The Tay brothers – Stephen, Albert and Amos – have been making traditional joss sticks and cinnamon wood figurines since they were boys. The joss sticks and wood figurines are made of cinnamon bark (a fine cinnamon tree ground into powder, mixed with water) and handcrafted by the Tay brothers.

The Tay’s family business of making traditional dragon joss sticks can trace its history back to many generations ago. Their main source of income has been those 2 meter high joss sticks used for ceremonies in temples. However, according to one of the Tay brothers, it was their father, Tay Yong Poh, who came up with the idea of turning joss sticks into fascinating handmade wood figurines.

Today, the Tay brothers make various kinds of wood figurines, including heroes and heroines from Chinese mythology and folk art. After sculpting the figurines, they would set the art pieces out to dry for a few days. After that, the artisans coat the figurines with varnish. It takes days to complete – definitely a slow process which requires a keen eye to detail. Sad to say, this traditional art form has dwindled over the years and the Tay brothers are the few remaining joss stick craftsmen in Singapore.

A glimpse at these intricate pieces of art –

(Photos from the Facebook page of Tay Guan Heng Manufacturers)