 45%.

这些数字背后，是一种根植于日常生活的文化惯性：使用香水在沙特并非偶尔为之，而是如祷告般规律的日常仪式，无论男女。在沙特家庭，主人通常会拿出随身携带的香水与客人分享，或点燃香炉让熏香弥漫，这是表达欢迎与好客不可或缺的环节。

Behind these figures lies a deep-rooted cultural inertia in daily life: using perfume in Saudi Arabia is not an occasional act, but a daily ritual as regular as prayer, for both men and women. In Saudi homes, hosts will typically offer their personal perfume for guests to share, or light an incense burner to fill the air with fragrant smoke—an indispensable gesture of welcoming and hospitality.

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沙特本土香水：从麦加商路

到全球版图

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Saudi Local Perfumes:

From Mecca’s Trade Routes to a Global Map

Arabian Oud 的故事始于1982年利雅得传统的Souk al-Azal集市。从一家小店起家，如今已发展成为中东最大的香水集团之一，在全球37个国家拥有超过1200家门店，产品线超过400款。品牌专注于乌木香调，其明星产品如Solid Black、Arabian Knight、Kalemat等，巧妙融合了传统东方元素与现代审美。2012年在FiFi Arabia“香水奥斯卡”上斩获五项大奖，2013年被Euromonitor评为中东和非洲第一、全球第十一位。

The story of Arabian Oud began in 1982 at Riyadh’s traditional Souk al-Azal. Starting from a single small shop, it has now grown into one of the largest perfume conglomerates in the Middle East, with over 1,200 stores across 37 countries and a product line exceeding 400 items. The brand specializes in oud-based fragrances, and its star products, such as Solid Black, Arabian Knight, and Kalemat, masterfully blend traditional Oriental elements with modern aesthetics. In 2012, it won five awards at the FiFi Arabia “Oscars of Perfume,” and in 2013, it was ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and eleventh globally by Euromonitor.

比Arabian Oud更早的，是创立于1932年的Abdul Samad Al Qurashi（简称ASQ）。创始人阿卜杜勒·萨马德·古拉希以经营沉香和熏香起家，将技艺代代相传。如今ASQ在全球拥有超过500家门店，从沉香木、熏香、香水到香膏和护发香氛一应俱全。其产品包装精美，宛如艺术品，是沙特人婚庆场合赠送新人最体面的礼物之一。

Older than Arabian Oud is Abdul Samad Al Qurashi (ASQ), founded in 1932. Its founder, Abdul Samad Al Qurashi, started his business trading in oud and incense, and passed down his craftsmanship through the generations. Today, ASQ has over 500 stores worldwide, offering everything from agarwood, incense, and perfumes to scented balms and hair fragrances. Its products come in packaging as exquisite as works of art, making them one of the most respectable gifts for newlyweds at Saudi wedding celebrations.

除此之外，还有Ajmal、Rasasi、Swiss Arabian、Almajed Oud等众多品牌活跃于市场。本土品牌通过扩张零售网络、投资产品创新和强化电商业务，积极推动行业升级。

In addition, numerous other brands such as Ajmal, Rasasi, Swiss Arabian, and Almajed Oud are active in the market. Local brands are actively driving the industry forward by expanding their retail networks, investing in product innovation, and strengthening their e-commerce presence.

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Bakhoor：流淌在空气里的好客

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Hospitality that Permeates the Air

如果说香水是穿在身上的香氛，那么Bakhoor（布霍尔）就是流淌在空气里的味道。If perfume is fragrance worn on the body, then Bakhoor is the aroma that flows through the air.

Bakhoor是阿拉伯世界特有的一种传统熏香，通常由木片或木粉浸泡在乌木油、玫瑰、檀香或麝香等芳香油中，再混合树脂、香料、花卉和草药精华制成。传统制作方法是将这些配料放入陶罐中，加入精油反复搅拌熬煮，直至形成浓稠的膏状，冷却后再碾碎成粉末。每一批Bakhoor都是独一无二的手工作品，许多香料商拥有代代相传的祖传秘方，绝不外传。

Bakhoor is a traditional incense unique to the Arab world, typically made by soaking wood chips or powder in fragrant oils such as oud oil, rose, sandalwood, or musk, then blending them with resins, spices, flowers, and herbal essences. The traditional method involves placing these ingredients in a clay pot, adding essential oils, and continuously stirring and simmering until a thick paste forms, which is then cooled and crushed into a powder. Every batch of Bakhoor is a unique handmade creation, and many perfumers possess secret ancestral recipes passed down through generations, never disclosed to outsiders.

熏燃Bakhoor时，将专用木炭点燃后放入传统的Mabkhara香炉中，再放上一小块Bakhoor，芬芳的烟雾便袅袅升起。主人会手捧香炉在宾客间传递，让每一位客人用烟雾熏染发丝、衣物和双手——这是阿拉伯文化特有的待客之道，与奉上咖啡和椰枣一样，体现着最为真挚的热情好客。沙特人在开斋节走亲访友时，几乎每家每户都会燃起沉香，让这温暖的气味充满家中，同时迎接访客。从婚礼到家庭聚会，从周五礼拜到每日清晨——燃烧沉香几乎是沙特每个家庭全年都在实践的古老传统。

To burn Bakhoor, a specially made charcoal is lit and placed inside the traditional Mabkhara incense burner, and a small piece of Bakhoor is placed on top, sending fragrant smoke wafting upwards. The host will pass the incense burner among the guests, allowing each person to infuse their hair, clothing, and hands with the aromatic smoke—this is a unique gesture of Arab hospitality, akin to offering coffee and dates, embodying the most sincere warmth and generosity. During Eid al-Fitr, when Saudis visit relatives and friends, nearly every household burns oud, filling the home with its warm scent as they welcome visitors. From weddings to family gatherings, from Friday prayers to the early morning hours—burning oud is an ancient tradition practiced year-round in almost every Saudi household.

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香之未来：传统与现代的深度交融

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The Future of Fragrance:

A Deep Fusion of Tradition and Modernity

眼下的沙特香氛市场，正经历着一场前所未有的变革与重塑。消费者越来越倾向于独特的、限量的、手工感强的香氛产品，而非主流设计师品牌。同时，天然、可持续、无合成过敏原的香水受到越来越多消费者的青睐。The current Saudi fragrance market is undergoing unprecedented transformation and reinvention. Consumers are increasingly gravitating towards unique, limited-edition, artisan-crafted fragrances rather than mainstream designer brands. At the same time, natural, sustainable perfumes free from synthetic allergens are winning the favor of a growing number of consumers.

与此同时，电商渠道在过去几年实现了爆发式增长。截至2024年底，沙特阿拉伯的互联网电商用户已达3360万人，较2019年增长了42%。这一数字意味着：过去只能在沙特老集市里寻得的沉香精油和手工Bakhoor，正以前所未有的方式走向全球消费者——古老的香道美学正以数字化时代的语法，重新书写它的故事。Meanwhile, e-commerce channels have experienced explosive growth over the past few years. By the end of 2024, the number of internet e-commerce users in Saudi Arabia had reached 33.6 million, an increase of 42% compared to 2019. This figure signifies that oud oils and handcrafted Bakhoor, once only found in Saudi Arabia’s old souks, are now reaching global consumers in unprecedented ways—this ancient incense aesthetic is being rewritten in the grammar of the digital age.

一缕幽香，穿越千年。无论身处利雅得的古老集市还是今天的都市商场，那股深邃、温暖的沉香气息始终不变——它是阿拉伯人洁净身体、净化心灵、款待宾客、回归信仰的文化基因。正如一位沙特友人所言：“没有香气的日子，就像没有阳光的清晨。”A single thread of fragrance, traversing a millennium. Whether in the ancient souks of Riyadh or today’s modern shopping malls, that profound, warm scent of oud remains unchanged—it is the cultural code by which Arabs cleanse the body, purify the soul, honor guests, and return to their faith. As one Saudi friend expressed: “A day without fragrance is like a morning without sunlight.”

在这片7000年来始终与香相伴的土地上，香氛从来都不是奢侈品——它是生活的必需品，是灵魂的居所，是流淌在每一个阿拉伯人血液中的、看不见的文化基因。On this land, which has been intertwined with fragrance for 7,000 years, perfume has never been a luxury—it is a necessity of life, a dwelling place for the soul, an invisible cultural code that flows through the blood of every Arab.

(图片来源网络侵删)