Raw material selection & preparation
原料甄选与香材炮制
Resins, woods and botanicals are selected and prepared batch by batch before anything enters a formula.
Our Craft & Process
From raw material to finished piece, by hand
Every QINGYUN blended-incense bead and plaque passes through thirteen workshop stages, photographed in our own workshop. A small set of product-specific techniques is applied on top of this shared flow for selected designs.
What the thirteen stages cover. The sequence below describes our blended-incense beads and plaques. Product-specific techniques — shell inlay, gold tracing and silver wire inlay — are listed separately and are not part of the shared flow.
The making — step by step
Thirteen stages, no shortcuts
The sequence below follows our current workshop practice for blended-incense beads and plaques. Photographs are original.
Grinding & multi-stage sifting
粉碎与多级过筛
Prepared materials are ground and passed through sieves of decreasing mesh, so each powder reaches the fineness a formula requires.
Dry formula blending
配方配伍与干粉混匀
Powders are weighed against the formula and blended dry until the mix is even — the stage where a recipe becomes reproducible.
Clay kneading
和泥捶揉均质
The blend is bound with water and worked by hand until the paste is uniform and free of hidden dry pockets.
Sealed clay resting
密封醒泥养泥
The paste rests sealed so moisture distributes evenly and the aroma settles before shaping.
Moulding & forming
分料搓坯入模成型
Paste is portioned, rolled and pressed into moulds — beads, pendants and sculpted forms take their first real shape here.
Drilling & trimming
打孔脱模修边
Pieces are demoulded, holes set for stringing, and edges trimmed while the material is still workable.
Slow air-drying
缓慢阴干
Pieces dry slowly away from direct sun and heat, which lets the material cure without cracking or warping.
Sanding & polishing
打磨抛光
Dried pieces are sanded and polished by hand until the surface reads smooth and even.
Sorting & touch-up
挑拣分级与瑕疵精修
Every piece is inspected against the batch standard; fine corrections are made where possible.
Cellar ageing
窖藏陈化醇化
Accepted pieces rest in controlled storage so the scent can mellow before dispatch.
Bead assembly
成品串珠
Beads are strung into finished designs, and plaques receive their final fittings.
QC & packaging
质检包装
Final checks are made, and pieces are cared for and packed for dispatch.
Product-specific techniques
Three hand techniques
These techniques are applied to specific designs, on top of the shared thirteen stages above.
Shell inlay
螺钿镶嵌
Mother-of-pearl shell is hand-cut into motifs and set into the surface of selected pieces.
View the process →
Gold tracing
描金
Carved relief is traced with gold by brush, accenting the pattern without covering the incense material itself.
View the process →
Silver wire inlay
银丝镶嵌
Fine silver thread is laid into the surface in line and cloud motifs.
Product-specific technique
Shell inlay
螺钿镶嵌
For selected designs, thin mother-of-pearl motifs are prepared and placed by hand after the incense form has been shaped. The reflective shell remains a surface detail; it does not replace the plant-based incense body.
Product-specific technique
Gold tracing
描金
Gold-toned detail is applied by hand to selected carved forms. The brush follows the existing relief, highlighting lines and raised motifs while leaving the incense material visible.
Work with the workshop