Aromatic Preparations for Tet: Incense Makers of Le Minh Xuan

Contest Entry Code: ae843c42a0a7461ea8e66070e679c74a

Unit: Cá nhân

Place of creation: Xã Bình Chánh, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

In the village of Le Minh Xuan, nestled about 30 kilometers from the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, a flurry of activity is underway as artisans prepare for the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet). For over a century, this village has been synonymous with the production of fragrant incense sticks, an indispensable element of Vietnamese cultural rituals. Within humble workshops, skilled craftsmen meticulously blend natural ingredients like aquilaria crassna or naseberry sawdust. This fragrant powder is then carefully bound together using litsea rotundifolia resin and infused with aromatic oils, resulting in a diverse array of enticing scents. Once crafted, the incense sticks are carefully arranged on drying racks or laid out in the sun along the village streets and courtyards. This crucial step requires constant attention, as the artisans must regularly turn the sticks to ensure even drying, a process that typically takes 4 to 5 hours. While the craft has seen some modernization with the introduction of machines for tasks like mixing materials and even drying, the human touch remains paramount. Sadly, the number of families dedicated to this traditional craft has dwindled significantly, with many younger generations opting for other livelihoods. The incense makers of Le Minh Xuan, however, continue to preserve this cherished tradition, ensuring that the fragrant aroma of Tet remains a cherished part of Vietnamese culture for generations to come.