Vietnam Colors of life1

1. Colors of life

2. Burning incense is part of Vietnamese culture and beliefs. No one knows how long ever incense stick has been deeply rooted in Vietnamese people's minds as traditional culture

3. It is believed that when burning up, incense smoke will be a fanciful link between the two visible and invisible worlds, between real and spiritual life. Villages making traditional incense still continue their sacred work, contributing to preserving that cultural beauty

6. The incense making profession is present throughout the North, Central and South regions. However, each village has its own unique, different beauty and is a destination that attracts many tourists and photographers

7. Collecting dried incense sticks at a courtyard in Quang Phu Cau village

9. A woman collects incense sticks in a courtyard in Quang Phu Cau Village

10. Quang Phu Cau village on the outskirts of Hanoi is one of the famous, long-lasting incense-making places with "age" over a century. Not entirely creating finished products, the village here specialize in making incense sticks. After that, incense sticks will be moved to other places to make a complete incense stick

11. Amidst the modern life, despite the flow of time, the capital still has a very quiet, peaceful, traditional corner. At this point, you will see the red lotus petals of the incense sticks wrapped into bundles covering the whole village. Looking from above, the yard is covered with incense sticks like a red flower garden in beautiful sunshine

15. The ancient craft is a great source of pride and many in Quang Phu Cau village on the outskirts of Hanoi

16. People in the village have a job of making incense for a long time. According to the elders in the village, the village’s incense making career originated from a Chinese tradition from the 13th century and developed to this day

17. Quang Phu Cau has over 300 households engaged in the trade passed down through generations. In the run up to Tet, the Lunar New Year holiday, Vietnam’s biggest and most important festival, the village is at its busiest as nearly the entire population lights incense at home and pagodas

22. Village products are consumed not only in Vietnam but also in India, China, Malaysia, and other countries

29. Located 7km from Hue city to the South West, Thuy Xuan village is known for making incense for hundreds of years. It is not only the infamous traditional craft village of the central province but also a tourism hotspot for tourists

31. Thuy Xuan is a typical suburb of incense making in Hue. If the village of Hanoi is outstanding with the deep red color flooding the courtyard, then come to Hue, visitors will admire the brilliant world with different colors such as bright red, brick, banana green, dark green, yellow, purple ... very eye-catching

32. In order to produce satisfied products, bring the typical flavor of Hue, the incense stick must go through many strenuous stages and the worker's skill

33. Thuy Xuan village is also known as one of the places with a long tradition of making incense

34. The ingredients for making incense are not simple but complex with the five spices of herbs such as cinnamon, cardamom, pine buds, cloves, star anise, accompanied by grapefruit pods, dried grapefruit flowers, cinnamon, eucalyptus ... to create different fragrances

39. Indeed, making incense is very hard, so it takes many stages to make incense sticks. Everybody in the family must work hard with the assignment of each person, from small to large, from one job, from the simplest to the most complex. Older people and children often take on uncomplicated tasks such as drying and collecting and packing finished products

40. Every year, Quan Huong Village produces nearly 1,000 tons of incense for domestic consumption and export to Laos

43. Quang Nam incense village prepares for Tet

45. Tay Ninh is like the land of traditional craft villages. In which, Long Tan hamlet, Long Thanh Bac commune is famous for incense making village

46. Sticks to make incense are bought from northern provinces

48. The main material for making incense is the kapok leaves. After being purchased, the leaves are dried and then ground into powder. The leaf powder mixed with water and a quantity of powder for aromas such as cinnamon, bass ... will produce a mixture of incense powder. The scent of the incense is not strong, but it is very light and deep

49. The finished incense sticks are not as yellow as usual, which are yellow, brown of leaves and dried flowers. Unlike Hue, Tay Ninh incense sticks are simply yellow or brown. Not curling each bundle, people here sunbathe sticks on long shelves.