[Chinese] The "Lord of the Hearth", an immensely popular hearth and kitchen deity in Chinese folk religion. He is also the protector of the family. An image or picture of him is fixed above the hearth and from this position he notes everything that happens in the house. This he reports to Yu-huang on each New Year's Day. In order to make him submit a favorable to the Jade Emperor, people smear honey around his mouth on New Year's Eve. He is usually shown surrounded by a host of children, and is venerated by the whole family. His veneration dates back from before the 2nd century BCE and, according to popular legend, this is how it began:Once there was a man called Zhang Lang, who was married to a very virtuous woman. She brought good fortune and blessing upon his house. The man, however, fell in love with a young woman and left his wife. Rejected, she returned home to her ancestral house. From that day on, Zhang Lang was plagued with bad luck. The girl turned from him, he became blind...
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