Amidst the lush green fields of Hung Yen , Van Quan village in Dien Ha commune stands as a tranquil haven, where the fragrance of nature blends with the touch of human hands.
Here, the craft of making black incense has existed for generations, becoming a cultural and spiritual symbol of the region. Each incense stick is not only a handcrafted product but also the culmination of the experience, love of the craft, and patience of the local people.
The craft of making black incense in Van Quan is closely intertwined with the spiritual life and ancestor worship beliefs of the Vietnamese people. In every family, in every festival, the fragrant incense sticks serve as a bridge between the present and the spiritual realm, expressing reverence to ancestors. But to create such an incense stick, the craftsmen of Van Quan must go through a meticulous and painstaking process requiring exceptional skill.
The essence of craftsmanship and traditional fragrance.
Van Quan black incense is famous for its perfect combination of resin and charcoal powder from sesame and soybean stalks. These ingredients are carefully selected, finely ground, and mixed according to a traditional recipe, creating a pure, rich aroma that doesn't irritate the eyes or blacken the sacred space.
Unlike many other traditional craft villages, Van Quan black incense is rolled entirely on wooden cutting boards – a traditional technique that has become a symbol of the village. The cutting boards, polished smooth over the years, combined with the black-stained hands of the craftsmen, create incense sticks that are uniform, beautiful, and sticky.
The incense-making process begins with the preparation of the raw materials. Soybean stalks and vetiver plants are burned to ash, then ground into a fine powder. This charcoal powder is mixed with resin and herbs such as cypress, angelica, and sandalwood to create the characteristic fragrance. The meticulousness is evident in the rhythmic movements of the craftsman's hands during the incense-making process, where each incense stick is pressed by hand, controlling the tightness and evenness, so that when burned, the incense burns steadily, produces little smoke, and emits a gentle aroma.
What makes Van Quan incense unique is its ability to burn evenly even when damp. The secret lies in its entirely natural ingredients and traditional techniques preserved through generations. The soul of the incense stick lies in its purity. Only resin, charcoal powder, and herbs—no chemicals—can create the rich, warm, and pure fragrance.
Despite the introduction of machinery to increase productivity, many households remain determined to preserve traditional methods. They believe that meticulous care and skillful hands are essential to maintaining the pure fragrance and rustic charm of the incense sticks. From rolling the incense sticks and coating them with powder to drying them in the natural sun, everything is done slowly but surely. During the warm, sunny days at the end of the year, the village square glows with the red of bundles of incense sticks drying in the sun, their herbal scent wafting in the breeze, creating a serene yet culturally rich scene.
In the modern context, traditional craft villages have undergone transformations. Many workshops combine family recipes with modern technology to diversify products, maintaining traditional quality while expanding markets. However, many households remain determined to preserve traditional methods. They believe that meticulous care and skillful hands are essential to maintaining the pure fragrance and rustic charm of the incense sticks. From rolling the incense sticks and coating them with powder to drying them in the natural sun, everything is done slowly but surely.
Currently, in addition to traditional black incense, Van Quan village also produces yellow incense and other herbal incenses such as eucalyptus incense, cinnamon incense, and cypress incense… These types of incense are not only good for health but also create a gentle, subtle fragrance, enriching the experience for users.
Preserving and conserving traditional crafts.
The craft of making black incense in Van Quan has existed for hundreds of years, but it is not immune to modern challenges. One of the biggest difficulties is the labor issue. Because the work requires patience, physical strength, and manual skills, many young workers have chosen stable jobs in industrial zones or cities, causing the workforce in the village to decline. Furthermore, the handmade incense making craft has low productivity and low income, making it difficult to retain young people. Only during the Tet holiday season does a large number of workers gather to meet the increased consumer demand.
However, many families still persevere in preserving the craft, viewing it as a responsibility to their lineage and community, because for them, preserving the incense-making craft is preserving the roots of the village. According to statistics, there are currently about 300 households in Van Quan village that maintain incense production. Such dedicated workshops not only develop the family economy but also contribute to preserving the village's craft culture and create opportunities for local workers to stay connected to their homeland.
Besides the human resources factor, preserving traditional crafts also faces pressure and market competition. Handmade black incense has the advantage of being clean and rustic, but it struggles to compete with cheap, mass-produced incense with a wide variety of designs. Another difficulty is consumer habits: many people prefer incense that burns until it turns to dust for good luck, while Van Quan incense, being chemical-free, does not meet this demand.
To overcome these challenges, households and local authorities have collaborated on various solutions. Many families have established businesses, expanded distribution channels, improved quality, refined designs, and promoted the Van Quan incense brand. The commune also supports people in accessing preferential policies, brand protection, and linking production with experiential tourism , making the product a cultural highlight and creating further impetus for local economic development.
This collective effort has yielded remarkable results. The craft of making black incense in Van Quan has not only survived but also developed sustainably, becoming a symbol of reverence and gratitude towards ancestors. These incense sticks, crafted with skill and dedication by the people, serve as a bridge between present life and the spiritual realm, possessing both material and profound cultural and spiritual value.
Images of bundles of incense sticks drying in the sun, the scent of herbs wafting in the wind, and hands stained black with age diligently rolling incense sticks, are testaments to the enduring vitality of the craft village. The craft of making black incense in Van Quan is not just a job, but a tradition, a memory, and a source of pride for the local people. Despite facing numerous challenges regarding human resources and market competition, the flame of this craft has been preserved and passed down through generations, ensuring that Van Quan incense continues to shine brightly in the spiritual life and folk culture.
Today, the black incense sticks of Van Quan are no longer found only in local households but are widely known, contributing to the distinctive image of Vietnamese craft villages. The combination of traditional experience and modern innovations is helping the black incense making craft maintain its identity while adapting to market demands, promising a sustainable future for the village.
With each incense stick lit, the people of Van Quan village entrust their souls, their reverence, and their love for their homeland. The craft of making black incense is not just a material product, but also a vivid testament to the spiritual and cultural values, the diligence, and the patience of the people here. And so, Van Quan black incense continues to quietly spread through the air, connecting the past with the present, extending the tradition through generations to come.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/giu-lua-huong-den-lang-van-quan-huong-xua-con-mai-post1111412.vnp
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