LittleNewYear,whichfallsaboutaweekbeforethelunarNewYear,isalsoknownastheFestivaloftheKitchenGod,thedeitywhooverseesthemoralcharacterofeachhousehold.InoneofthemostdistinctivetraditionsofSpringFestival,apaperimageoftheKitchenGodisburntonLittleNewYear,dispatchingthegod'sspirittoHeaventoreportonthefamily'sconductoverthepastyear.

　　TheKitchenGodisthenwelcomedbackbypastinganewpaperimageofhimbesidethestove.Fromthisvantagepoint,theKitchenGodwilloverseeandprotectthehouseholdforanotheryear.ThecloseassociationoftheKitchenGodwiththeLunarNewYearhasresultedinKitchenGodFestivalbeingcalledLittleNewYear.AlthoughveryfewfamiliesstillmakeofferingstotheKitchenGodonthisday,manytraditionalholidayactivitiesarestillverypopular.

　　StudiesofpopularChinesereligionindicatethattheKitchenGoddidnotappearuntilaftertheinventionofthebrickcookingstove.Thecookingstovewasafairlylatedevelopmentinthehistoryofhumancivilization.AncientwritingsindicatethattheFireGod,theearliestformoftheKitchenGod,wasworshippedlongbeforethestovewasinvented.

　　ZhuRong,China'sancientFireGodwasapopularfolkdeityandhadmanytemplesbuiltinhishonor.Stonelinedfirepits,anearlyformofthebrickstove,arestillcommonlyusedamongChina'sethnicminorities.PeopleintheseregionsmakeofferingstotheFirepitGod.TheFirepitGodappearedbetweentheKitchenGodandtheFireGodinthehistoryofChinesefolkdeities.TheKitchenGodappearedsoonaftertheinventionofthebrickstove.TheKitchenGodwasoriginallybelievedtoresideinthestove,andonlylatertookonhumanform.

　　LegendhasitthatduringtheLaterHanDynasty,apoorfarmernamedYinZifangwasmakingbreakfastonedayshortlybeforetheLunarNewYear,whentheKitchenGodappearedtohim.AlthoughallYinZifanghadwasoneyellowsheep,hesacrificedittotheKitchenGod.YinZifangsoonbecamerich.Toshowhisgratitude,YinZifangstartedsacrificingayellowgoattotheKitchenGodeverywinteronthedayofthedivinevisitation,ratherthanduringthesummerashadbeencustomary.ThisistheoriginoftheKitchenGodFestival,orLittleNewYear.

　　TherearenumerouscustomsassociatedwithhonoringtheKitchenGodanddeterminingthedateoftheKitchenGodFestival,orLittleNewYear.Thedateofthisholidaywassometimesassignedaccordingtolocation,withpeopleinnorthernChinacelebratingitonthetwenty-thirddayofthetwelfthlunarmonth,andpeopleinsouthernChinacelebratingitonthetwenty-fourth.ThedateofLittleNewYearwasalsotraditionallydeterminedaccordingtoprofession.Traditionally,feudalofficialsmadetheirofferingstotheKitchenGodonthetwenty-third,thecommonpeopleonthetwenty-fourth,andcoastalfishingpeopleonthetwenty-fifth.Thepersonofficiatingatthesacrificialriteswasgenerallythemaleheadofthehousehold.

　　TheeveningbeforeLittleNewYear,theimageoftheKitchenGodthathasbeenoverseeingthehouseholdforthepastyearistakendownfromitspositionbythestove.Whiletheimageisdriedinpreparationforburning,offeringsandfirewoodareprepared.Thefirewoodmayincludebundlesofpine,cypress,holly,andpomegranatetwigs.AnewimageoftheKitchenGodispurchased,andfiguresofhorsesanddogsareplaitedoutofsorghumstalks.Theofferingsincludepig'sh