The Second Hainan International Agarwood & Huanghuali Expo Opens in Haikou

Haikou, Hainan — On the soft morning of November 27, the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center began to awaken beneath the gentle winter sun. Before the crowds arrived, faint ribbons of fragrant wood—deep, cool, and timeless—were already drifting across the halls, like a greeting carried from centuries past.

With rising drums, lights, and the gathering tide of visitors, the “Heavenly Aroma • Second Hainan International Agarwood & Huanghuali Expo” officially opened.

This is not merely a gathering of precious woods. It is a moment of cultural awakening, a new departure for an entire industry, and a grand celebration of craftsmanship, heritage, and innovation.

A Grand Stage of 30,000 Square Meters

800+ Enterprises • 200 Global Guests • Tens of Thousands of Visitors

As one of Hainan’s major provincial exhibitions in 2025, this year’s Expo expands to over 30,000 square meters, and has been selected as one of the province’s Top 10 Key Brand Expos for future cultivation.

Throughout the four-day event, the venue gathers:

• more than 800 participating enterprises,

• nearly 200 international guests,

• over ten thousand professional buyers and visitors,

with national-level artisans, master craftsmen, renowned collectors, and prominent enterprises displaying treasures ranging from Ming–Qing Huanghuali furniture to century-grade agarwood masterpieces and contemporary aromatic innovations.

A World of Fragrance and Wood

A Constellation of Products Illuminates the Hall

Stepping into the exhibition hall feels like entering a world built entirely from scent, texture, and light. Exhibits span the full fragrant-wood ecosystem:

• Agarwood incense sticks & “Auspicious Cloud” incense

• Raw materials, chips, and powder

• Agarwood essential oils & wellness aromatics

• High-end agarwood perfumes

• Agarwood teas & herbal infusions

• Premium festival gift sets

• Agarwood jewelry, pendants & wearable aromatics

• Incense tools, burners & ceremonial utensils

• Machinery, seedlings & cultural-creative products

Collectors linger to savor every nuance of scent.
International buyers move purposefully between booths.
This is, unmistakably, the “World Expo of Fragrant Woods.”

The Rise of Hainan Agarwood

Yaxianghui, Gu Chen Ji, Shuxiang Mendi, and Meilang Bay
Showcase Heritage, Creativity, and the Allure of ‘Fragrance Worth Ten Thousand Coins’**

Among the national and international showcases, Hainan agarwood has emerged as one of the brightest highlights this year.

Led by Yaxianghui, Gu Chen Ji, Shuxiang Mendi, and Meilang Bay, Hainan’s Aquilaria sinensis brands combine intangible cultural heritage with bold contemporary innovation, presenting to the world the legendary prestige of Hainan agarwood—
known in ancient times as “a single sliver worth ten thousand coins.”

Rooted in the island’s centuries-old incense traditions yet embracing modern design, these brands bring forth:

• handcrafted incense sticks,

• traditional distilled essential oils,

• artistic incense tools,

• cultural-creative pieces,

• and refined aromatic collections.

They reveal the unmistakable qualities of Hainan agarwood:

• pure and elegant wood fragrance,

• rare and precious material value,

• highly recognizable regional aroma,

• and a unique blend of island culture and Eastern aesthetics.

Hainan exhibitors participated with exceptional enthusiasm this year, contributing new products, new craftsmanship, and new interpretations that made “Hainan White Agarwood” one of the most culturally compelling and widely discussed sections of the entire Expo.

Competitions, Auctions, and Master Forums

A Cultural Arena Illuminated by the Spirit of Incense**

This year’s Expo celebrates not only products, but also artistry, ritual aesthetics, and cultural heritage.

International Incense Competition

Featuring Huanghuali, Agarwood, and Jiangxiang (Dalbergia odorifera)
across 15 professional subcategories including carving, incense craftsmanship, and cultural-creative design.

Top works from across China face expert evaluation and move on to live auctions.

The First National Incense Artist Championship

Champions from 15 regional divisions gather for:

• live fragrance performances,

• cultural presentations,

• incense-aesthetic demonstrations.

Master Forums

Industry icons including Yang Bo, Huang Fuhua, Wu Bingliang, Zhang Xiaowu, Li Fengrong, Zheng Pengjian, Zhou Mo, Zhou Jingnan, and Wang Zhiwen
share insights into craftsmanship, materials, history, and aesthetic philosophy.

 Dianbai’s Powerful Emergence

485 Exhibitors Lead the Industry from Region to Nation**

Among the 815 total exhibitors,
485 come from Dianbai—a dramatic rise from roughly 150 last year.

This signifies:

• a surge in industrial organization,

• a matured product ecosystem,

• rapid growth in brand awareness,

• and strong industrial confidence.

Observers note that Dianbai’s collective emergence marks the transition of China’s agarwood sector:

from individual craft → to regional cluster → to a national-scale industry.

Dianbai is no longer simply a production area;
it has become the core narrative and driving force of China’s modern agarwood story.

 Echoes of the First Expo

A 537 Million RMB Milestone That Ignited a New Era

The inaugural Expo in 2024 attracted 56,000 visitors and generated 537 million RMB in transactions — an unprecedented achievement for the global fragrant-wood market.

The second Expo builds upon this success with increased scale, diversified content, and broader international reach, becoming a vital window for the Hainan Free Trade Port to showcase culture, industry, and global potential.

Global Exchanges, Cultural Nights, Intangible Heritage

A Grand Festival Extending Far Beyond the Exhibition Hall

Throughout the event, attendees will experience:

• multinational buyer delegations touring plantations and processing facilities,

• product promotion conferences,

• the “Aroma of the Night” gala,

• livestream festivals,

• agarwood & Huanghuali intangible heritage performances,

• jewelry and bead-design competitions.

In these moments, culture, commerce, artistry, and industry intertwine into a four-day spectacle.

Honoring Collectors — Guardians of Aroma and History

The opening ceremony included certificate presentations to outstanding collectors of agarwood and Huanghuali—
a tribute to those who preserve fragrant-wood culture and carry its legacy forward.

A Thousand Years of Fragrance Rise Again in Hainan

From the incense routes of the ancient maritime Silk Road to the global stage of today’s Free Trade Port, agarwood and Huanghuali bloom anew in Hainan.

This Expo is more than an exhibition.
It is a cultural poem.
A living symphony.
A vibrant chapter in the renaissance of China’s fragrant-wood civilization.

Hainan now offers the world a refined calling card—
one scented with forests, craftsmanship, heritage, and the promise of a flourishing future.

Jointly reported from Haikou by:

• Gou Shaoren and Lü Fang, Special Correspondents of World Chinese Media

• Ma Lixia, Reporter of Health & Life News

• Cai Jun, Reporter of International Arts News 

• Steven Zhao, Reporter of Canada & World Report