23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Colors of incense

Worshiping ancestors is an important part of Vietnamese culture. Most houses have an altar where they burn incense. Quang Phu Cau has long been one of the largest incense stick makers in Vietnam. Bamboo Wood is cut into small rods, then sticks. After that, sticks are dyed and dried out in the sun. This moment is the colorful scene you see here. Most of them are dyed in red nuances, since red is a symbol of luck and happiness. In order to speed up the drying process, workers tie them in bundles and spread each bundle to make sure the sticks get dried more quickly, like an umbrella. They are usually dried in the courtyard. When they have a lot of orders, the incense sticks are dried in the street.

Photo Detail
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: near Hanoi, Vietnam
Camera: iPhone 12 Pro Max
Copyright: © Thea Mihu