Housewife performs Kitchen God send-off ritual without fail
GEORGE TOWN: Although still preoccupied with repainting her house due to the November floods, housewife Sim Gwok Nai made sure she performed the ritual to send off the Zhao Jun (Kitchen God).
A host of items such as thnee kuih (nian gao or kuih bakul), mandarin oranges, red dates, longan, sweets and joss paper were placed on the altar at her house.
“I have been observing this religious ritual for over 20 years. In the past, it was my mother-in-law and sister-in-law who took charge before they passed away.
“Although my house is still in a mess, this religious ritual must go on.
“The Chinese community believes that Zhao Jun would hand in his annual report to the Jade Emperor.
“So, we offer sweet stuff to sweeten the deity’s mood. Thnee kuih will ‘seal’ the lips of the deity and prevent him from making an unfavourable report,” she said when met at her house in Lengkok P. Ramlee yesterday.
The 65-year-old said Chinese households are only allowed to clean the altar in their house after the sending off as an act of respect to the deity.
She said the ceremony also indicates that Chinese New Year is just around the corner.
The community will later welcome back the deity from the heavens on the fourth day of the new lunar year by carrying out prayers.