Types of Joss-stick and its Development

Joss-stick manufacture is an age-old industry of Macao, having over 20 joss-stick manufactories citywide in the 1930s to 1940s. Though the industry had come to a standstill during the Second Sino-Japanese War, it managed to thrive again from early 1950s to mid-1970s, taking advantage of the policy-driven restraints in the Mainland China. Actually, Macao replaced China to be the leading manufacturer of joss-sticks during these few decades.

Traditionally, there are three methods used in making joss-sticks: rolling bamboo stick over incense paste, coating bamboo stick with incense powder and squeezing incense paste through a perforated bucket to form strands of incense. The joss-sticks produced in Macao exist in a variety of shapes, length, thickness, colors and are priced according to the quality of the incense used. With the implementation of economic reforms at home in early 1980s, China regained its leading position as the biggest producer of joss-stick. This marks the decline of Macao’s joss-stick manufacture industry. By today, most of the history-laden manufactories are gone and the few survivors limit their business to retail sales.