In ancient times, two or three millennia ago, the Chinese would "light incense to call forth the presence of the spirits." During worship, alcohol and meat weren't indispensable offerings, but incense was.
在二、三千年的上古時期，中國就有「焚香以降神」的祭儀，祭拜時，沒酒、沒肉還無所謂，香是絕對不可缺的。