Antique Kitchen God and his Wife, China (16850E)

Description

While most families have had prints or paper-cuts of the Kitchen God (Zao Shen) with or without his wife above their stove, carved images were owned by wealthier families. The Kitchen God is syncretic as a Taoist, Popular Religion and Buddhist tutelary deity, beloved among house-gods as protector of the home. He observes the family’s behavior and morality and on Chinese New Year ascends to the heavens to report to the Jade Emperor where a favorable report brings blessings, good fortune, and continued life, and a poor one brings misfortune or possible death to family members.

They are posed as near mirror images and carved with the same good quality and sufficient details. They sit on backless chairs on a high plinth, wear similar layered gold officials’ robes with wide black borders opening wide over their knees and have long red decorative sashes with black painted designs fading under the smoke of more than a century of incense and candle smoke offerings. They both have raised hands clasped together and covered in ritual cloth, a Taoist pose at their chests as if they were holding a small vertical tablet, but the small hole there would not accommodate one. Their different faces are generalized yet presented with the required reverence and solemnity necessary for house gods whose future of families are in their hands. They wear well-carved, articulated, well presented and very different headdresses.

The pieces are in very good condition with most of the original red, black, gold, and lacquer extant with expected paint losses for an old pair that was honored with candle and incense offerings on a shrine or altar table for more than a century. Both have open cavities indicating they were consecrated with an ”eye-opening ceremony.” The script from that ceremony remains in the wife’s cavity but is missing from the male’s cavity.

The rear of both pieced are different from most carvings as they are specially carved so they are easily transportable and can be picked and held using two fingers only. Some temples lent some of their pieces to devotees in a time of need, and this benefit is still practiced today. We suspect this is why the rear of pieces like this pair is carved for easy transport; this theory has not yet been confirmed.

House God carvings can be a wonderful addition to any home, especially the kitchen as they radiate with the importance and warmth of historical protectors of the central part of the house: the kitchen stove and hearth. In recent years there has been much renewed interest in antique carved Kitchen Gods, authentic pairs are relatively rare and are highly collectible. They are unique house warming or wedding gifts and add positive chi  to any home. 

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