Singapore’s final big joss stick makers name it a day

SINGAPORE – After being lit up for near a century, the incense will quickly burn out at Singapore’s final big joss stick maker Tay Guan Heng on Dec 4.

Proprietor and grasp artisan Albert Tay, 63, and his brother Steven, 66, have determined to finish the 90-year-old enterprise began by their grandfather within the Thirties.  They stated their workshop in Ang Mo Kio is the final one making big joss sticks adorned with elaborate designs of dragons, deities and different Taoist symbols. 

Formed and crafted from pure cinnamon wooden clay, they’re used throughout spiritual Taoist ceremonies as choices. It takes a number of days to sculpt, design, spray paint and dry these joss sticks – and even longer through the wet season. Making handcrafted joss sticks is a talent which was handed down from their grandfather to their father, after which to them.

Through the heyday between the Eighties and Nineties, big joss sticks may go as much as a towering 5.5m to 6m. The implementation of the Environmental Public Well being (Burning of Joss Sticks and Candles) laws in 1998 which restricted the dimensions and variety of joss sticks that may very well be burnt affected demand and revenue margins, leading to many exiting the commerce.

Their final competitor in Yishun closed down in 2020 through the Covid-19 pandemic, when many of the Taoist ceremonies have been cancelled. 

“Age is catching up,” Mr Albert Tay stated.  “We really feel the bodily pressure and psychological stress of assembly seasonal demand.”

Whereas gross sales are lower than half of pre-Covid-19 days, last-minute orders all pour in at about the identical time through the seventh, eighth and ninth lunar months when temples mark the Hungry Ghost Competition and deities’ birthdays.  It’s at all times a stress to meet the orders and meet the tight deadlines, they stated.   

That they had additionally diversified their enterprise to make joss dough collectible figurines of Taoist characters, animals and Singapore icons like samsui ladies.  Not like the joss sticks, these are cherished as keepsakes and never burnt away. 

In recent times, they began creating customised gingerbread homes and nativity units for expatriate clients. Additionally they gave workshops to vacationers and faculties to maintain the enterprise afloat.  

“I really feel unhealthy for my common clients,” Mr Albert Tay added, his eyes tearing up a bit of. “But it surely’s simply an excessive amount of stress for the 2 of us to maintain the enterprise going.”

As they don’t make use of any employee, each should do every part themselves, together with delivering the joss sticks.