Phia Thap Incense Village, Preserving Traditional Values
The Phia Thap incense-making village, located in Quoc Toan Commune, Quang Uyen District, Cao Bang Province, is famous for its centuries-old tradition of incense craftsmanship, which has been maintained by the Nung An people.
Despite modern technological advances, the villagers continue to follow the traditional methods passed down by their ancestors. Making incense by hand involves several complex steps. The main ingredients include the Mai tree, bark from the Kapok tree, sawdust, and aromatic plants like “Nghien Do” and “Thung” trees. The most distinctive element is the leaf of the “Bau Hat” tree, which serves as a natural adhesive to bind the ingredients together.
The incense sticks are crafted from the mai tree, which grows deep in the forests of Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang. Only mai wood from this region produces the distinctive curved ash when burned. The most critical steps are entrusted to skilled women, who carefully mold the incense sticks. Each stick is dipped in water and rolled repeatedly to shape it into a round form. This process is repeated over ten times until the incense sticks reach their final form. A skilled worker can make around 3,000 to 4,000 sticks from early morning until late night.
Unique and Unconventional Techniques
Unlike other incense-making villages in Vietnam, where sticks are dyed red before shaping, Phia Thap villagers dye the incense after it has been crafted. The red coloring comes from the leaves of the “Cham Che” tree, which grows abundantly around the village. The final stage, drying the incense, is the most time-consuming of all the steps.
Centuries-Old Craft Facing Challenges
Although the craft dates back hundreds of years, it faces significant challenges. Raw materials are becoming harder to source, the selling price remains low, and traditional methods pose health risks. Consequently, younger generations leave the craft, searching for safer and more sustainable livelihoods. Today, only older villagers and some women continue this traditional work, while others seek new opportunities to meet their needs.
Photography Tip: A Unique Place for Capturing Stunning Images
Phia Thap village offers a fascinating backdrop for photography. Drone shots from above reveal a village in a valley surrounded by rice fields and mist-covered mountains, especially during the harvest season—a truly breathtaking scene.
Walking through the village, you’ll find stilt houses packed together, with every open space used for drying incense. Each step of the incense-making process is visible as villagers work across various parts of the community. Beneath the stilt houses, villagers prepare the raw materials, turning them into incense sticks. It’s recommended to bring a mask and protect your equipment to avoid dust.
Explore every corner of the village to uncover the best angles and highlights for your photos. If you join a tour with photographer Nguyen Vu Phuoc , your experience will be enriched, and his eye for detail will help you capture your best shots.
