The Kitchen Gods
Today, the Kitchen Gods will return to heaven to report the activities of every household to the Jade Emperor, which tells us that this year is going to an end. Every Vietnamese family is preparing for the rite, which will be described in our upcoming video.While waiting, do you want to know about the “love triangle” of the Kitchen Gods?
Long long ago, there was a couple married for a long time but could not have any child. Arguments gradually arose between them and one day the man, accidentally hit the woman in a fight. Feeling hurt, the woman left away and later met another man who kindly took care of her and became her new husband.
One day, when the wife was preparing the meal and the husband was working away from home, a begger came to ask for some food. To her surprise, the begger was her ex-husband, who had spent all of his money to find her. Feeling sympathy, she cooked something for him. Unexpectedly, the husband came home. The wife, afraid of misunderstanding, asked her ex-husband to hide himself in a haystack.
Not knowing that there was a person inside the haystack, the husband made a fire for roasting, killing the ex-husband. Feeling regretful, the wife jumped into the burning haystack and died. The husband, under the pain of his wife’s death, followed her into the fire. The Jade Emperor was moved by their sad love, ordained them as Kitchen Gods to control the fire in every family.
Some people believe that their souls shelter in the three-stone cooking fire.
Translated by Kim Nhu Nguyen
Art by Dang Thien, edited by Kieu Nhung & Kim Nhu Nguyen
