Quantity of Incenses and it’s meaning:

1 stick: represent Universe

2 sticks: for newly pass-on/Nether World Deities

3 sticks: for all Deities, represent 3 Cai – Tian (Heaven), Di (Earth) & Ren (Mortal)

4 sticks: not used

5 sticks: for paying respect to the 5 Directional Marshals (inner and outbound)

6 sticks: not used

7 sticks: used for inviting Nether World Deities or Hell Generals

8 sticks: not used

9 sticks: represent the MAX number in the Universe, usually used when urgent issues involved

10 sticks: not used

11 sticks: not used

12 sticks: rarely used, used only when inviting or receiving Imperial Epics

13 sticks: not used

14 sticks: not used

15 sticks: used only for receiving newly bought urn (Enhancing the new urn) or setting-up of new altar

Why incenses are used?

For many years, people have been mistaking that incenses are consider as the “food” for Deities and the death. The real usage for incenses is, being a media for mortals to communicate with the Deities or the death.

What to avoid?

1.Never used those electrical incenses for Deities or the pass-on, this consider as dis-respect

2.Incenses that produced a very strong aroma of perfume

3.Incenses that gave out thick smoke

What is Incenses (joss-sticks) for?

Many people have tend to mix up the idea of Ghosts eating joss-sticks with the offering of Incenses to the Deities,actually this is not accurate.

And then why must a person offer Incenses infront of the Deities? Is it to bride the Deities? Or trying to "force" the Deities by agreeing on the requests that one person requested,if not he/she will used the smoke to "suffocate" the Deities?

Ha ha,of-cos all NO. The real significant behind that is:

Incenses are used as a form of "media" for human to communicate with the Deities (in today's language – One Way Mobile). By lighting the incenses, standing infront of the statues and making requests, the smoke of the incenses will somehow "help to transmit" one person's message to the Deities.
With this reason, a lot of people tend not to get the new type of incenses that won’t give out smoke.

But, since we are all living in this planet, we also shall think for the others, try not to get those which give out thick smoke, this will not only cause pollutions but also a form of dis-respect to the Deities

Bro, 4 sticks of insence is used for sending Khongthao, for it sounds similar with Si (dead).

But if you already have a firm and strong foundation, I'm sure you can handle it ;)