Ancestor shrines: from mini to massive
HUE, Vietnam — Tucked into a corner in nearly every home and business in Hue is a shrine to ancestors offering bouquets of smoldering incense and bowls of fruit.
Some are built in the hopes that Buddha will grant good fortune and prosperity. Most are dedicated to ancestors who might provide guidance and protection.
Each morning, people faithfully light candles and lay out fresh food for the spirits. Even travelers’ hostels contain small colorful shrines, and travel agents share desk space with statues of a reclining Buddha.
Hue, with its variety of faiths, turbulent history and recent modernization, retains a strong sense of tradition through ancestor veneration and an undercurrent of spirituality.
Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you. We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000!