The woman was lighting long incense sticks in her hand

Woman lighting incense sticks on fire
Woman lighting long incense sticks

In Quan Am Temple stood a large incense burner, and a woman was lighting an unusually long stick of incense — the kind rarely seen in Japan. Both Buddhism and Taoism use incense in their rituals, so from that alone, it was hard to tell whether this was a Buddhist or Taoist temple.

A bit of research revealed that this was technically a Taoist temple. Originally, it was dedicated to Mazu, the sea goddess from China's Fujian Province. Later on, Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion, was also enshrined here. As a result, the temple is commonly referred to as the “Guanyin Temple,” a name that naturally gives off a Buddhist impression. Yet within its walls, one can find a whole pantheon of Taoist deities as well.

In the end, perhaps it doesn’t matter whom you’re praying to — as long as your prayers are heard.

Quan Am Temple on Google Map
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日本語
Jun 2009 IN THE CITY VIETNAM

PHOTO DATA

No

2860

Shooting Date

Mar 2009

Posted On

June 5, 2009

Modified On

June 16, 2025

Place

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Genre

Street Photography

Camera

CANON EOS 1V

Lens

EF85MM F1.2L II USM

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