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The act of incense burning is steeped in Chinese tradition, bringing to mind religion, ancestor worship, smoky temples, and prayer. But times are a-changin’, and fading cultural practices mean that the curl of incense smoke is becoming more commonly associated with a fragrancing of indoor environments instead of any offering to higher beings. As sticks of incense – also referred to as joss sticks – see a decline in cultural importance and demand, traditional businesses like the 148-year-old Chan Luen Hing Incense Shop in Sai Wan joins the list of venerable establishments that will soon be closing its doors.
Chan Luen Hing has recently announced that they will bow out gracefully of the business once their remaining stock has been sold this month. Located in Shek Tong Tsui’s Kwan Yick Building Phase 1, right across from the tram terminus, this small storefront within the local mall has seen a resurgence in customers as visitors both new and old flock to capture memories and a slice of Hong Kong history.
A past titan of the Macau incense industry
Though camera-shy, the third-generation owner of Chan Luen Hing, Chan Chi-kin, is more than happy to share the story of his family business. “That’s my grandfather’s grandfather,” he says of the portrait on the retro incense labels, referring to Chan Yin-tong, who founded the business in 1877. The original Chan Luen Hing shop was located on Rua de Cinco de Outubro in Macau, with a factory on Rua do Entre-Campos in the Patane district. During the peak of the business in the 40s and 50s, it made up one of Macau’s ‘Big Four’ incense producers, alongside Leong Yong Hing, Wing Kut Hing, and Wing Sheung Kut.
Aside from sticks of incense, Chan Luen Hing also made a variety of products, including incense coils and sandalwood blocks. The Chan family has always kept to the traditional methods, grinding fragrant woods to use as the base in their products. Some of their line was also handmade, which called for slightly more premium prices to cover production costs. But you do get what you pay for, with Chan Luen Hing proudly declaring on its packaging – printed on a fan held up in a drawing of ladies in elegant period dress – that they dealt in “genuine goods at fair prices”.
Operating in both retail and wholesale, the business also exported to southern China and southeast Asia – anywhere with a significant Chinese diaspora – and later to Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and even as far afield as parts of Africa.
Cultural shifts and changing climes
Unfortunately for historic businesses, market trends have shifted dramatically over the years. The consumer need for incense has shrunk for several reasons: many Hongkongers have relocated, leading to fewer people making ritualistic offerings; the adoption of Western customs means that using fresh flowers are more of a norm than joss sticks in ceremonies; and the younger generation are much less likely to practice traditional deity worship. Buddhism remains a popular religion, but burning incense is becoming less common even among practitioners, apart from during major festivities and celebrations. Combine this with concerns about the possible toxicity and environmental ramifications of incense smoke, and an influx of cheap, mass-produced alternatives from mainland China, and it’s easy to see how even a brand that has been around for one and a half centuries can be hit hard.
Chan remarks smilingly that it’s already remarkable that his family business has been able to operate until now, selling their wares to distant countries, and making connections and friends along the journey. Chan Luen Hing’s remaining incense stock is approximately priced between $20 and $200. If you’d like to own a slice of traditional craftsmanship from this local brand, then drop by their shop before the shutters roll down one last time.
Chan Luen Hing Incense Shop can be found at Unit 30A, G/F, Kwan Yick Building Phase 1, 430 Des Voeux Road West, Shek Tong Tsui.
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