Traditional Chinese legend, retold in simple Mandarin
The Kitchen God
灶王爷
The Kitchen God (灶王爷, Zàowáng Yé) is a Chinese legend, retold in simple Mandarin as a 3-chapter story with audio for learners at about HSK 1 (Beginner).
A funny retelling of the Chinese Kitchen God folk tradition: a painting above the stove sees everything a family does, and they feed him sticky candy before he reports to the Jade Emperor.
Meet the voices
- Narrator · 旁白 — A warm older storyteller.
- The Kitchen God · 灶王爷 — A fussy, kind god in a painting above the stove who sees everything.
- Xiaobao · 小宝 — A cheeky boy who loves dumplings.
- Grandpa · 爷爷 — A warm grandfather with a secret wine jar.
- The Jade Emperor · 玉皇大帝 — The grand, good-humored ruler of heaven.
3 chapters, one journey
Chapter 1: The Man Above the Stove
墙上的画
The Kitchen God, a painting above the stove, sees a boy stealing dumplings and a grandpa hiding wine. Tonight he reports to heaven, and the family has a plan.
Free to read
Chapter 2: Sweet Words
甜甜的话
The family feeds the Kitchen God sticky candy so he can only say sweet things. Before the Jade Emperor, only kind words come out. Then the candy starts to melt.
Free to read
Chapter 3: Back Home for New Year
新年回家
The candy melts and the Kitchen God tells the truth, kindly. The Emperor laughs, and the god comes home on New Year's Eve to a family with new promises.
Free to read
Key words in The Kitchen God
Behind the story
The Kitchen God, 灶王爷, is a household god from Chinese folk tradition. For centuries, families hung a paper picture of him near the stove, and believed he watched over the home all year.
Each year, on 小年 (Little New Year), families say goodbye to him so he can report to heaven. They offer sticky sweets called 糖瓜, and on 除夕 (New Year's Eve) they welcome him back, often with a new picture.
Did you know?
- 小年 falls on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month in much of northern China, and a day later in many southern regions.
- 糖瓜 are sticky malt candies. Some say they make the god's words sweet, and others say they glue his mouth shut.
- People used to paste a new Kitchen God picture above the stove for the new year.