Centuries of tradition fill craft village with scent of incense in Tet season
Every year as Lunar New Year approaches, the entrance of Quyet Thang Village is filled with the strong fragrance of the incense sticks made here.
Quyet Thang Village in Thanh Trach Commune, Bo Trach District in the central province of Quang Binh, is known for traditional incense making, a craft which has been practised here for centuries.
According to elders in the village, the craft dates back to the 19th century. In the past, villagers made incense with special leaves that they found in the forest. Later they used agarwood to make incense which has different characteristics and aroma compared to the products of other incense-making villages in the country.
According to Le Thi Hoa, in Quyet Thang Village, materials to make agarwood incense include leaves, agarwood powder and cinnamon powder, all produced by hand without the use of chemicals.
"Making a stick of incense is complicated, taking many stages," said Hoa. "The incense maker should ensure that the powder is distributed evenly across the stick. The incense is then dried under the sun so it can be preserved for several months without being spoiled by mould."
All stages are done by hand. This is a unique feature in the production process that people in Quyet Thang Village have followed and maintained for years. The village has been recognised for its traditional handicraft of making incense.
Viet Nam News
Asia News Network
