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The famous incense-making village of Hue
Located on the tourist route to Tu Duc Mausoleum and Vong Canh Hill, Thuy Xuan incense-making village easily attracts visitors from all over. Thanks to its convenient location, Thuy Xuan incense village has become more widely known, becoming an unmissable destination when traveling to Hue.
According to the artisans of Thuy Xuan incense village, the craft of incense making here has been preserved and developed over 700 years of history, dating back to the Nguyen Dynasty. Thuy Xuan incense village is considered an indispensable part of Hue's cultural landscape, a place that preserves long-standing traditional values and contributes to the unique identity of the ancient capital.
The Thuy Xuan incense village has become more widely known, making it a must-visit destination when traveling to Hue.
In ancient times, Thuy Xuan incense village was a supplier of incense to the imperial court, government officials, and people in the Thuan Hoa and Phu Xuan regions. These fragrant incense sticks, meticulously handcrafted from natural ingredients, carried the distinctive aroma of Hue's land and sky.
Despite enduring the ups and downs of time, the incense-making village of Hue still stands tall and proud, preserving and developing its traditional flame. Generation after generation, the artisans of Hue incense village pour their hearts and souls into every step of the incense-making process.
Despite enduring the ups and downs of time, the incense-making village of Hue still stands tall and proud, preserving and developing its traditional flame.
The first secret to Thuy Xuan incense's uniqueness lies in its ingredients. To create these fragrant incense sticks, the locals meticulously select premium agarwood, combining it with precious natural ingredients such as cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom, and pine buds in a secret ratio. In addition, powdered wild pomelo peel, dried pomelo flowers, eucalyptus, and cinnamon are also used to create a complete fragrance that is subtle yet long-lasting.
Understanding the Vietnamese people's preference for completeness and good fortune, the villagers of Thuy Xuan have paid special attention to the quality of their incense. To prevent the incense from going out prematurely or burning erratically, they have chosen mature bamboo pith as the core material. This material helps the incense burn steadily, spreading a gentle fragrance and creating a sense of tranquility and peace for the user.
These fragrant incense sticks are meticulously handcrafted from natural ingredients, carrying the distinctive flavors of Hue's land and sky.
Furthermore, the meticulousness and skill of the artisans also contribute to the appeal of Thuy Xuan incense. Every step, from selecting ingredients, mixing the incense powder, rolling the incense sticks, drying them, to packaging, is done carefully and manually, ensuring the best quality. As a result, each Thuy Xuan incense stick is not only an item used for worship but also a refined work of art, bearing the distinct cultural imprint of the people of Hue.
Unlike traditional incense sticks which are only brown and red, visitors to Thuy Xuan incense village will easily find bundles of brightly colored incense sticks with bases dyed in various colors: purple, yellow, green, pink... Each bundle of incense is stacked on top of each other, fanning out like vibrant flowers under the sunlight, creating a truly eye-catching scene.
Unlike traditional incense sticks which are only brown and red, visitors to Thuy Xuan incense village will easily find bundles of brightly colored incense sticks with the base dyed in a variety of colors.
The combination of vibrant colors and the friendly hospitality of the local people creates a powerful attraction for tourists. Visiting Thuy Xuan incense village, tourists not only get to immerse themselves in the fragrant atmosphere of incense but also have the opportunity to capture stunning, magazine-worthy photos. Every corner of Thuy Xuan incense village is a perfect backdrop for Instagram-worthy pictures.
Every little corner of Thuy Xuan incense village is a perfect backdrop for Instagram-worthy photos.
The woman from the incense village with a kind heart.
My impression of Thuy Xuan was of the brightly colored incense sticks, their gentle fragrance filling the air. Each bundle was meticulously handcrafted, showcasing the dedication and skill of the artisans. However, what captivated me wasn't the beautiful incense, but the kind eyes, warm smile, and meaningful story of a woman in her 70s, affectionately known as Grandma Tuyet.
Two years ago, on a gloomy August afternoon in Hue, I had the good fortune to meet Mrs. Tuyet and her cozy incense shop. At that moment, I was searching for an incense shop to capture the beautiful moments of Hue when suddenly, a gentle voice rang out: "My dear, come into my house to take shelter from the rain." Mrs. Tuyet's sincere invitation was like a warm ray of sunshine penetrating my soul, dispelling the chill of the rain.
Ms. Tuyet's incense shop is located at 69 Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, Hue City.
The image of Mrs. Tuyet has left a lasting impression on many tourists visiting Thuy Xuan incense village.
Ms. Tuyet's house is located at the end of the incense-making village, and is also the smallest incense shop in the village. Though simple and unpretentious, it possesses a rustic, peaceful beauty, typical of a Vietnamese countryside. It's not really a house, as it's just four brick walls plastered with lime and a corrugated iron roof. A porch provides shelter from the sun and rain. The small house has no kitchen or bedroom. Every day, Ms. Tuyet sets up her stall on the porch, while inside she keeps a few souvenirs for tourists to buy. In the evening, she cleans up her stall and lays out a mat to rest right there.
Although simple, Grandma Tuyet's small house exuded a strangely warm light. Sitting and chatting with her, I listened to her meaningful story about the journey of spreading love that she had quietly undertaken for so many years.
Bundles of incense sticks are stacked on top of each other, fanning out like vibrant flowers in the sunlight, creating a truly captivating scene.
Ms. Tuyet shared that she has been involved in charitable work for nearly 10 years. Throughout that time, she has been busy managing her small incense shop, saving every penny to help cancer patients at Hue Central Hospital and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Ms. Tuyet fondly recalled how she came to be involved in charity work. Ten years ago, she and a close friend went to Hue Central Hospital to receive their cancer test results. Upon learning that she was fortunate enough not to have the terrible disease, her friend burst into tears and hugged Ms. Tuyet in overwhelming joy.
Grandma Tuyet's house is located at the end of the incense village, and it's also the smallest incense shop in the village.
However, in that moment of happiness, her gaze suddenly shifted to the cancer patients around her. She saw eyes filled with anxiety, despair, and a glimmer of hope. In particular, the image of a young mother holding her small child, about 5 years old, who had corneal cancer, was deeply etched in her mind. The child's eyes looked up, full of suffering and despair, and the choked sobs of pain made Tuyet's heart ache.
Witnessing that heartbreaking scene, Mrs. Tuyet suddenly came to her senses. Her joy vanished, replaced by pity and concern for those unfortunate souls. She told herself she had to do something to help cancer patients, to bring them hope and faith in life.
Inside the house, Grandma Tuyet has placed a few souvenirs for tourists to buy as gifts.
Since deciding to help cancer patients, whenever she saved enough money, she would carefully pack small gifts, each containing 100,000 dong in an envelope and sometimes accompanied by biscuits and milk, and deliver them directly to child cancer patients. Her charitable journey doesn't stop at just helping children. She also sets aside a portion of her money to help cancer patients in particularly difficult circumstances, those who are lonely and have no one to rely on.
Over the years, witnessing the sudden deaths of so many people afflicted with this terrible disease, she has come to cherish every moment and strive to help them even more. She silently tells herself, "If I delay this time, there might not be another chance."
To date, Ms. Tuyet has been involved in volunteer work for nearly 10 years.
Many people, feeling sorry for her due to her advanced age and frail health, advised her to take time to care for herself. However, she only smiled gently and quietly continued on the path she had chosen. At over 70 years old, she also suffered from the common ailment of arthritis among the elderly. Yet, she only set aside a very small amount of money for her own medication, dedicating the rest entirely to cancer patients.
Meeting Ms. Tuyet again after two years, I was delighted to still see her small figure and her warm, genuine, and enthusiastic smile. Although I know that the small amount of money I'm giving her can only partially contribute to her continued efforts on her charitable path of helping cancer patients.
Ms. Tuyet shared: "I don't expect anything in return, I only hope that cancer patients can continue their treatment and have more hope to fight this deadly disease."
The combination of vibrant beauty and the friendliness and hospitality of the local people has created a strong attraction for tourists.
