Essense is a small in-house project started by Ming Island, a creative design agency based out of Taipei, Taiwan. The idea for the project is simple. Create beautiful handcrafted specialty products that convey our love of traditional Chinese arts and culture. We’re not talking golden plastic lanterns for you to hang from your rearview mirror with a red tassel. But rather quality items that offer our unique perspectives on an age-old art form.
That’s Essense with an “S”
No, it’s not a typo. And yes, there are other forms of English besides the North American version. Actually the Chinese name for the project is pronounced “Yin Tang”. A yin tang was a highly secured location in ancient Chinese history where bureaucrats stored their valuable goodies. The word also carries a different meaning in human physiology referring to the center point between the eyebrows just below the forehead - an area that plays a crucial role in ancient Chinese physiognomy (physio…what?). Yin tang represents one’s rise and fall in success, reputation and good fortune. It’s the foundation of human life and it’s where one’s spirit lies. Thus yin tang can be used figuratively as a way of expressing the core or essense of an individual’s character and his fate. Pretty deep eh?
Locally Made
Locally made in our case means made in Taiwan and China since…well…that’s where we reside. Products are designed and prototyped in our art studio in Taipei. Our Chinese seals and their exquisite packaging are also made here while our other fine creations are crafted in the Mainland. It’s our goal to create products that are not just pretty but sustainable. It’s no coincidence that almost 90% of our products are made of wood, stone and paper.
The Essense of Essense
Behind every great product is a great team of thinkers and builders. And that’s not a cliché. The good folks involved in the Essense project range from avid motorcyclists to university professors. An eclectic mix of yins and yangs so to speak.
Debbie Tsai - The baby of the team, Debbie takes a concept and turns it into a reality with her jedi prototyping skills. We love the fact that her desk is constantly littered with sawdust, fabrics, industrial adhesives and carving tools. Unfortunately our cleaning lady doesn’t share the same enthusiasm.
Matt Regan - Matt’s Australian but don’t hold that against him. A gifted artist and designer who traveled to Taipei in search of an overseas experience and ended up staying for the long haul. Matt programs himself to dream of exciting design concepts when he sleeps and applies them to paper when he can remember.
James Li - James returned to Taiwan after retiring from his illustrious career as a cost accountant and currently serves as art director for Ming Island and the Essense Project. He puts his stamp of approval on product designs and is currently the reigning ping pong champion on studio grounds.
Professor David Li - Making sure that the team keeps it real, Professor Li acts as our go-to consultant for art and cultural matters in addition to wild stories of his younger days in the mainland. Retired from higher education, Professor Li spends his days tending to his garden and updating his Facebook status.
