Xiang Jiao Censer · 香焦臥香爐
The work in motion
Xiang Jiao Censer香焦臥香爐
In-stock dispatch
In-stock version: estimated dispatch within 20–30 days after ordering. Presentation boxes are still in production; transit time is additional.
Surface & glaze
Dehua white porcelain finished with an antique-style glaze; the stem tip is glazed black.
Handmade variations
This product is handmade. Slight variations in dimensions and weight between individual pieces are normal. Listed measurements are sample reference values.
A banana, eaten. The peel split lengthwise and folded back; the hollow where the fruit was becomes a shallow trough. A stick of incense lies flat on a fire-resistant pad inside and burns down to ash within the peel. Dehua white porcelain — blanc de Chine — in antique-style glaze, the stem tip glazed black.
The name
Xiang Jiao sounds exactly like "banana" in Chinese, but the second character is not the one for the fruit — it is 焦, "scorched": the stick burns, the banana turns to 焦. A pun in Chinese, a small joke in porcelain. Created by XIANSU; made at the Chen Family Porcelain Studio under the supervision of Chen Liling, Fujian Provincial Master of Arts and Crafts, through mold casting and hand finishing.
A wish for prosperity
Bananas are familiar fruit offerings on Chinese household altars. In Southern Min-speaking communities, their name lends itself to a play on the word for “inviting”, expressing wishes to welcome prosperity and good fortune. Xiang Jiao carries that familiar blessing into an everyday porcelain object, with a quiet wish for a life of abundance and ease.
Open edition
An open-edition everyday piece — no numbering, base stamped with the XIANSU seal and the studio seal. Fits standard 21 cm incense sticks.
Dimensions
13.4 × 4.2 × 5.1 in · 34.1 × 10.7 × 13 cm — length × width × height, measured by hand at the widest points. The longest piece in the collection; each is hand-finished, so measurements vary slightly.
How to use
Lay a stick flat on the fire-resistant pad inside the trough and light one end; the peel catches the ash. Dust off the pad to reuse, no washing needed.
The living censer
White porcelain remembers every fire — amber patina deepens with use. This is not a stain; it is a patina.
Note
Each piece is hand-finished; slight variations in form and glaze are the mark of the maker's hand.
Weight
Approximate piece weight: 878 g, excluding outer packaging.
Pre-order
Payment: 100% at checkout. Made-to-order purchases are paid in full when you place the order; this is not a deposit. Production and dispatch follow the lead time stated for the selected version. If we cannot dispatch within the stated time, we will contact you with a revised date and the choice to accept the delay or cancel the unshipped order for a full refund.
This release accepts up to 30 reservations in the electric-kiln made-to-order version of this model. Order availability represents reservation capacity, separate from the in-stock pieces shown beside the purchase button. Electric-kiln porcelain production generally takes 20–25 days after payment, excluding transit; special kiln schedules are confirmed separately. See our Shipping & Delivery and Returns & Refunds policies.
Taiping Gong Kiln wood-fired editions are available by inquiry only. Electric-kiln editions accept paid made-to-order purchases.
Use with the supplied pad
Place the supplied fire-resistant pad inside the censer before use, then position the incense securely on it. Allow the incense, pad and censer to cool completely before handling.