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| Ancient Chinese New Year Customs |
Seeing the
Kitchen God Off
On 24th of the last month in the lunar calendar,
families worship the Kitchen God with offerings
of homemade candies, rice cakes, dates, walnuts
and fried beans. They also bum fodder as a gesture
symbolic of feeding the Kitchen God's horse.
It is believed that the Kitchen God will return
to heaven the next day and report on the deeds
of each family during the previous year to the
Jade Emperor. These offerings are to please
the Kitchen God so that he will only talk about
the good deeds of a family. People also hope
that the sticky sweets will seal the Kitchen
God's mouth so that he will tell no tales.
It is said that the Kitchen God is in control
of a family's fortunes and misfortunes. His
shrine is located above the kitchen stove. He
reports the good and evil people did on earth
to the Jade Emperor on the 23rd or 24th of December
of the lunar year Ordinary families usually
offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God that day.
At the end of the ceremony the old portrait
of the Kitchen God is burnt and a new one is
put up. |
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