Hương – Vietnamese Incense Packaging

About Hương:

Ancestor worship in Vietnam originates from the ancient belief that each person possesses a soul within the body. When the body perishes, the soul remains and can still influence the world of the living. In the worship rituals meant to connect with these souls, the act of burning incense has become profoundly important. The rising smoke from incense is seen as opening a pathway to the spiritual realm, symbolizing the living’s reverence and sincerity toward the departed.

However, in modern times, as countless traditions constantly changing, the meaning of burning incense seems to be slowly slipping away. How, then, can we better understand and cherish this thousand-year-old custom? The answer lies in a uniquely designed product -an experience deeply infused with the essence of “Hương” (Incense) which, at its core, is born from sincerity before the ancestral altar. With Hương, each of us becomes both a keeper and a connector: simply light the incense, and the spiritual world unfolds – connecting us with our ancestors, the God of Wealth, the Kitchen Gods, and more. Every step of using Hương becomes a deeply personal journey, through which the worshipper absorbs the meaning of the ritual and strengthens their connection with the ancestral and divine realms.

Brand name: Brand name: The name “Huong” (Hương) is an alternative way to refer to “nhang” (incense), clearly reflecting the design focus of the brand – a product that can emit a fragrant smoke when burned. “Huong” evokes the scent that fills and envelops the space, resonating with the consumers’ memory of connections to ancestors and ancestral worship, rooted in ancient spiritual cultural beliefs.

Logo: Inspired by the very first letter in the product name “Hương,” the lowercase letter “h” is redesigned in a more stylized way. Delving into the logo design process for the product, the stylized stem of the letter “h” is built (base) on three core ideas. The first stroke represents the Yin–Yang in calligraphy, creating flowing, expansive, and soft curves. This also leads to the second idea: the Yin Yang symbol, with the philosophy of Yin Yang and the Five Elements deeply rooted in Vietnamese ancestral worship culture. The final stroke is based on the random, undirected movement of incense smoke, aiming to brand the product identity “Hương” from the very “smoke line” of the logo.

Palette: The color palette focus on two tones: Red and Green, across various shades. The product of “Hương” primarily uses red (Fire) to symbolize luck, vitality, life force, and prosperous power, combined with green (Wood) to symbolize trees, nature, vitality, and vigorous growth. This creates a design rich in Feng Shui symbolism within East Asian folklore, reflecting the concept of the Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) that make the universe. In terms of tone, before pastel shades appeared, Eastern traditional art favored bold, strong hues, so the “Hương” product is designed to mirror that same color usage.

Pattern: Inspired by the philosophy of Yin-Yang – the circle of Yin and Yang from the Phùng Nguyên culture and the Đông Sơn culture of ancient Vietnam, with yin-yang motifs in the form of the letter S carved delicately on various ceramic wares. With soft curves and harmonious balance, these patterns are not only decorative but also tell a story of cosmic harmony through pairs of opposite concepts: day and night, male and female, birth and death, yin and yang harmonizing, or the Five Elements generating, overcoming, restraining, and transforming each other. Originating from the Vietnamese spiritual beliefs, they express a unique, elegant beauty, where the echoes of ancient folklore continue to resonate in modern design.

Characters line-up: Inspired by the images of deities and ancestors in Vietnamese worship practices, Hương has created seven characters: two ancestral spirits and three household gods. The ancestral line includes deceased relatives who protect and bless their descendants. The divine line comprises three deities commonly found on the altar: Kitchen God (Táo Quân), who oversees family life, reports it to the Jade Emperor, and brings prosperity; the God of Wealth (Thần Tài), who brings luck and riches; and the Earth God (Thổ Công), the guardian of the house and family assets. These are figures that worship practices revolve around lighting incense for.

Packaging:

Purpose & Function: “Huong 2025” transcends the definition of a mere incense stick-it is a wisp of the contemporary, a breath of wellness and sustainability for the modern living space. This is a Vietnamese incense product deeply inspired by the custom of ancestor worship, innovated to be both “of the times” and more sustainable. The product explores folklore and heritage, evoking memories of one’s roots through highly experiential scent collections that stimulate the senses and connect users to their own personal stories. Thus, “Huong 2025” not only signifies a connection to ancestors but also serves as a ritual for users to find peace, relax, and connect with themselves through fragrance. It is designed for those who cherish cultural values, seek at-home relaxation experiences, and maintain regular worship practices.

Overall: Each product set is a complete experiential journey, including: one master box, six individual incense boxes, a primary holder, a secondary holder, two brochures, a leaflet, and an instruction guide.

Master Box: The master box features a unique prismatic architecture, with a hexagonal cross-section robed in a delicate color gradient. This 6-sided structure is intentional. In Eastern and Vietnamese spiritual thought, the number 6 (phonetically “Lục”) is a number of supreme luck, as it is a homonym for the word “Lộc”-a symbol of prosperity, abundant fortune, and flowing blessings. Furthermore, “Lục” evokes “Lục Hợp” (The Six Harmonies)-the six directions of the universe (East, West, South, North, Sky, Earth)-representing complete harmony, balance, and absolute peace. The choice of a hexagonal design is thus a delicate invocation for the prosperity, tranquility, and harmony that the brand wishes to bestow upon every living space.

Individual boxes: Upon opening, the journey of discovery delves into each detail, revealing the six individual incense boxes within. Each smaller box is a chapter in the story, featuring a 3-panel structure. This design is not only ergonomic for an easy grip but is also deeply inspired by the traditional 3-compartment (ba-gian) layout common in Vietnam-from the architecture of a “nhà 3 gian” (3-compartment house) to the sacred arrangement of the family altar, where the center is dedicated to worship, flanked by ceremonial side panels. Furthermore, the overall structure of each individual box resembles the stylized roof of a Đình (communal village hall), the traditional center for meetings and worship for rural Vietnamese villagers of the past.

Other components: The accompanying set of incense holders is carved with deep meaning. The primary holder (đế chính) bears the image of a boat featuring the characteristic “boat eye” (mắt đò) motif of Vietnam. It symbolizes the spiritual ferry (con đò cõi âm), the vessel that transports the deceased from the mortal realm to the afterlife. Meanwhile, the secondary holder (đế phụ) takes the form of the Bagua (bát quái), representing the balance of the yin-yang world. To help customers better understand incense and ancestor worship, the set includes two brochures: one transports the user to the famed Quang Phu Cau incense village to understand the craft, while the other introduces the history and core values of the ancestor worship tradition. Finally, the leaflet and instruction guide serve as an elegant handbook, helping to decode the meaning of the deities featured on the packaging while guiding the user in the art of enjoying incense.