Скачать или смотреть Artisan upholds handmade incense craft amid industry decline｜Taiwan News

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Many people in Taiwan light incense sticks to pray at temples, a tradition that has been practiced for centuries. Chen Chih-ming has been making incense for nearly half a century, using all-natural materials. Consistently developing new products, he recently released tea leaf and coffee-scented incense. Chen continues to bring fresh ideas to this field, which has been declining in recent years.

Every day before dawn, Chen Chih-ming starts working at his factory, taking advantage of the cloudless skies. Chen covers bamboo sticks in a special blend of Chinese herbal incense powder, making sure that the incense covers each stick evenly. With decades of experience, Chen is an expert at this.

Chen Chih-ming
Incense maker
Making incense is physical labor.It requires physical work and use of both hands. Both my hands have been injured from this work.

Chen began making incense when he was 13 because his family needed the financial support. After studying this craft with many teachers, he settled down in Yunlin County’sDapi Township, where he has been making incense for almost 50 years. But now, with the rise of environmentalism and the competition of low-price incense from China, Taiwan’s incense industry is facing a crisis. Boldly confronting these challenges, Chen continues to make incense using all-natural materials like tea leaves, jasmine and coffee. An innovator, he is consistently developing new products.

Chen Chih-ming
Incense maker
I researched the scent of hot water being poured over tea leaves when brewing tea, figuring out how to recreate it using incense materials. I wanted to use everyday things from home to make incense that can be lit and used to pray.

Despite the industry’s decline, Chen has remained steadfast. He continues to make incense by hand, preserving traditional methods amid the mechanization of the industry. He hopes to find an apprentice so he can pass on this traditional craft.

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