As Chinese New Year approaches, the ritual send-off of the Kitchen God takes place on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month. This tradition involves offering sweets, fruits, and especially three-kueh to Zao Jun, the Kitchen God, who is believed to journey to heaven to report on the households he has resided in. The tradition is explained by Penang Chinese Clan Council executive secretary Kwoh Shoo Chen, who highlights the significance of three-kueh and other offerings made to appease the Kitchen God.
Traditionally made three-kueh is steamed in bowls made of banana leaves. — Picture by Opalyn Mok as a first-time user.\Exclusively for Malay Mail readers: Use code GEORGE TOWN, Jan 23 — Chinese New Year is just around the corner and one of the first rituals to usher in the lunar new year is the ritual send-off of the Kitchen God with sweets, fruits and — most importantly — three-kueh.
Today is the 24th day of the 12th lunar month when, according to Chinese folklore, the Kitchen God will make his journey back to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor (also known as the Celestial Kitchen God in Hokkien, which translates directly to “sending off the deity”. It is believed the Kitchen God will spend seven days in heaven delivering his reports on the households in which he has resided, to the Jade Emperor. The Kitchen God altar is often placed in kitchens of Chinese households, from where he is believed to observe and note down events over the whole year. \According to Penang Chinese Clan Council executive secretary Kwoh Shoo Chen, the send-off ritual of the Kitchen God, also known as Zao Jun in Malay, has been sold in wet markets and even some supermarkets. Traditionally, three-kueh is usually steamed in banana leaves that are bowl-shaped, whereas the modern and commercially prepared versions are often encased in plastic. Kwoh said the Kitchen God is believed to have a sweet tooth. When offering three-kueh to him, two large ones with one small stacked on top; this is to signify hope for things to always look up for the household,” she said. The three-kueh is believed to “sweeten” Zao Jun’s reports on the households, but also prevent him from saying too much to the Jade Emperor by gumming up his mouth. Kwoh said some families would also offer other food items such as fruits, roast pork, and roast chicken, with the caveat that the offerings not be more than those made to the main deity of the house
CHINESE NEW YEAR KITCHEN GOD THREE-KUEH ZAO JUN TRADITION FOLKLORE
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