Kitchen God

Although there are many local community and house gods, the Kitchen God, also known as the Stove God or Hearth God Zao Shen ( 灶神)Tsao Chun, Zao Jun, Zaojun, and Zaowang) has been the most revered and ubiquitous household deity since late Ming and Qing dynasties through current times. Almost every urban or rural family of every status had and often still revers its own Kitchen God image, which is responsible for observing the family’s behavior, protecting its wellbeing, and defending against adversity. On Chinese New Year he ascends the heavens to report the family’s behavior to the Jade Emperor who then determines the family’s fate for the next year. He is often depicted along with his wife wearing elaborate official’s robes and hat and grasping a pointed hu tablet like those held by high officials in the Chinese court as a writing surface to record the emperor’s commands and wishes and Taoist officials held them during spiritual audiences with Taoist deities. This is appropriate as the Kitchen God who reported notes about the families’ behavior to present to the Jade Emperor. Depending on the family’s financial resources, the Kitchen God images are depicted in paintings, drawings, paper cuts, wood plaques, and, less frequently, carved wood statues. Wood lacquer ones may be kept in a shrine made of masonry, wood, bamboo, or, in more modest homes, a shelf or niche dug into the wall forming a simple altar. The area holding the Kitchen God must be large enough to hold offerings which are traditionally prepared by women and presented by men.