SENDING OFF KITCHEN GOD TO HEAVEN (臘月廿四送灶神)

The Taoists will carry out the ritual of sending off the Kitchen Deity on the 24th Day of Lunar 12 Month.




According to Chinese custom, this is the day that, that the Kitchen Deity returns to the Celestial Palace to make his annual report on the household he has been assigned to Jade Emperor of Heaven (玉皇大天尊) and the other Recording Officers in the Heavenly Realm.

On this day, the Taoists will have to prepare some Offerings for the Kitchen Deity before he starts his journey to Heaven.

According to Ancient Records, there are different Dates for Sending Off of the Kitchen Deity. The dates depend on the ranking, position, reputation et cetera of the head of the household.

For officers and their superiors(White Collar Group 皇親國戚), the Sending Off Date for the Kitchen Deity in their Premises was fixed on the 23rd Night before 11.00 p.m.

For the rich and common people (達官貴人/平民百姓), the Sending Off Date for the Kitchen Deity in their Premises was fixed on the 24th Day, in the morning.

And there is also a date for a group categorised as "un-reputable", such as robbers, bandits, low-class-workers, etc, the Sending Off Date for the Kitchen Deity in their Premises was fixed on the 25th Day before Dawn (this was not known by many people as in later part of the History, this information was struck off from the records).

Sending Off Ceremony,

In ancient times, the master of the house or a male-member in the family could do the Sending Off (一家之主/當家). Nowadays, I see that it is the lady of the house who does this.

In order that the Kitchen Deity gives a good report about the family to the Jade Emperor in Heaven, sweet offerings must be made to the Kitchen Deity (you can say that it is a form of bribing). Such sweet offerings can consist of Nian Gao (The Chinese Glutinous Rice Cake 年糕), Sesame Candies, Mandarins oranges.

For some families, they will also prepare cooked dishes to offer to the Kitchen Deity before the Sending Off.

Some will even offer Wine to during the paying respect ceremony to make him "drunk".

After about 15-30 minutes of offering, the house owner will have to seek permission from the Kitchen Deity by throwing the Divination Block to see whether the Kitchen Deity is ready to set-off. If the Divination Block shows the Yin-Yang sign, it means that he is ready to travel back to Heaven, if not, Wine or Tea must be offered again till he is ready.

Once the Divination Block shows Yin-Yang sign, the house owner will have to burn the incense-paper and Song Shen Ma (sending off deity horse) for Kitchen Deity to complete the ritual.

Below are pictures of the Song Shen Me (送神馬)?






Here is information about the Song Shen Ma:
Song Shen Ma aka Shen Ma (神馬) or Song Shen Jia Ma (送神甲馬) is a type of incense-paper that has a picture of a Horse and an Assistant printed on it.


LINK