Weights and Measures
Length
1 fen
1 ts'un (Chinese inch)
1 ch'ih (1 Chinese foot)
1 li (1 Chinese Mile)
Weight
1 chin (1 Chinese catty)
1 tan (100 Chinese catties)
Area
1 mu
Metric
3.725 mm
3.715 cm
37.15 cm
648-681 m
604.8 g
60.48 kg
1/6 acre
95
Incense Cultivation
Joss stick manufacture is a branch of the incense industry, which is a traditional activity in Hong Kong dating back at least 400 years. It was first developed as a primary industry concentrating on the cultivation of and trade in incense trees. Then the industry gradually expanded into the manufacturing sector as incense wood was ground into incense powder before being exported. After the exhaustion of the incense trees, the industry expanded completely into the industrial secondary sector, making joss sticks from imported incense powder.
Aquilaria sinensis, the fragrant incense tree, was once cultivated in Hong Kong. In the late Ming period, the county of Tung-kuan was renowned for the quality of its incense. Until 1572, Tung-kuan county included the area subsequently forming the county of Hsin-an (including the present day New Territories area). Tung-kuan incense was famous throughout China, but was particularly favoured in the lower Yangtze area around Su-chou. In Kuang-tung hsin-yü, it is noted that many Tung-kuan people made their fortune from Kuan-hsiang (meaning incense from Tung-kuan) which was so popular that the annual sales values amounted to tens of thousands of taels. The business boomed, especially during the mid-autumn festival when people around Su-chou and Sung-chiang burnt incense overnight to "fumigate the moon". As a result, the stock of Kuan-hsiang was sold out in as short a period as one night.'
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Page 121
Weights and Measures
Length
1 fen
I ts'un ( Chinese inch)
1 ch'ih (1 Chinese foot)
1 li (1 Chinese Mile)
Weight
1 chin (1 Chinese catty)
1 tan (100 Chinese catties)
Area
1 mu
95
Metric
3.725 mm
3.715 cm
37.15 cm
648-681 m
604.8 g
60.48 kg
1/6 acre
Incense Cultivation
Joss stick manufacture is a branch of the incense industry, which is a traditional activity in Hong Kong dating back at least 400 years. It was first developed as a primary industry concentrating on the cultivation of and trade in incense trees. Then the industry gradually expanded into the manufacturing sector as incense wood was ground into incense powder before being exported. After the exhaustion of the incense trees, the industry expanded completely into the industrial secondary sector, making joss sticks from imported incense powder.
Aquilaria sinensis, the fragrant incense tree, was once cultivated in Hong Kong. In the late Ming period, the county of Tung-kuan was renowned for the quality of its incense. Until 1572, Tung-kuan county included the area subsequently forming the county of Hsin-an (including the present day New Territories area). Tung-kuan incense was famous throughout China, but was particularly favoured in the lower Yangtze area around Su-chou. In Kuang-tung hsin-yü, it is noted that many Tung- kuan people made their fortune from Kuan-hsiang (meaning incense from Tung-kuan) which was so popular that the annual sales values amounted to tens of thousands of taels. The business boomed, especially during the mid-autumn festival when people around Su-chou and Sung-chiang burnt incense overnight to "fumigate the moon". As a result, the stock of Kuan-hsiang was sold out in as short a period as one night.'
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