Thanking the Kitchen God (謝灶)

How the festivals began

The Kitchen God (灶君) is the kitchen deity of folk belief. Tradition says he stays in the kitchen all year. He notes the family's good deeds and small faults. At the year's end he returns to the heavenly court and gives his report to the Jade Emperor, the highest god in heaven.

The day's name means 'thanking the Kitchen God'. Families offer sweets, tangyuan (湯圓), sweet glutinous rice balls, and maltose candy, a sweet and sticky sugar. The old story says that after these treats the Kitchen God's mouth is sweet, so he speaks kind words about the family in heaven.

Traditional customs

On the day, families offer clear water, incense and sweets. Some places add sugar cane, for its clean sweetness. Customs differ a little from place to place. In southern China, Hong Kong and Macau, maltose candy is a common offering. In Taiwan, the same day is called 'sending the gods' (送神), when families see all the gods back to heaven. Chinese families in Singapore and Malaysia also keep this tradition. After the rite, some families burn the old image of the Kitchen God, together with a paper horse, said to carry him on his way. After this day, the New Year preparations begin in earnest: shopping for the festival and the great clean-up.