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Century-Old Lukang Incense Shop Finds New Life Through Transformation

 
 
Facing the influx of incense from Mainland China, a century-old incense shop in Lukang has not only diversified its products but also integrated leisure tourism by opening its factory to the public, allowing people to learn about traditional Chinese culture. The photo shows Shih Yeh-chih, the manager of the "Shih Chin Yu San Fang" family business, demonstrating the incense-making process to students from Banqiao Community University. (大紀元)
 
【大紀元, June 6】（Report by Peng Chiu-yen, Taipei）
 
The incense-making industry can be described as one of the trades closest to the gods. "Shih Chin Yu San Fang," a century-old shop in Lukang, has recently transformed into a cultural and creative enterprise, balancing its livelihood with the preservation of traditional Chinese incense-making techniques while integrating tourism and leisure.
Taiwan once had three major gateways for foreign trade, known from south to north as "First, Fucheng; Second, Lukang; and Third, Monga." Due to its early development, Lukang became a hub of culture and temples, serving as a primary cluster for Taiwan’s incense industry.
"However, with the migration of industries, these incense factories either moved to Mainland China or closed down entirely," says Shih Yeh-chih, the eighth-generation successor of "Shih Chin Yu San Fang."
Established in 1756 (the 21st year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty), "Shih Chin Yu San Fang" has a family history of incense making that traces back to their ancestral home in Quanzhou, Fujian, spanning 250 years to the present day in Lukang. For over two centuries, they have adhered to traditional techniques, using ancestral spice formulas and rigorous manual craftsmanship.
A year ago, Shih Yeh-chih was working as an administrator at a community university. After listening to the advice of a teacher he was commuting with, he resolutely resigned from his job to join the family business, determined to become a full-time incense professional.
In recent years, the surge of incense from Mainland China has made it difficult for Taiwanese incense to compete. Shih says that during the peak years, the factory employed eight masters and produced 30,000 catties of incense per month, yet still could not keep up with demand. Today, they only need one master, and the monthly output has dropped to 3,000 catties—only one-tenth of what it once was.
As Taiwanese manufacturing has shifted to Mainland China, Shih anticipates that the commercial and service sectors may follow suit, whereas the tourism industry holds great potential for development. Consequently, in addition to diversifying his products, Shih has combined the business with leisure tourism by opening the factory for tours, allowing the public to experience traditional Chinese culture.
"Make good incense to form good connections; burn good incense to reap good fruits" has always been the ancestral motto of the Shih family. Shih Yeh-chih notes that since their family history traces back to Quanzhou, Fujian, they may one day consider expanding their development back into Mainland China.
 
 
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