The Kitchen God Lamp Rites 东厨司命灯仪

Consisting of one scroll, it is included in What is The Daozang, under the category of Ritual Texts in The Dongzhen Section.

As one of the Taoist lamp rituals, this text is used for lighting lamps to enshrine Kitchen Gods, including Zaojun (the Kitchen God) of the Eastern Hearth, the Five Kitchen Gods of the Five Directions, and the Kitchen God’s Wife. It states that the Kitchen God is the master of every household, serving as an emissary of the Seven Primordial Origins in heaven. He receives orders from the Supreme Deity above, observes human ethics below, records people’s merits and faults, and rewards the good while punishing the evil—embodying the cosmic balance of Yin and Yang.

If mortals offend the Kitchen God or commit misdeeds, they ought to hold a Taoist jiao ritual, light lamps, enshrine the Kitchen God, recite praises and prayers, and beg for forgiveness of their sins and bestowal of blessings.