Incense sticks
神香
The incense industry in Macao was once a significant pillar of the local economy, but it began to decline in the early 1980s and has almost disappeared. Today, the industry has been replaced by other industries, and cheap, ready-made offerings are imported from mainland China for sale. However, incense sticks are being used to combat the effects of climate change, specifically the increase in mosquito populations. The materials used to make incense sticks have insect-repelling properties, and the industry in Macao now produces specialized mosquito and snake repellent incense. During the incense boom of the 1930s and 1940s, there was a great demand for divine incense to repel pests, and this demand still exists today due to the impact of climate change.
澳門的制香業曾是本地經濟的重要支柱,但在1980年代初開始衰落,幾乎消失。今天,該行業已被其他行業所取代,廉價的現成產品從中國大陸進口出售。然而,香棒正被用來應對氣候變化的影響,特別是蚊子數量的增加。用於製作香棒的材料具有驅蟲特性,澳門的工業現在生產專門的驅蚊和驅蛇香。在 1930 年代和 1940 年代的熏香熱潮期間,對神香驅除害蟲的需求很大,由於氣候變化的影響,這種需求今天仍然存在。
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Source: Group 6 來源:第六組
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(Source: Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, 2022)
Although the incense industry was once an important pillar of Macao's economy, it has been in decline due to various factors, including the impact of climate change. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as typhoons and heavy rains, has had a great impact on the production and sales of incense sticks, and operators are facing more difficulties. However, some operators are finding ways to cope with the effects of climate change, such as upgrading their goods to a higher place. Moreover, with the increase in mosquito populations due to climate change, the materials used to make incense sticks, such as bamboo thread, cypress, incense, white sandalwood, and rose, which have insect repellent effects, are being used to produce Incense sticks for mosquito repellent, snake repellent, and kitchen odor prevention. Therefore, the incense sticks industry is adapting to meet the challenges brought by climate change and to meet the needs of citizens.
雖然香業曾是澳門經濟的重要支柱,但受包括氣候變化影響在內的多方面因素影響而日漸式微。颱風、暴雨等極端天氣事件頻發,對炷香生產銷售造成較大影響,經營者面臨更多困難。然而,一些運營商正在尋找應對氣候變化影響的方法,例如將他們的貨物升級到更高的地方。此外,隨著氣候變化導致蚊子數量增加,用於製作熏香的材料,如具有驅蟲效果的竹絲、柏木、熏香、白檀木和玫瑰,正被用於製作熏香驅蚊、驅蛇、防廚房異味。因此,香棒行業正在適應氣候變化帶來的挑戰,滿足市民的需求。
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Source: Group 6 來源:第六組
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By CHAU UN TENG, ANNA