Taiwan Incense-Making Culture and the Hometown of Xiangjiao

30-Second Overview

In Taiwan's traditional religious culture, incense serves as a medium connecting people to the divine—and as a handcraft art passed down for centuries. From the "Hometown of Xiangjiao" in Yunxiao Community, Chiayi, to a century-old incense shop founded in Lukang in 1756, and on to the Xiangyi Cultural Park in Xingang, Taiwan's incense-making industry bears witness to the deep roots of folk belief across the island.

Despite the twin pressures of mechanization and low-cost imports, a handful of artisans continue to uphold traditional handmade methods, treating quality as a matter of conscience.

The core techniques of this craft are: xiangjiao (incense stick core) preparation, incense powder blending, repeated powder-rolling and coating, and air-drying for shaping—each step reliant on the artisan's touch and judgment, impossible to fully replace by machine.

Why It Matters

Incense-making culture embodies the intimate link between Taiwan's folk beliefs and daily life. In a highly modernized society, these artisans who persist in traditional handcraft preserve not only ancient techniques but also the cultural spirit that "only when the incense is upright will the heart of worship be upright."

The trajectory of the incense industry illustrates how Taiwanese local communities have forged unique cultural identities around traditional craftsmanship. The history of Yunxiao Community, where "every household split xiangjiao," reflects the widespread reality of pre-industrial Taiwan, where women supplemented household income through handicraft work.

For understanding Taiwan's religious life, craft heritage, and local industry, incense-making culture offers a concrete and illuminating case study.

The Hometown of Xiangjiao: Yunxiao Community, Chiayi

The Century-Old Story of Xiangjiao Flowers

Yunxiao Community, located near the Dizang Temple in Chiayi City, developed a xiangjiao-splitting industry spanning over a hundred years thanks to its close ties with this thriving temple. In those lean times, the women of Yunxiao Community all mastered the skill of splitting xiangjiao to help support their families, and nearly every household took up the trade.

Yunxiao Community was once the largest xiangjiao-producing region in southern Taiwan, earning it the title "Hometown of Xiangjiao." A local saying captures the scene beautifully: "Yunxiao homes bloom with flowers all year round—the flowers are xiangjiao flowers." Delicate bamboo filaments were bundled into beautiful mushroom-like shapes, resembling blossoming flowers and becoming the community's most distinctive local sight.

The Artisan's Skill and Perseverance

The story of Master Qiu Jinyun, a xiangjiao-splitting artisan, encapsulates the evolution of the entire industry (the following account is drawn from Chiayi City Government interview records and field research materials). She began learning xiangjiao splitting from her mother in elementary school and continued until handmade xiangjiao were replaced by machine production. In her nimble hands, splitting bamboo with a hatchet was as effortless as waving—she knew the properties of bamboo inside and out. In just a minute or two, thin bamboo strips became pliable as silk thread, and countless xiangjiao stems were bound into beautiful mushroom-shaped xiangjiao flowers.

Master Cai Zengcheng, a handmade incense artisan, represents another facet of the craft. Before a nearly two-meter-wide round basin, he soaks pre-primed xiangjiao in water, then performs a continuous sequence of motions—spreading, rolling, flicking, shaking, and kneading—to ensure the incense powder, blended with Chinese herbs and sandalwood, adheres evenly to each xiangjiao stem. The same process must be repeated four to six times to produce handmade, finely crafted incense in various sizes: chi 3, chi 6, chi 7, and chi 8.

Master Cai emphasized that in the past, a single master had to produce 150 jin (approximately 90 kilograms) of incense per day. Handmade incense-making is a trade of conscience and care. Every stick must have a beautiful pointed tip and a clean finish; from top to bottom, the thickness must be even—no thick or thin spots—and the xiangjiao must be perfectly straight. According to field research records, he often said: "Every stick of incense must be beautiful and burn well—no crookedness or broken feet. Only when the incense is upright will the heart of worship be upright; when the incense burns beautifully, the worshipper's heart will naturally be at peace." (Oral account, cited from Chiayi City Government incense culture records)¹

Island-Wide Incense Industry Map

Lukang: The Legacy of Century-Old Incense Shops

The incense industry in Lukang, Changhua, is equally historic. Among them, Shi Jin Yu Mu Xiang Zhai was founded in 1756 and has been passed down through eight generations, spanning over 260 years. Lukang's incense industry is renowned for its refined handcraft techniques, particularly in the meticulous selection of fragrant materials. Old sunken wood (lao chen mu)—treasures unearthed from the earth through geological shifts, having absorbed the essence of sun and moon over hundreds or even thousands of years—is considered more precious than sandalwood harvested after only 60 to 100 years, and is regarded as the supreme grade of incense.

Lukang's incense industry faces competition from low-priced incense products from mainland China, but by insisting on quality and natural ingredients, it has successfully held onto the mid-to-upper market segment. Modern demand for incense has expanded beyond purely religious use to include stress relief and environmental purification, opening new market space for the traditional incense industry.

Xingang: A New Model of Cultural Tourism

Around 2002, Xingang in Chiayi established Taiwan's first "incense"-themed cultural park—the Xingang Xiangyi Cultural Park—elevating the traditional incense industry to the level of cultural art. The park not only preserves incense-making craftsmanship but also helps visitors gain a deep understanding of incense's important role in Taiwanese culture through exhibitions and hands-on experiences.

The Xingang model demonstrates the possibility of traditional industry transformation: shifting from pure manufacturing to cultural tourism, infusing the industry with new vitality while preserving its artisanal spirit.

Other Regional Incense Hubs

Tainan, Hemei in Changhua, and Toucheng in Yilan are also home to important incense manufacturers, forming an island-wide incense industry network. These producers have each developed different specialties and areas of expertise—some focus on religious incense, others develop the lifestyle aromatics market—together maintaining the diversity of Taiwan's incense-making culture.

The Essence of Incense-Making Craft

Handmade incense-making is a composite craft blending materials science, technical skill, and sensory judgment. The quality of incense depends on three elements: the selection of raw materials, the execution of each process step, and the final quality assessment. Each element requires years of accumulated experience from the artisan.

Raw Material Selection and Processing

Traditional incense-making relies primarily on natural ingredients, including various aromatic woods such as sandalwood, agarwood (chenxiang), and borneol (longnao), paired with Chinese medicinal herbs like clove, cinnamon, and spikenard. The xiangjiao cores are primarily made from bamboo—chosen for its tight grain and good elasticity—then processed through splitting, drying, and other steps.

The Complete Incense-Making Process

1. Xiangjiao preparation: Bamboo is split into fine filaments and bundled into clusters.
2. Incense powder blending: Various fragrant ingredients are mixed according to traditional formulas.
3. Powder coating: The xiangjiao are moistened with water, then rolled in incense powder.
4. Repeated coating: The process is repeated four to six times to ensure even powder adhesion.
5. Drying and shaping: Air-dried or heat-dried for final setting.
6. Quality inspection and packaging: Selecting premium incense for packaging.

Quality Assessment Standards

Characteristics of high-quality handmade incense include: straight, unbent xiangjiao; evenly distributed powder; ash that does not easily fall during burning; and a pure, non-irritating fragrance. Traditional masters emphasize that truly good incense should embody "upright incense, upright heart," bringing a sense of calm and serenity when burned.

Industry Challenges and Transformation

Mechanization and Import Competition

Since the 1990s, with the development of mechanized incense production and the influx of low-priced incense from mainland China, Taiwan's traditional handmade incense industry has faced severe challenges. Many veteran artisans are aging, and fewer young people are willing to enter this demanding trade, creating a crisis of craft transmission.

Transformation and Innovation

In the face of these challenges, Taiwan's incense makers have actively sought paths of transformation:

1. Quality differentiation: Insisting on natural ingredients and competing on quality.
2. Market expansion: Broadening from the religious market to the lifestyle aromatics market.
3. Cultural tourism: Integrating tourism experiences to promote incense culture.
4. Brand building: Establishing brand identity to enhance product value.

Efforts in Craft Transmission

To prevent incense culture from being lost, the 2010s saw many second-generation successors give up other career opportunities to stay in their hometowns and carry on the incense-making trade. While preserving traditional craftsmanship, they have also tried to integrate modern business concepts, helping the ancient incense industry find a new foothold in the marketplace.

The Spiritual Essence of Incense Culture

The Link Between Religion and Daily Life

In Taiwan's religious life, incense serves as a medium connecting people to the divine. Burning incense in worship is not merely a religious ritual—it embodies reverence for the gods, remembrance of ancestors, and prayers for a good life. Incense artisans understand this responsibility deeply, and so they approach the making of every stick with a devout heart.

The Embodiment of Artisan Spirit

Taiwan's incense-making culture reflects a profound artisan spirit: a commitment to quality, perseverance in tradition, and continuous refinement of skill. These incense artisans often dedicate decades to the craft, honing their technique through repetitive processes and deepening their understanding of incense through years of accumulated experience. While producing a commodity, they also transmit a way of life and cultural values.

Extension of Modern Meaning

In contemporary life, the meaning of incense has transcended purely religious use. Lighting a fine stick of incense can be a moment of tranquility amid a busy life, an ambiance creator for the home, or an emotional connection to traditional culture. This transformation from practical function to spiritual comfort demonstrates the adaptability and vitality of traditional craft in modern society.

Further Reflections

The preservation and development of Taiwan's incense-making culture reflects a broader question: in the process of rapid modernization, how do we relate to traditional culture? The case of the incense industry tells us that the survival of traditional craft cannot rely solely on sentiment and protection—it must find new positioning and value amid the changes of the times.

From the xiangjiao flowers of Yunxiao Community, to the cultural park in Xingang, to the century-old incense shops of Lukang, to modern branding efforts, Taiwan's incense-making culture is undergoing a profound transformation. This process is both a challenge and an opportunity—how to embrace innovation while preserving the artisan spirit, how to maintain cultural distinctiveness amid globalization, and how to allow traditional craftsmanship to bloom anew in modern society are all questions worthy of ongoing attention.

For those seeking to understand the depth of Taiwanese culture, incense-making culture offers an excellent entry point: it is both a vessel for religious culture and a crystallization of handcraft art; it carries the weight of history and the dynamism of modern transformation. Behind every wisp of rising incense smoke lies the wisdom of artisans, the power of faith, and the profound meaning of cultural transmission.

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