The Tai Shang Ling Bao Bu Xie Zao Wang Jing 太上灵宝补谢灶王经

The author and the era of its compilation are unknown.

It is included in the Taoist Canon, under the category of "Original Texts" in the Cave Mysterium Division.

The scripture purports to be a discourse delivered by the Heavenly Venerable to the Perfected One of Wonderful Conduct.

It states: There is an Old Mother in the Kunlun Mountains, known as the "Mother of Kindling Fire". She connects upward to the Heavenly Realm and governs the Five Elements downward, acting as the Kitchen God. This deity is the Controller of Mortal Destinies in the human world, overseeing the length of people’s lives, their wealth or poverty, nobility or lowliness, and recording their good and evil deeds. At midnight, she reports these to the Heavenly Ministry. If any household profanes this revered deity, three calamities will befall them simultaneously, and all manner of strange evils will arise.

One should invite Taoist priests to recite this scripture to repent and give thanks to the Kitchen Lords of the Five Directions and all other deities. The Old Mother will then manifest great spiritual powers, pardon sins, dispel disasters and anomalies, and bring peace to the family and household members.

The traditional Chinese folk custom of sacrificing to the Kitchen God in the twelfth lunar month is believed to have been influenced by this scripture.