BUKIT MERTAJAM – With the approaching Chinese New Year, dragon joss stick makers are among the busiest people, working nonstop to meet the increasing demand for prayer paraphernalia.
Ong Chin Chye, 64, who runs a traditional dragon joss stick factory in Kubang Semang, said he received orders for 10,000 dragon joss sticks of various sizes for this year’s Chinese New Year celebration, a two- or three-fold increase from previous years.
The majority of the orders come from owners of agarwood shops and temples, he said, adding that due to the unusually high volume of orders, he and his employees were forced to work until midnight.
“Most of the orders are from my regular customers. Apart from Penang, I also receive orders from Kedah, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Kelantan, Sabah, Sarawak and Thailand.
“Some of the orders came as early as October last year, ” he said at his factory today.
Ong said the basic ingredients used for making the dragon joss sticks are wood glue dust and eucalyptus powder mixed with water and then attached to a wooden stick layer by layer until it becomes a joss stick.
The layer needs to be completely dry before a new layer is placed, he said, adding that the process takes between three days and a month before the dragon design can be pasted on it.
“Making these joss sticks is very complicated because all the processes from start to finish are done manually, but all my 20 workers are trained and efficient with their respective tasks, so there is no problem,” he said.
Ong said he was only 22 years old when he took over the factory, which was built by his grandfather, Ong Ah Kaw, more than 60 years ago.
“I learned to make these joss sticks from my grandmother when I was 14 years old. There are more than 50 types of joss stick designs produced at my factory. They range in size from 1.2m to 4.8m high and the price is between RM10 and RM800 each,” said the man, who has three children.
Ong said he maintained the traditional way of making the joss sticks because the method is preferred by his customers.
“It is because of this that my business has survived to this day,” he said. – February 4, 2024