The afternoon sun shines through the smoke of burning incense at Taipei's ancient and revered Lungshan Temple. Inside, a white-haired woman holds a bundle of incense sticks, and after lighting them, fans them out and slowly walks over to the statue of the Buddha. She pays homage by slowly waving the sticks up and down, and then makes her request to the Buddha as the smoke spirals upwards with her prayers and hopes.

The practice of burning incense in temples has become a custom in China, and is considered a symbolic link between the human and spiritual worlds. Though incense is used at nearly all religious ceremonies, few people in Taiwan know much about its history. Theories that it had its origins in Chinese antiquity are not borne out by the record of ancient literature. At one time, in fact, there is evidence that charcoal was used to provide smoke at rituals. It is not until the Han Dynasty that any reference to incense can be found at all, and since this is in connection with Buddhist rites, it is believed that its use came with the Buddhist religion from India.

According to Liu Wan-ji of the Academia Sinica's Folklore Research Center, people still like to use incense because it brings together the three essences of smoke, fire and fragrance. Smoke not only pacifies evil spirits and purifies rooms, but also can carry wishes and prayers on their journey to the heavens. As well as representing the sincerity of the faithful, incense smoke also acts as a link between heaven and earth.

From the belief in the spiritual nature of incense, many other symbolic uses developed. For instance, incense ash was carried from an ancestral home by sons who moved to a new house. In this way, the ancestral spirits were transferred, and a new ancestral tablet could be erected. Incense is also burned to help give a supernatural quality to a Buddha or other statue when it is moved from one temple to another. The Matsu statue at Tachia in central Taiwan must be returned to its original site at Peikang on the coast every year so that its spirit can be "renewed."

Until the Chinese learned how to make incense themselves, they had to make long and arduous treks to India to acquire supplies. In Taiwan today, and particularly in the areas around temples, many incense shops can be found. In the Hsichih area of Taipei County is the Mingteh Tang incense shop, which was opened in 1911. Wang Shiu-chin, 64, and his brother Wang Shui-chin, 49, took over the business from their father and have passed on the tradition to their own children and grandchildren.

Most of the factories in Taiwan are family owned, and employ only two or three workers who produce the incense by hand. Hung Yao-hsiung of the Chin Sheng Temple in Wanhua in the old part of Taipei, described the manufacturing process in detail. First, several bamboo sticks are about three-quarters immersed in water and then spread into a fan shape before they are rolled in a fragrant paste. After the sticks have been coated, they are placed outside to dry.

The incense industry is one of the few traditional activities in Taiwan which are apparently not threatened by the march of modern progress. As long as people feel it is necessary to ask for consideration from the gods, the need for incense will probably be felt. As Hung says: "Since more and more temples are being built, our customers can only increase." It appears that the ancient industry of producing incense has an assured future.

[Picture Caption]

1) Lighting incense. 2,3) The glow of burning incense is a familiar sight in temples. 4) Burning incense fills temples with a long-lasting aroma. 5) The manufacture of incense is a family business, and even children help. 6) There are many types of incense. 7) Incense is a necessary accompaniment to worship.

1-5) Young and old, male and female, all use incense when seeking the gods' blessings and favors.

1) The scented paste used in the manufacture of incense. 2) Only after soaking in water can the sticks be coated with incense. 3) Incense must be handled correctly. 4) Bundles of incense are dried in the sun. 5,6) Workers lay the incense out to dry.

The glow of burning incense is a familiar sight in temples.

The glow of burning incense is a familiar sight in temples.

4） Burning incense fills temples with a long-lasting aroma.

Young and old, male and female, all use incense when seeking the gods' blessings and favors.

Young and old, male and female, all use incense when seeking the gods' blessings and favors.

Young and old, male and female, all use incense when seeking the gods' blessings and favors.

Young and old, male and female, all use incense when seeking the gods' blessings and favors.

Young and old, male and female, all use incense when seeking the gods' blessings and favors.

The scented paste used in the manufacture of incense.

Only after soaking in water can the sticks be coated with incense.

Incense must be handled correctly.

Bundles of incense are dried in the sun.

Workers lay the incense out to dry.

Workers lay the incense out to dry.