Sustainable Development Goals
Abstract/Objectives
Although the sense of smell is an essential component of our comprehensive perception of the world, it is often overlooked compared to vision or hearing.　Psychologists Classen, Howes, and Synnott (1994) noted that smell not only triggers physiological and psychological responses but also reflects cultural, social, and historical phenomena. This study employs phenomenological psychology to explore how olfaction manifests in bodily sensations and aesthetic experiences within Chinese incense culture. By focusing on smell, the study aims to challenge conventional visual and auditory modes of perception and rediscover the importance of smell in cultural contexts. Using phenomenological psychology, this research conducts in-depth interviews with three Taiwanese incense masters, analyzing their descriptions of bodily experiences during incense rituals. The study has two main objectives: first, to investigate the bodily experiences of contemporary incense masters during their rituals, and second, to understand how olfactory sensations shape aesthetic experiences.
Results/Contributions

1.Non-linear Body Experience through Multisensory Information Categorization

The practice of Kodo demonstrates unique bodily sensations. Initially, practitioners receive cultural cues visually and olfactory stimuli from fragrances, focusing their consciousness on surface activities. According to the definition of bodily sensation, the body as the subject of experience needs to integrate sensory perceptions to understand the environment. As interest in culture grows, Kodo practitioners' bodily sensations begin to take shape, transitioning through perception, sensation, and cognition. They gradually integrate all similar messages, establishing a non-linear and logical organization of bodily sensation that leads individual consciousness beyond the realm of reality.


2.Spatial Construction of Body Experience and Cultural Representation

The spatial transformation in bodily experience is a construct of consciousness. Kant noted that space is subjective, and Kodo practitioners gradually transform and create space through bodily sensation, with culture built upon individual experience. Culture assigns personal categories and is founded upon the bodily sensations of the experiencer, representing a form of cultural representation. Through material as a medium, Kodo practitioners guide internal cognitive experiences and imagination to enhance overall experiences within a spatial atmosphere.


3.Scent-Driven Body Agency as Embodied Aesthetic Experience of Kodo Culture

"Dao, Qi, Nature" are essential principles in Chinese culture for self-cultivation, where senses allow one to understand all things. Kodo practitioners generate bodily sensations through olfactory perception, embodying a method of self-cultivation. Kodo brings about a sense of inner tranquility, stability, and harmony with nature through scent, surpassing pure cognition. This aesthetic experience not only enhances cognitive construction but continuously awakens the inner self.



Keywords
Olfactorybodily experienceincense cultureaesthetic experiencephenomenological psychology
References
1. https://hdl.handle.net/11296/yq3sgw

National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan