ABC Wedesday: B for Birthday

Sticky Taiwanese nougats from my friends Lily and Maggie.

Chinese dates





http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/


Today, lunar 23rd is the first day that many people celebrate the Lunar New Year. On this day, the Kitchen God returns to Heaven to report to the Heavenly King all that he had heard. The Heavenly King will reward or punish the household based on the kitchen god's report.

There is a special cake which is very popular, it is called the NIEN GAO. Translated as New year Cake. In my dialect, we called it DAI TUNG JIET Accordingly, there is a Kitchen God CHOU DOW KUNG who listens to all the news and gossips of the household. On this particular day, called the Kitchen God returns to Heaven to report to the Heavenly King all that he had heard. The Heavenly King will reward or punish the household based on the kitchen god's report.

Men found a way, that is to serve the kitchen god this sticky NIEN GAO so he couldn't open his mouth to say all the bad things and other sweet lollies. Even if he could, he wouldn't because he himself would be accused of corruption, having eaten the cake.

I just found that the Hakkas which my husband and my mum belong to, they put the sweet Chinese dates in the cake.

My brother Joseph was born on the day the Kitchen God went to Heaven. My Grandma used to call him the little kitchen god. Every year, on Joseph's birthday, we had a big celebration. Every though we became Christians, tradition is not forgotten. If my grandma is still alive, she would say, the King of the Heavens have blessed Joseph very much. He has a beautiful wife, Audrey, wonderful boys and a great job.

Happy Birthday Joseph.