Tibetan incense becomes Xizang village's economic driver

In Thonba township of Nyemo county, Xizang autonomous region, the ancient craft of incense making is thriving.

Almost half of the population of Nyemo's Thonda village, a community of just over 200 households, produces Tibetan incense. What was once a purely traditional practice has become the village's main economic driver, enabling residents to preserve a centuries-old heritage while securing a better standard of living.

Dondrub, a fourth-generation incense maker, has worked in the craft for more than 40 years. In 2008, he was recognised as a regional-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor.

He says the business has changed life in the village. "Today, a family with a successful incense business can see an annual per capita net income exceeding 200,000 yuan ($28,000)."

Once limited to simple staples such as radishes and potatoes, villagers now enjoy a far more varied and comfortable lifestyle. The success of the incense trade, Dondrub says, has safeguarded an ancient tradition while bringing modern comforts and a sense of prosperity to Thonba.