Earlier this year I was asked to write about more Chinese folk deities so today I wanted to write about Zao Shen (Kitchen god) also called Zao Jun, who is a Chinese god of the hearth, stove, and kitchen.
Zao Shen is said to have once been mortal. During his mortal life he left his wife for a younger woman, he was punished by the heavens for this act and was cursed with blindness. He eventually had to beg to survive, one day he unknowingly received a meal from his ex wife. When eating dinner with his ex he was telling her his life story, he eventually realised that he was talking to his ex wife and apologised for his actions which then cured his blindness. Now able to see he threw himself into a fire out of shame.
Traditionally a paper, wood, or metal depiction of him and his wife would be placed by the stove or fire in a kitchen. His festivala are on the 3rd day of the 8th lunar month and the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_God?wprov=sfla1
Ganymedes' guide. 