This story appears in the June 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine.
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Photograph by Tran Tuan Viet
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Vietnam
Decoratively dyed bundles of incense dry in Quang Phu Cau, a commune in Hanoi. The aromatic material—burned to mark life events and connect with the spirit realm—has been a hallmark of Vietnamese culture for thousands of years.
Photograph by Tran Tuan Viet