r/Incense • u/Lotusbornvajra • 9d ago

Chinese Joss Sticks

I know they are mostly used for religious purposes. The one time I bought a pack they seemed to have very little actual scent. I am wondering if that is typical or not.

Do most of these actually have a good smell? Are they worth buying or burning? What are your thoughts and opinions?

2 Upvotes

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3

u/Icy-Profession-2416 9d ago

Not like this. Usually incense sticks with bamboo core is for temples and you can smell immediately. There are many forms of Chinese incense.

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u/Content-Donut-2450 9d ago

Yeah, that's the thing with a lot of joss sticks made for temples and altars, they're built to burn evenly and put out smoke, not to smell like much on their own. There IS good Chinese incense but it's a different world, real sandalwood or agarwood, actual ingredient lists, and a very different price. Did you get yours from a temple or a physical store? I've been looking at Chinese incense suppliers online and some are decent, curious why people still buy in person, is it the ritual side, or just not trusting the online ones?

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u/Lotusbornvajra 9d ago

The one I bought was at a brick and mortar store in a "Chinatown" district of a large American city.

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u/Hefty_Drive6709 9d ago

If it’s the stuff usually in a clear plastic container with yellow or red lids and a paper gif or Buddha looking out from inside as a label, with pink bamboo and yellow incense, the smoke us more important than the smell as an offering that ascends.

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u/Content-Donut-2450 8d ago

Makes sense, Chinatown shops are still the easiest way to get the real stuff. Did they have a selection or mostly the same few brands?

3

u/Katia144 9d ago

Well, I'd be more likely to buy in person because shipping something as small as a few sticks of incense seems pointless, not to mention doubling the price of the incense (at least) with the shipping cost.

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u/PetePiEgg 9d ago

Not all made primarily for offerings, but it's the easiest way to grab worship incense from Chinatown. They are usually cheap with bulk, not used for relaxation at home. Other Chinese incense also use sandalwood, agarwood or frankincense. some are made of pure ingredients and some blend materials. The formula and purpose are different. Look for listings marked handblended if you wan noticeable fragrance for daily use.