Aromatic Preparations for Tết: Incense Makers of Lê Minh Xuân

Mã bài dự thi: ae843c42a0a7461ea8e66070e679c74a

Đơn vị: Cá nhân

Địa điểm sáng tác: Xã Bình Chánh, Hồ Chí Minh, Việt Nam

In the village of Lê Minh Xuân, 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 (Tết). 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 Lê Minh Xuân, however, continue to uphold this cherished tradition, ensuring that the fragrant aroma of Tết remains a cherished part of Vietnamese culture for generations to come.