In the field of agarwood collection and cultural studies, "Shenzhou Qi" stands as a highly distinctive treasure. It is the largest known ripe formation agarwood in China and once served as the centerpiece of the China Agarwood Culture Museum in Dongguan City, showcasing the unique charm of agarwood to the public. With its natural appearance and historical lineage, this piece has become a representative artifact of both research and collectible value, demonstrating the highest standard of ripe formation agarwood.

在沉香收藏与文化领域，“神州棋”是香中瑰宝。它是中国目前已知体量最大的熟结沉香，曾长期作为东莞市中国沉香文化博物馆的“镇馆之宝”，向公众展示沉香的独特魅力。这块沉香凭借其天然品相与传承历史，成为沉香领域兼具研究价值与收藏价值的代表性藏品，展现了熟结沉香的顶级水准。

To understand the rarity of Shenzhou Qi, it is essential first to clarify the formation characteristics of ripe formation agarwood. ripe formation agarwood forms when an agarwood tree dies naturally, its woody parts rot away, and the resinous core remains, aging over time into dense, aromatic agarwood. This process is rarer than that of raw formation agarwood. Shenzhou Qi is particularly outstanding in both size and appearance among known ripe formation agarwoods in China.

要理解神州棋的珍贵，首先需明确熟结沉香的形成特性。熟结是沉香结香的重要类型之一，指沉香树自然死亡、倒伏后，木质部分逐渐腐烂脱落，而因受伤、感染而凝结的油脂，在自然环境中历经长期醇化，最终形成质地坚硬、香气醇厚的沉香。相较于生结沉香，熟结沉香的形成需依托自然醇化过程，形成条件更为苛刻，往往更为稀缺，神州棋的体量与品相在国内已知熟结沉香中极其罕见。

Shenzhou Qi weighs 9,100 grams. It is a tree core agarwood from the Saigon–Hoi An region of southern Vietnam, an area known for premium agarwood with rich, sweet, and penetrating aroma. The sape of Shenzhou Qi likes a Buddha's hand, it has a deep brown color, smooth texture, and dense oil veins on its surface. Its most striking feature is being "fully saturated with oil both inside and out" – its cross-section shows as many oil veins as its surface, creating a natural flowing aesthetic. Shenzhou Qi ranks at the top in quality, size, oil content, and weight in ripe formation agarwood.

神州棋净重9100克，属于树心结香，产地为越南南部西贡惠安系，这一区域是历史上优质沉香的重要产区，所产沉香以香气醇厚、香甜、穿透力强为特点。从外形来看，神州棋形似佛手，线条流畅，整体呈深褐色，表面油线清晰密布，触感温润，最突出的特点是“内外全油”——不同于普通沉香仅表面有油线、内部无油的情况，神州棋的横切面与表皮一样，油线充沛，呈现出自然的流动美感，在熟结沉香中，其品质、体积、含油量与重量均处于上品水准。

The name “Shenzhou Qi” was given by Zheng Pengjian, the founding curator of the China Agarwood Culture Museum, symbolizing a prayer for blessings and good fortune. The piece is treasured by Dr. Li Guoqun, President of the Shantou Agarwood Collection Association. During the Qing Dynasty, Dr. Li’s ancestors traveled to Southeast Asia (Nanyang) as a physician. and acquired this agarwood in the Saigon region of Vietnam. Through the careful guardianship of several generations of the family, it has been preserved intact to this day.Alongside "Ranjyatai," treasured in Japan's Shōsōin Repository, Shenzhou Qi is a precious gift of nature to humanity.

“神州棋”这一名字，由中国沉香文化博物馆创馆馆长郑鹏建所起，寓意祈福美好。它由汕头沉香收藏协会会长李国群医师珍藏，其祖上在清代时期下南洋行医，于越南西贡一带所得，历经家族数代精心守护，得以完整保存至今。与日本正仓院珍藏的“兰奢待”一样，都是自然留给人类的不可多得的珍宝。

Shenzhou Qi was once prominently displayed at the China Agarwood Culture Museum as its “crown jewel,” serving as a key medium for educating visitors on agarwood knowledge and promoting agarwood culture. Although it is no longer on public display, it remains a highly regarded piece in the world of agarwood.

值得一提的是，神州棋曾长期陈列于中国沉香文化博物馆的显著位置，作为"镇馆之宝"，向参观者展示，成为当时普及沉香知识、传播沉香文化的重要载体，如今，它虽已不再对外公开展出，但依旧是沉香领域备受关注的藏品。

Shenzhou Qi’s value lies in its superior natural quality and clear provenance. As a rare mature-agarwood specimen, it provides direct insight into the formation and features of this category, helping viewers recognize key identifying characteristics. Its exceptional size, quality, and family lineage make it a benchmark in agarwood collecting. Culturally, it embodies the memory of Teochew people who ventured to Nanyang during the Qing Dynasty, it is a microcosm of China-Vietnam cultural exchange.

神州棋的价值，在于其天然形成的优质品相与清晰的传承脉络。它是展示熟结沉香形成过程、品质特征的珍贵实物样本，有助于人们直观了解熟结沉香的鉴别要点，其稀缺的体量、上乘的品质与家族传承，使其成为沉香收藏领域的重要范本。从文化角度来说，它承载着清代潮汕人下南洋的历史记忆，是中越文化交流的一个缩影。