cashew | Thursday, February 4th, 2021

So, in Chinese folk religion, on the 23rd of the last month of the Lunar calendar (today), people celebrate what is known as 小年, which directly translates to mini-New Years, or little New Year. Basically, this is when the celebration officially begins for the Lunar New Year and ramps up all the way until the 1st of the New Year.

(An aside, on the 8th of the last month, known as 腊八 (Là Bā - literally: 8th day of the coldest month) is officially the start for New Year's preparation and known as the Laba Festival. Food Souls has a reference to the Laba Congee 腊八粥, which is a very common food that used to be made a lot and often confused with 八宝粥 (Babao congee, or eight treasures congee) by westerners, which is eaten through out the year. And yes, the Chinese has literally a festival to celebrate the start of prepping for New Years. We take our New Year celebration very seriously. /aside)

Anyway!

The point is, today is mini-New Year and it's celebrated by eating candy. Like Halloween, but instead of ghosties, you're eating candy so that your words will be "sweeter". Also, the stove god (yes, China has a god dedicated to watching over your stove) is supposed to be sent up to the heavens to report to the Jade Emperor on how well your household did during the year. (And yes, the stove god is the head of the household according to Chinese folklore. Chinese people, we love our food.)

In practice, this means taking down the picture of your stove god and burning it (to send him up to heaven), then purchasing a new one on New Year's Day to "invite him back". Of course, before sending him up to the heavens, the family must spread some honey over the god's mouth so that he can, you guessed it, speak "sweet words" during his report. AKA the folk practice is to bribe the stove god to give a good report.

And Chinese people wonder why corruption is such a fucking problem in our society. ╮(╯▽╰)╭ (つ﹏⊂)

Anyway, the point is, according to Chinese folk practice, today you're supposed to eat candy! So go forth and eat candy!