Danzeng Quzha- Inheritor of Tibetan Incense Manufacturing Process in Nyemo County, Lhasa, Tibet

Danzeng Quzha (旦增曲扎) is a Tibetan incense manufacturing expert and the national representative inheritor of the Tibetan Incense Manufacturing Process in Nyemo County (尼木县), Lhasa (拉萨), Tibet. Having been involved in the incense industry since the 1980s, he was officially included in the fifth batch of national intangible cultural heritage inheritors in 2017 and was shortlisted for China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Person of the Year in 2020.

Inheriting the Tradition

Danzeng Quzha was born in January 1979 in Tunda Village (吞达村), Nyemo County. He began learning the traditional Tibetan incense manufacturing process, a craft with over 1,300 years of history, at a young age. This process, which has been recognized as part of China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2008, involves over 30 steps, including the use of precious Tibetan medicinal herbs, hand grinding, fermentation, and other techniques. By 2025, Danzeng Quzha continues to demonstrate and promote this ancient craft in various settings, including at the Mongolian-Tibetan School (蒙藏学校) and other cultural institutions.

Industrial Development

In 2010, Danzeng Quzha founded the largest private Tibetan incense factory in Nyemo County, where he began mass production of incense. By 2019, the factory’s annual production reached 50 tons of Tibetan incense.

In 2023, he invested 11 million RMB to expand his company, establishing an intangible cultural heritage workshop and production base. This expansion has created jobs for local residents, including university graduates and impoverished families.

Through e-commerce platforms and promotional events, he has helped modernize the traditional incense-making craft, bringing it to a global audience and making it more accessible to younger generations.

Social Contribution

Danzeng Quzha has made significant contributions to his community and beyond. As a member of the Lhasa Municipal People’s Political Consultative Conference (拉萨市政协), he has helped implement the “company + farmer” model to alleviate poverty. By 2023, he had trained hundreds of incense makers, empowering them to become skilled artisans.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Danzeng Quzha made charitable donations to support the fight against the virus, fulfilling his social responsibilities as both an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage and a leader in poverty alleviation.

Honors and Recognition

Danzeng Quzha’s work has earned him numerous accolades:

• In 2020, he was shortlisted for China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Person of the Year.

• In 2023, he was nominated as a candidate for Lhasa’s Craftsman of the Year (拉萨工匠).

• In 2024, his work in establishing an Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshop was recognized as a model case for the development of Tibetan incense.

His company was also honored as a Tibet Autonomous Region-level Cultural Industry Demonstration Base, recognizing the significant cultural contribution of his work.

Danzeng Quzha represents the successful fusion of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation, showing how the preservation of cultural heritage can play a key role in community development and social impact. Through his efforts, he has become a beacon for both the survival and modernization of Tibetan incense-making, ensuring that this centuries-old tradition thrives for future generations.