《道門科範大全集》Vol. 44

This passage documents a Daoist ritual known as the "Household Peace and Hearth God Apology Ceremony," specifically designed to honor the Kitchen God (the deity governing the hearth and household) and pray for domestic tranquility.

The ceremony is typically conducted during the quiet hours of evening. The chief officiant (referred to in the text as "the designated officiant") leads all Daoist-adhering family members in offering incense and prayers before the kitchen stove. They reverently petition numerous hearth-related deities, including:

The two principal deities—the Great Sage Lord of Fate Kitchen God and the Kitchen God's Consort—along with assisting spirits like the Jade Maidens of the Sixth Gui, the Radiant Maidens of the Chamber, and the Cooking Mother Beneath the Hearth. The text also mentions fire-tending warriors, scribes recording merits and faults, wood-bearing laborers, as well as the Five Directional Kitchen Gods and the thirty-six celestial and thirty-six terrestrial Kitchen Gods.

The officiant explains that since the Yellow Emperor's era, people have maintained traditions of honoring the Kitchen God. Today, all household members—regardless of status—may unknowingly offend these deities through daily actions, risking misfortune. Thus, they carefully select an auspicious day to prepare offerings, sincerely inviting the deities to descend and receive their homage.

The ritual sequence includes:

1. Initial wine offering

2. Flower scattering (petals cast as reverent gesture)

3. Recitation of prayers

4. Renewed incense offerings with supplications

The liturgy references the ancient origins of Kitchen God veneration, citing the legendary "Yellow Sheep Auspice" (the tradition of sacrificing yellow sheep to the Kitchen God) from antiquity. It notes how even humble households (referred to as "thatched cottages," indicating poverty) could gain protection through daily devotions. As the deity governing Fire Virtue (the power and moral principle of fire) who oversees human morality, the Kitchen God's worship reflects ancient people's profound concern for household safety and their devout belief in this domestic guardian.

This scripture describes a Daoist ritual where devotees confess their transgressions to the Kitchen God (Siming Wuling Zaojun) and seek forgiveness. The general meaning is as follows:

We ordinary people inevitably offend the Kitchen God in daily life through various unintentional acts: constructing stoves without choosing auspicious dates or following proper procedures; using unclean cooking utensils or placing inappropriate items on the hearth; making offerings with disrespect or impure vessels; possibly harming sentient trees when gathering firewood; or disregarding temporal taboos while cooking. Now the entire household sincerely repents for these unwitting offenses.

We openly confess our faults to the presiding Kitchen God and all attendant deities, begging for their mercy. The Kitchen God possesses the power to transform misfortune into blessing and exorcise evil spirits—his divine might is truly unfathomable. May he compassionately overlook our mortal ignorance and continue protecting our household: ensuring smooth official affairs and thriving family fortunes, blessing our cooking with perfect fire control and delicious meals, that we may remain bathed in divine grace.

The text mentions assisting deities like the "Chanü" (the spirit of the kitchen fire) and "Ziwei Tianshen" (the Northern Dipper deity) who help regulate the hearth's flames, carrying prayers to the celestial realms through rising smoke. The complete ritual involves incense offering, wine libation, and flower scattering (a type of devotional act), embodying the Daoist sacralization of everyday life.

This scripture primarily discusses the rituals and legends surrounding the worship of the Kitchen God (Zaoshen or Zaojun) in Daoism. It first describes the ceremonial scene: divine power is emanated to expel evil and cleanse malevolent forces, while the Jade Pool Lady (a Daoist female immortal) dispels the smoke and fire qi. Various deities gather joyfully to bring auspicious blessings to the household. The deities of Fate (Siming) and Records (Silu), who govern lifespan and prosperity, bestow blessings upon all family members, young and old. The worshippers prepare offerings with sincere devotion, repeatedly kneel in reverence, present incense and wine, and scatter flowers as a gesture of respect.

The text then recounts a legend about the origin of the Kitchen God: While gathering herbs on Mount Kunlun, the Yellow Emperor encountered a mysterious woman who called herself the "Hearth Mother of the Kitchen." She revealed to him that the Kitchen God is one of the most important deities in the human realm—corresponding to celestial stars in the heavens, manifesting as talismans (Fulu) on earth, and taking the form of the Kitchen God among humans. This deity oversees all fortunes and misfortunes, from the fate of nations to the lives of individuals. Sincere worship of the Kitchen God, she explained, ensures blessings in return.

The text particularly emphasizes the precautions for worshipping the Kitchen God: a total of forty-two Kitchen Gods take turns presiding over their duties, and one must choose an auspicious day when the deity is on duty to perform the ritual—otherwise, misfortune may follow instead of blessings. Each month’s offerings have specific requirements, and one must also avoid uttering the names of the Kitchen God and his six daughters (the Kitchen God’s surname is Zhang, given name Dan; his wife is named Ji, with the courtesy name Li; and all six daughters’ names contain the character "Gui"). These taboos must be strictly observed.

This scripture discusses the taboos to be observed before the kitchen stove (zao) and the misfortunes that may befall those who violate them.

First, it highlights several specific days (the fourth Guimao, fifth Guichou, and sixth Guihai days) requiring special attention. Before the stove, one must avoid: exposing one's naked body, letting hair hang loose, making curses or oaths, venting anger through insults, or wailing loudly. When adding firewood to the stove, one must not douse the flames with hot water or arrange the wood ends in a row to burn. Placing bronze or lacquered vessels in the cooking pot, positioning knives, axes, or brooms above or below the stove, burning hair, fingernails, feathers of chickens or ducks, or peach and plum wood, as well as splashing ash water before the stove are all prohibited. Violating these taboos invites immediate misfortune.

Additionally, one must avoid: sleeping facing the stove door, dumping ashes in filthy places, or bathing children before the stove. Transgressions may lead to eye diseases, poverty, or skin sores and boils. The scripture recommends disposing ashes daily toward the southern Bing position (the Fire position of the South) to ensure prosperity and good fortune.

Finally, it emphasizes that failure to observe these precepts will result in frequent calamities: silkworms failing to produce cocoons, crops failing to yield harvests, as well as attracting gossip, disputes, and legal entanglements. Those who diligently adhere to these prohibitions will undoubtedly receive exceptional blessings.