The 'giant incense' specialty in Phu Thai commune.

During this time, a bustling and lively atmosphere pervades the incense-making villages in Phu Thai commune (Hai Phong). Giant incense sticks, ranging in length from 1.2 to 1.6 meters, are being urgently brought to market for sale.

These giant incense sticks are handcrafted by skilled artisans.

Meticulous, elaborate

Incense from Phu Thai commune is favored by many consumers because it is made entirely from natural ingredients. The ingredients used to create a traditional incense stick include: resin, charcoal, bamboo sticks, and especially the roots of the *Bai* plant, sourced from areas in Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh provinces. Instead of being machine-made, most of the production process is done manually.

Besides producing incense sticks in lengths of 38 cm, 43 cm, and 70 cm, Duong Thai Bac village is also famous for its giant incense sticks, ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 meters in length and 10 to 20 cm in diameter, depending on customer orders. The incense sticks here only differ in size; otherwise, they all share a common formula. Resin is mixed with charcoal powder to form a wax, which the craftsmen then apply to the incense stick. The stick is then rolled in a mixture of sawdust and resin, and dried to shape it. However, each production facility has its own unique blend of ingredients, resulting in products with distinctive aromas. This is how the name "the place that makes giant incense" originated.

With nearly 40 years of experience in incense making, Ms. Le Thi Bich, 57, an incense maker at Sai Lieu Incense Production Facility, shared: "Duong Thai Bac village, also known as Oi village, used to be a place where almost everyone knew how to make incense, and they passed the knowledge down from one person to another. All stages, from mixing the ingredients, rolling the incense sticks, to drying them, were done manually. Manual labor allowed the artisans to control the amount of resin applied to the incense sticks more evenly. Therefore, handmade incense sticks are more fragrant than machine-made ones. For high-quality batches, the process of removing the wax is repeated multiple times. The finished incense sticks are thicker than regular incense sticks and burn more slowly. Each incense stick represents the meticulous effort, care, and dedication of the maker."

At Nhat Thuy Incense Production Facility, there are an average of 20 workers making incense. From the beginning of October, the facility has arranged for workers to work overtime, even into the evenings. Previously, with traditional manual methods, each worker could produce 7,000 to 10,000 incense sticks per month; with the help of machines, production can increase threefold.

"Because incense is used extensively not only during Tet but also during other festivals at the beginning of the year, businesses are rushing to complete pre-orders. My family has invested in many automated machines for higher production, but the market still prefers handmade incense, especially in the south," shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, owner of Nhat Thuy incense business.

Developing sustainable livelihoods

Making incense during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) provides a decent income for middle-aged laborers during their leisure time between farming seasons.

Incense products on the market are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of design and type, but the type of incense produced in many craft villages of Phu Thai commune this time is "bai" incense, with its distinctive scent, quick ignition, and high demand.

These days, the Thao Tan incense production facility is brightly lit until late at night due to a surge in orders. Ms. Tran Thi Thao, owner of the Thao Tan incense production facility, said: "For this year's Tet season alone, my facility produced over 1.8 million incense sticks. The 43 cm long sticks were the best-selling, accounting for over 1 million; the 38 cm medium-sized sticks sold about 300,000; the rest were small incense sticks and stick incense."

Regarding the giant incense sticks alone, this facility has sold approximately 100,000 sticks. Average revenue ranges from 100 to 200 million VND per month, providing employment for 3 to 5 middle-aged workers. Depending on experience, productivity, and working hours, incense makers can earn between 5 and 7 million VND per person per month.

Incense making is not only closely linked to the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people (ancestor worship, festivals), but also contributes to preserving folk knowledge and traditional handicraft techniques. "During every summer and Tet holiday, I still teach and pass on the craft to my children and grandchildren so that the traditional craft doesn't fade away," said Ms. Le Thi Bich, an incense maker at the Sai Lieu incense production facility.

According to Mr. Nguyen Phuc Cong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Thai commune, incense making not only preserves traditional crafts but also attracts middle-aged, unemployed, and seasonal workers, providing relatively stable income and contributing to improving household economics and shifting the rural economic structure from purely agricultural villages to small-scale handicraft villages.

In recent years, incense-making villages have become popular photo spots and experiential destinations, attracting many tourists. Therefore, in the coming time, the People's Committee of the commune encourages households to improve designs and develop the production of clean, herbal incense in an environmentally friendly direction. At the same time, it will support businesses in accessing and selling products on e-commerce platforms, expanding markets and strengthening the brand of the craft villages.

HUY DAI

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/dac-san-huong-khong-lo-o-xa-phu-thai-535922.html