A woman is burning incense sticks at a Buddhist temple in HCM City. - Photos: Adrien Jean

Bamboo is cut into small stick This traditional practice is done both at home on the ancestors’ altar and worshiping places, particularly pagodas, on the most important days of the lunar calendar (1st and 15th days of lunar month), and at major occasions.

Incense and long circular sticks are burning in a temple in HCM City’s District 1

A young man is collecting dry incense sticks. After being dyed, these small bamboo sticks will be sun-dried

In this phase, powder is mixed with other ingredients to make the final burning powder

Then the burning part is applied to dry incense sticks

Incense sticks are spread out so that they can become dry quicker

Dry incense sticks are gathered…

… and sorted out to pick the good sticks from broken ones