ittle New Year, the time to worship Kitchen God

小年祭灶

雙語版

Chinese Little New Year, also known as Kitchen God Festival, falls on the Lunar Chinese Dec 23 or 24. Kitchen God, or Zaojun in Chinese, is among the 365 formal gods in Chinese folklore. He, also affectionately called Kitchen Grandpa by Chinese people, accompanied by his wife, Kitchen Grandma, is appointed by Emperor Jade to oversee and protect the household. According to tradition, people will put up a paper image of them beside the stove in the kitchen to show their respect.

中國小年，亦稱祭灶，在每年農(nóng)歷臘月23或24。灶王爺，又叫灶君，是中國民間傳說365位正神之一。灶君和夫人奉玉皇大帝之命，來到人間，主持一家事務(wù)，保佑家人平安，人們又親切地稱其為灶王爺和灶王奶奶。按照傳統(tǒng)，家家戶戶都會在灶臺旁貼灶王爺像以示尊重。

Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Western Han Dynasty, a filial poor farmer named Yin Zifang in Nanyang preferred to worship Kitchen God. One day shortly before the Lunar New Year, Yin was making breakfast when the Kitchen God appeared to him. He knelt down and thanked the God. Although all Yin had was only one yellow sheep, he sacrificed it to Kitchen God. Yin soon became rich in and around the village. To show their gratitude, Yin’s generations started sacrificing a yellow goat to Kitchen God every winter on the day of the divine visitation. Inspired by the story of "yellow sheep sacrifice to Kitchen God", many people also slaughtered animals and offered sacrifices on the day. This is the origin of Little New Year.

傳說，漢宣帝時，南陽陰子方者，性至孝，積恩好施，喜祀灶。臘日，晨炊，而灶神形見。子方再拜受慶，家有黃羊，因以祀之。自是已后，暴至巨富。故后子孫嘗以臘日祀灶，而薦黃羊焉。受到“黃羊祭灶”傳聞的啟發(fā)，很多人亦在此日宰牲祭灶。這便是祭灶或小年的由來。

In China, there are numerous customs associated with Kitchen God in the day of Little New Year. One of them is Worshiping Kitchen God In the evening before Little New Year, the image of Kitchen God who has been overseeing and protecting the household for the past year is taken down from its position by the stove while offerings are prepared. The offerings include chicken, duck, fish, meat, melons, fruit, dumplings, sweets and so on. The offerings vary from region to region, most of which, however, are various sticky sweets. It is thought that the sweets will sweeten Kitchen God and seal his mouth, encouraging him only to say good things about the family when he ascends to Heaven to make his report to Emperor Jade. In the meantime, every family makes offerings to Kitchen God, in the hope that he will ask Emperor Jade to protect their household. According to a saying, "In Heaven good deeds are reported, on Earth safety is ensured."

在中國，小年時有許多與灶王爺有關(guān)的習(xí)俗，其中之一便是祭灶。小年前夜，人們會把辛苦了一年，守護(hù)家人平安的灶王爺從灶臺旁請下來，同時準(zhǔn)備好祭品。祭品包括雞鴨魚肉、瓜果、餃子、各式粘性糖果等。雖然各地祭品有所不同，但大都以糖果為主。人們認(rèn)為，糖果可以讓灶王爺?shù)淖熳兲?，上天向玉帝匯報(bào)時，只說好話。同時，人們祭灶，也是希望他上天后能請求玉帝保護(hù)家人平平安安。正如俗話所說：“上天言好事，下凡降吉祥”

A new image of Kitchen God will be pasted up on the same position beside the stove in the kitchen again on Lunar New Year's Eve, a ceremony known as "Welcoming Back Kitchen God." According to a Chinese saying, "On the twenty-third day he ascends to Heaven; on New Year's Day he returns to Earth." From this vantage point, Kitchen God will oversee and protect the household for another year.

新的灶王爺像會在除夕再次貼在灶臺邊的高出，稱為“迎灶王”。中國諺語有云，灶王爺會在“二十三日去，初一更回家。”在新的一年里，灶王爺繼續(xù)高高在上，保佑家人安康。

During the time between Laba Festival and Little New Year, families throughout China will undertake a thorough house cleanup, sweeping out the old and preparing for the new.

臘八后，小年前，全國各地家庭都會進(jìn)行一次徹底打掃，除舊迎新。