Joss Sticks – A Unique Symbolism in Singapore History

Joss Sticks – A Unique Symbolism in
Singapore History
Joss sticks are aromatic sticks used in worship by many Asian religions. In Buddhism they are
thought to aid religious communication and also serve as an offering to Buddha. The amount of
benzine in the sticks was usually four times greater than normal, butadiene is 260 times greater,
and thioethoxyl was double that. All three are poisonous to humans and therefore they must be
consumed with great care 斋菜. This article describes the poisonous plants, materials and effects that
are contained in joss stick, their production and their use.
The main ingredient found in joss sticks is Hessian, which is a resin-like substance which can be
found in the stems and leaves of certain plants. Generally this resin is diluted with a few drops of
water and used to make incense. In ancient times, monks would use joss sticks to clean their
spindles when doing bead weaving. Some of them are made from the bark of the juniper and
others can be found in the woods of Jamaica. Today joss sticks are popular as an incense in
Hindu and Buddhist temples.

Apart from the regular joss stick making incense, they are also used as Chinese prayer wheels.
As Chinese people have an extremely long history of using incense, especially on religious
occasions, joss sticks were created to be used in their religious ceremonies as well. Incense
sticks are created in different sizes and are used to increase concentration and help people
reach the deep levels of meditation. They are used to clear the mind and prepare the body for
meditation. It is important to note that all forms of joss stick making are banned in Singapore, as
they are considered to be a substance that disturbs the religious harmony of the country.
Another use of joss sticks is in the Chinese New Year celebrations in Singapore. They are part
of the Chinese National Day celebration, which is celebrated on the last Saturday of January. In
fact the government had made it mandatory for Chinese people to carry large joss sticks as a
symbol of prosperity and happiness. Chinese people also use joss sticks as talismans of power
to protect themselves and their families against evil spirits during the Chinese New Year. Other
than these two uses, the sticks are also used as symbols of love by most couples in Singapore.

There are also several religions which use joss sticks as a form of offering to their deities or god
of high status during religious ceremonies. These include Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. In
Singapore, there are also a couple of Pagan groups who use joss sticks as a form of offering
and worship. The government has however imposed strict laws against the burning of any type
of religion in Singapore and several churches have been destroyed by the Muslims for being
involved in the worship of the Hindu God of Buddha. However, despite all this the joss stick is
still used by many Singaporeans for good purposes like for holding the images of the Buddha
during religious ceremonies.
The Inca civilization also considered joss sticks as very important religious tool. They considered
them to be sacred and believed they possessed certain powers that could help them fight
against enemies. They used to carry them around in their pants and scabbard and they also
made special masks out of them to frighten away enemies. One of the most famous Incan
legend tells how the mighty warrior Viracchus lost his hand which he used to pull the smoke from
his eyes. However, when he went to see his family he found his daughter Phyllis dead due to

poison. He then gathered all the courage he had and went back to attack the enemy army, but
he was defeated by the son of King Candido.