GEORGE TOWN, Aug 29 — With practised hands, a worker presses a thick brown layer of joss and wood paste mix around a long wooden stick that towered above her.

She slowly swivels the stick as she presses the paste onto the stick, making sure it formed an even cylindrical shape.

Behind her are rows of the giant joss sticks, stretching up to 12 feet, waiting to dry before another layer is applied.

This is the Hock Chye Heong Joss Stick factory and workshop, tucked in a small village in Kubang Semang, where thousands of dragon joss sticks are produced over a four-month period.

Long-standing traditions

The owner, Ong Chin Chye, has been crafting these giant joss sticks, that ranges from two feet high up to 20 feet, for over 40 years.

The 67-year-old said crafting dragon joss sticks was a skill passed down from his grandmother when they used to be based in Bukit Mertajam.

“Each joss stick requires at least four layers of paste but each layer takes up to a month to dry so just the base joss stick takes four months to complete,” Ong said.

The joss sticks must be placed under shades to air dry and must not be under direct sunlight as this might cause it to crack.

In another section of the factory, a worker carefully carve the shape of a dragon head while nearby, another worker used a brush to add details to an airbrushed dragon head.

The dragon head takes about a week to air-dry after it is shaped and carved.

“We used to paint each dragon head and body with brushes but now, we air brush it to speed up the process and use brushes to add in the details,” he said.

He said they usually produce about 2,000 joss sticks in a batch that takes about four months to complete.

“We make over 50 different types of joss sticks, most with dragons but we also have other designs such as with pineapples, the Eight Immortals, even the black and green ones for Tua Ji Ya Pek,” he said.

Tua Ji Ya Pek refers to the Black and White Impermanence deities who are underworld guardians in Chinese folk religion.

Ong said now there is a demand for eco-friendly joss sticks, especially for individuals who are making offerings outside their houses in residential areas.

“We also produce eco-friendly joss sticks that produces less smoke and for those who prefer scented joss sticks, we also have a range of sandalwood joss sticks,” he said.

Special demand

Ong said they spend most of the year building up stock in preparation for festive demands as bulk orders usually come in three times a year, during Chinese New Year, Hungry Ghost Festival and Nine Emperor Gods Festival.

“We get up to 10,000 orders for Chinese New Year, between 2,000 to 3,000 orders for the Hungry Ghost Festival and a few hundred for Nine Emperor Gods Festival,” he said.

Throughout the year, they also get orders for other festivals such as Mid-Autumn Festival or birthday celebrations for various deities.

About 65 per cent of their customers are within the Bukit Mertajam area but Ong said they also supply joss sticks to some retailers and temples in Taiping, Ipoh, Kedah, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.

“We have also had orders from Bangkok, Thailand and we deliver there too,” he said.

He said on top of custom making the joss sticks to order, they also provide the stands and installation services especially for the taller joss sticks from eight feet and above.

“We will put up the joss sticks on the stands for them and secured it to make sure it doesn’t fall over as some of these temples do not have the stands for the joss sticks,” he said.

Though eight-foot tall joss sticks are popular because of the auspicious number eight, he said there are also many temples and individuals who prefer taller joss sticks that could go up to 20 feet.

“Some will say they prefer it to be as high as possible to make it grander,” he said.

However, he would only accept orders that are up to a maximum of 20 feet as anything taller has a higher risk of breakage or toppling over during installation.

Labour of love

Ong said the making of dragon joss sticks demands long hours and considerable manual labour but it is an intrinsic Chinese cultural heritage that should be preserved.

“It is why I welcome tour groups and school tours to visit my factory so that they can appreciate the craft behind the making of the dragon joss stick,” he said.

He said he had hosted some student groups from schools where they were each given smaller dragon heads to carve and paint as their art and culture projects.

“We especially want the younger generation to learn more about the dragon joss stick and the craft behind it so that this cultural tradition is never forgotten,” he said.