Story: Winlinh
Photos: Minh Tu
A single stick of incense is more than a ritual object – it is a vessel of memory and devotion, quietly linking the living to their ancestors and the sacred world.
When speaking of incense and the ritual of burning it, Vietnamese people instinctively feel a sense of reverence. Incense symbolizes devotion, a sacred bridge to the spiritual realm. In Vietnamese culture, lighting incense has long been an essential part of traditional customs and ancestral worship. In many families, incense is ever-present on altars dedicated to ancestors, the God of Wealth, the Kitchen God, or the Buddha, especially during death anniversaries, funerals, festivals, Lunar New Year celebrations, and on the first and full moon days of each month. We light incense to express devotion to our ancestors, to pray for health, prosperity, and peace for ourselves and our loved ones, and to entrust our hopes and wishes in the belief that they may one day be fulfilled. In this way, a single stick of incense carries a meaning far greater than its physical form. It becomes a spiritual anchor, guiding people to live with kindness and orienting the soul toward noble and virtuous values.
People make incense across Vietnam. Yet only a handful of places have transformed this practice into a true traditional craft and elevated incense makers into recognized artisans, notably the craft villages of Thuy Xuan in Hue, Nung An in Cao Bang, and Quang Phu Cau in Hanoi.
A fragrant craft in Hue
Thuy Xuan Incense Village lies in Thuy Xuan Ward, about seven kilometers southwest of Hue’s city center. Along the route to Vong Canh Hill and the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, this village, with a history spanning more than 700 years, should not to be missed by visitors who wish to see how Hue people have preserved age-old traditions through the craft of incense making. The village’s incense is entirely handcrafted using natural materials. Artisans carefully select ingredients such as cinnamon, agarwood, star anise, eucalyptus, and lemongrass to create incense powder. The resulting incense is known for its gentle fragrance, even burning, and absence of harsh smoke. Each variety carries its own character: agarwood offers a long-lasting aroma; cinnamon and star anise bring warm, intense notes; and cone-shaped incense releases a soft, subtle scent.
At every stage, from shaping bamboo sticks and mixing the powder to rolling and drying, the artisans devote meticulous care and passion to achieving the highest quality. Among these steps, many visitors wish to try hand-rolling, fascinated by the artisans’ swift, precise movements. Thuy Xuan’s charm lies both in its reputation as a craft village and in its enchanting scenery. Amid the quiet, timeworn atmosphere of the former imperial capital, thousands of brightly colored bundles of incense bloom like flowers, creating a mesmerizing sight.
Incense from the mountains
In the mountainous regions of northern Vietnam, a visit to Nung An Incense Village in Phja Thap Hamlet, Quang Uyen Commune, Cao Bang Province offers a rare glimpse into a centuries-old craft preserved by local people. The incense-making process here differs markedly from that in the lowlands. To create each stick, villagers use the trunk of a mai tree, known in the Tay language as may muoi. The wood is cut into sections about 40 centimeters long, split into thin sticks, and dried in the sun. These sticks are then dipped into water mixed with powdered bau hat leaves, forming a natural binding agent, before being rolled evenly in incense powder to create a smooth, uniform coating. The incense powder is made from forest ingredients such as bau hat leaves, kapok bark, red nghien bark, thung wood, may khao, and softwood sawdust. Thanks to these materials, the incense emits a gentle, natural fragrance and burns slowly and evenly. After rolling, the base of each stick is dyed with natural pigments extracted from cham che leaves, producing soft red and pink hues.
Particularly striking is the village’s drying method: incense sticks are placed upright in cylindrical holders made from bamboo tubes or concrete molds, then left to dry along village roads, around stilt houses, and in rice fields after the harvest. This practice reflects the villagers’ care and respect for every incense stick they make, each one the result of patient, devoted labor, rain or shine. For the people of Nung An, incense making is not merely an occupation but a way of life that reflects their cultural identity and deep spiritual connection with ancestral beliefs.
A labor of love in Hanoi
In Hanoi, Quang Phu Cau Commune is home to a village where incense has been made for over a century in the hamlets of Dao Tu, Cau Bau, Phu Luong Thuong, and Xa Cau. To produce straight, even, and finely finished sticks, artisans carefully select premium vau and nua bamboo, splitting each piece by hand into slender pieces. The incense powder is made entirely from natural ingredients, including agarwood, pine, rosewood, patchouli, Chinese mugwort, chinaberry charcoal, star anise, cinnamon twig, galangal, angelica root, tree resin, tubers, and roots. These ingredients create a gentle, pleasant fragrance and are said to offer health benefits when burned.
The village produces a wide range of incense, from stick, cone, and coil forms to black incense made from tram tree resin, trusted and widely used across many regions. Today, fully hand-made production is less common. Modern machinery now assists local producers, helping speed up production while ensuring consistent quality, allowing incense from Quang Phu Cau to reach households far and wide. The village has also become a popular tourist destination, drawing both domestic and international visitors who come to explore the craft and capture images of this charming traditional village on the outskirts of Hanoi.
When a stick of incense is lit, a connection quietly forms, linking past and present, the spiritual realm and the living world, ancestors and descendants, and even the individual with their own inner consciousness. Lighting incense fosters a quiet faith that sincerity will be felt and heartfelt prayers may one day find fulfillment through rising swirls of incense.
