春节习俗：腊月二十三 糖瓜粘 灶王老爷要上天

The 23rd day of the 12th month in Lunar Calendar is called 小年(Xiao Nian), or Minor Spring Festival.

农历十二月二十三日，叫做小年。

The folk saying goes like: 二十三，糖瓜粘，灶王老爷要上天 (Er Shi San, Tang Gua Zhan, Zao Wang Lao Ye Yao Shang Tian).

俗语说：二十三，糖瓜粘，灶王老爷要上天。

In Chinese mythology, the Kitchen God, 灶王老爷 (Zao Wang Lao Ye), is the most important of a plethora of Chinese domestic gods that protect the health and family. 

在中国神话中，灶王老爷是中国众多居家庇佑神灵中最重要的一位，守护着健康以及家庭幸福。

It is believed that on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, just 7 days before Chinese Lunar New Year, he will returns to the Heaven to report the activities of every household over the past year to the Jade Emperor, 玉皇大帝 (Yu Huang Da Di). 

据说，农历十二月二十三日，在中国新年的前7天，灶王老爷会重返天庭，向玉皇大帝报告去年一整年每家每户的活动情况。

The Jade Emperor, the emperor of the Heaven, will rewards or punishes a family based on Kitchen God’s report.

玉皇大帝会根据灶王老爷的报告奖励或者惩罚这些家庭。

People will offer malt sugar candies, 糖瓜 ( Tang Gua), to the Kitchen God. Chinese people believe that the Kitchen God will say something good after taking the sweet candies. The lady on the left is the Kitchen God’s wife, 灶王奶奶 ( Zao Wang Nai Nai).

人们会向灶王老爷供奉糖瓜，中国人相信灶王老爷在吃了这些甜甜的糖果后会向玉皇大帝说些好话。图中在左侧的女性就是灶王老爷的妻子，灶王奶奶。