Taiwan family helps keep hand-made joss paper tradition alive

Miaoli Jan. 26 (US): Women of retirement age painstakingly decorate sheet by sheet of yellow joss paper with gold, silver and red paint to meet last requests for cash offerings ahead of next month’s Lunar New Year festival.

Chen Kun Hui of Taiwan, 82, is intent on keeping alive a long-standing tradition of hand-making “walnut paper” even as others switch to automated production in factories.

“I will keep making joss leaves until I can’t move anymore,” said Chen, the third-generation owner of his family’s business in Miaoli, northwest Taiwan.

Altogether, Chens have been making joss paper for about 100 years.

Joss paper, also known as “spiritual money,” is one of the most popular offerings in Taiwan, burned in temples and outside homes to honor deities and ancestors while praying for many children, prosperity and longevity.

It’s used during all holidays in Taiwan — there’s only one month of downtime a year — with most performances made during the Lunar New Year and “ghost month,” or the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

“There are too many temples in Taiwan,” said Chen’s daughter, Chen Miao-fang, explaining why the joss paper was still in high demand. Having grown up in and around the workshop, Miao-fang is now responsible for taking orders.

Chain’s method of making jus is quickly fading due to a lack of people willing to do the repetitive work and competition from large commercial printers that produce cheaper color alternatives. Only a few other workshops still make the carcass paper by hand.

“In the future, all of this may be replaced by machines,” Miao-fang said, sadly looking at the family’s small-scale operation. Currently, Chens has a loyal customer base who appreciate the high quality of their products.

The week-long Lunar New Year holiday begins on Monday in Taiwan.

HF