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Lukang’s Shih Chin Yu Mu Xiang Zhai: Taiwan’s Oldest Incense Shop Exports Herbal Incense via E-Commerce

 
2020-11-06 | Author: Wu Ya-le
▲ Eighth-generation successor Shih Yeh-chih (left) specializes in fragrance blending, turning Chinese herbs into the main attraction. (Photo by Peng Shih-chieh)
 
"Since the weather isn't great today, the masters can't sun-dry the incense." The ancestral incense factory of Shih Chin Yu is still in operation, but only one master craftsman remains, primarily handling the complex process of making "standing" joss sticks. Eighth-generation successor Shih Yeh-chih notes that the decline of veteran manual craftsmen is inevitable. He acknowledges that the quality of modern machine-produced "injected incense" is actually quite good; therefore, he discussed with his father early on that once he took over the family business, he wanted to shift the focus of the heritage toward "fragrance blending" (formulation).
 
With a history spanning over 200 years, Shih Chin Yu once dominated the religious incense market in Taiwan. During its peak, the shop produced 30,000 catties (approx. 18,000 kg) annually, requiring eight master craftsmen and several packaging staff working across two shifts. "Orders would arrive before the incense was even dry," Shih recalls. Many independent manual incense masters in the industry today originally apprenticed at Shih Chin Yu. However, starting in the 1970s, Taiwanese businessmen began moving production to China. Low-cost goods were dumped back into the Taiwan market, severely impacting the local industry. Shih Yeh-chih says the business has faced continuous challenges since that era.
 
It was during that period that the three brothers of the seventh generation decided to split the family business. Shih Yeh-chih’s father, Shih Chi-hsun, was the third son and inherited the manufacturing factory, while his two elder brothers took over the retail operations. Later, the grandfather, Shih Yi-han, requested that Shih Chi-hsun open his own storefront to sell his factory's products exclusively. To differentiate himself, Shih Chi-hsun named the shop "Shih Chin Yu San Fang" (The Third Branch). However, this name was frequently misunderstood by outsiders, who mistakenly thought Shih Yi-han had three wives.
 
Shih Yeh-chih, who took over the "San Fang" business, explained that he initially wanted to develop a sub-brand for floral aromatherapy. Later, under the guidance of a mentor, he began extracting scents directly from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and merged the primary and secondary product lines into a single brand named "Shih Chin Yu Mu Xiang Zhai."
 
"My father never dreamed that Chinese herbs would go from being a mere ingredient in incense to the main star," says Shih Yeh-chih. His innovative plan was initially met with skepticism, but now peers in the industry are taking notice of this creative path. Lifestyle aromatherapy products sold through e-commerce channels now account for 50% of the total revenue. "I have backed up all my fragrance-blending secrets," Shih says confidently. "I believe this heritage will never be interrupted."
 
Source: Wealth Magazine - Grasping Trends, Investing in the Future | The Financial Media That Understands Investment Best
 
 
 
 
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