Dating back to the 11th Century the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu in Vietnamese) is a large complex in the city of Hanoi, Vietnam. Its continued presence speaks to the respect for education and academia. I captured this photo inside one of the temple buildings – this is an altar dedicated to the Chinese philosopher Confucius, whom the Emperor who commissioned the Temple greatly respected.
I love the vibrant colors of the altar – dominated by Red which symbolizes luck and celebration in Vietnamese culture. I also like all the different shapes and colors of the flowers and other offerings at the altar.