Vietnamese incense holder

Object

Incense holder

Production date

1999

Object number

1999.31

Physical Description

A ceramic incense holder decorated with two dragons facing each other, separated by a sun or yin yang symbol. In Buddhism, burning incense is seen as a way to offer respect to Buddha, or allow ancestors to visit the living, and is commonly burnt in homes and temples. Most homes in Vietnam have an altar for the worship of ancestors and deities with an incense holder to prevent ash from falling. Many Vietnamese people who moved to London in the 1980s and 1990s continue to practice these traditions. By the turn of the 21st century, ritual objects like this holder could be bought in Hackney shops catering for the Buddhist community.

Associated Place

Vietnam (Place)

Material

Paper

Dimension

height: 112mm
diameter: 114mm