Before the new year eve, at the 23rd day of the 12th month in a year on the lunar calendar is called "off year", (Xiaonian in Chinese). It is the day on which the folk people offer sacrifices to Kitchen God, Kitchen god is a god sent from heaven by Jade Emperor to each family taje charge of family affairs and make a report on what the family has done in the past year to Jade Emperor on the date of 23th allow the Jade Emperor to make it punishment and rewards.
In order for the kitchen god can't speak ill of the people in front of the Jade Emperor. Folk people will offer a typical Chinese Candy instead of usual cow, chicken, fish , pigs or sheep. By the way, people will also offer pure water, soybeans and grass fodder. It is said the water and fodder is prepared for the god's horse while going up to the celestial palace.
According to the folk custom, "men do not worship the Moon while women do not offer sacrifices to Kitchen god." So sacrifices to Kitchen god is only confined to men.
Please look into below link for more details:
http://www.chinavoc.com/festivals/KitchenGod.htm
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa010300a.htm
0 comments:
Post a Comment